When building a house, you will usually be told by the engineer, plumber or building expert about the type of PVC materials to use.
But what exactly are these PVC pipes, specifically 40 and 80 PVCs? Are any of these better?
In this article, we will discuss the difference between these two, their advantages and disadvantages.
What is a Schedule 40 PVC pipe?
Based on National Electrical Code (NEC) 352, Schedule 40 PVC electrical conduit is generally for electrical applications in walls, floors and ceilings. Sometimes, it is also used underground, either in those areas exposed to sunlight or not.
This PVC pipe material is very durable and intact and its installation requires primer and solvent cement for a better fit. Usually, this type of PVC pipe is used for proper drainage and water flow.
If you’re going to use this pipe for your water line, it’s worth noting that it can handle water temperatures up to 140 degrees F.
Moreover, this type of pipe it is designed to perfectly handle applications under fluid pressure, corrosive chemicals and harmful materials. When using this pipe and soldering it using a standard medium, you are encouraged to solder it several times to secure the pipe.
As the most affordable PVC pipe, it is used for the following applications:
- Residential sanitary installations
- Landscape irrigation
- Pool and spa design
- Photography laboratories
- Electric cables in zoos or aquariums
- Misting systems
- Drinking water service
Technically, Schema 40 pipe can handle PSI from 40 to 280. However, you must understand that the inside diameter of the pipe can affect how much pressure can be maintained. As the pipe gets larger, its inside diameter decreases.
What is a Schedule 80 PVC pipe?
There is also this program of 80 PVC pipes. In general, program 80 PVC pipe it is mostly used for areas of your home that are exposed to physical damage. Compared to Schedule 40 PVC pipe, it is more durable.
It has thicker walls and can withstand higher PSI up to 450. Like Schedu 40 PVC, it can also withstand high temperatures, pressures and corrosive materials.
When bonding this PVC pipe, a standard medium is also used. Some of the uses of PVC pipe Schedu 80 are as follows:
- Commercial sanitary installations
- Chemical processing
- manufacturing
- Agriculture and Aquaculture
- Exposed electrical conduit
- Wastewater treatment system
Schedule 80 PVC pipe sizes range from ½ inch to 16 inches. Again, the larger the size, the smaller the inside diameter.
Schedule 40 vs Schedule 80 PVC Pipe: How Do They Compare?
Of course there will be days when you have to choose between schedule 40 PVC pipe and schedule 80 PVC pipe. If you are wondering which of the two is better, you may want to consider the comparison which will be discussed in this section.
1. Wall thickness and PSI
When it comes to wall thickness, Schele 80 PVC pipe has the upper hand. This means that this type is thicker and stronger.
There are times when you mistake the larger sizes of schedule 40 PVC pipes for schedule 80 PVC pipes. To better understand, the former are usually colored white and the latter are usually colored black.
Additionally, schedule 40 PVC pipes are usually the ones you see outside buildings or small houses – the ones used for water drainage.
On the other hand, 80 hour PVC pipes are what you usually see in larger buildings. Because of their thickness, many commercial and industrial buildings use these pipes.
2. Inside and outside diameter
For the inner diameter, the PVC pipe Scaffolding 80 has a smaller one compared to the PVC pipe Schele 40. This is due to the fact that the former has a thicker wall.
For the outside diameter, both PVC pipes program 40 and 80 have the same measurement.
3. Weight and cost
If you’re wondering which of the two is heavier, it’s safe to say that the Schele 80 PVC pipe is heavier. Again, this is because this type of pipe is thicker than Schedule 40 PVC pipe.
If you’re buying from another area away from your hometown, you might as well consider the weight, as shipping, especially the 80 PVC schedule, is kind of expensive.
For overall cost, the 80 PVC schedule is more expensive because it is made with more PVC material and material walls to handle higher pressures and temperatures.
4. Installation
When it comes to installation, there isn’t much difference between schedule 40 and schedule 80 PVC pipe installation procedures.
In fact, based on ASTM standards, you can combine these two programs into one using normal fittings. However, it is important to note that when combining these two into one line, you must ensure that the pressure they receive can be handled by both programs.
If you combine them and make your program 40 PVC pipes get more pressure, this can cause damage.
5. Color
We have already made an introduction about the colors of hourly PVC pipes 40 and 80. However, there are manufacturers who produce the same colors as these two.
In addition to Schele 40 PVC pipe being white and Schere 80 PVC pipe being gray or black, you can also see these pipes in green, blue, red and orange.
Based on personal experience, when we were renovating the kitchen area of our house, the construction worker told us that it was cheaper to buy the red and orange ones.
Is Schedule 80 PVC pipe better?
Because Scheme 80 PVC pipe is thicker and more durable, you may sometimes think that this is better.
Unfortunately, you might be wrong about that kind of idea. There are a few disadvantages when using PVC program 80 pipeand some of these are as follows:
- This pipe may cause a reduced capacity. This means it can limit water flow and pressure. When this happens, you may not get the quality and inner capacity intact, because the inside diameter of the Schedule 80 PVC pipes will take up a lot of space.
- As we all know, schedule 80 PVC pipes are heavier. In addition to shipping costs, installing this type of pipe can require more labor, effort, and time.
- Schedule 80 PVC pipe is more expensive, but that doesn’t mean you should go for Schedule 40 PVC pipe when you need it first.
However, many plumbing experts always opt for schedule 80 PVC pipe in all plumbing applications due to its durability and lower risk of breakage.
If you are doing your own home pipe repair, you may want to focus on pressure requirements when choosing the best PVC programs.
You can always consider the price and choose schedule 40 PVC pipe, but if you need 80, going with the premium may end up paying more after a while.
How to measure your PVC pipe?
For those doing home renovations, you may sometimes wonder what is the best PVC pipe to use.
Well, you can’t simply choose between schedule 40 and schedule 80 PVC pipes. In addition to considering factors such as pressure, you also need to measure your PVC pipe so that you can have the best fittings for This one.
To measure, first you need to lay the pipe with the straight end facing you. Then you should measure the distance between the right and left outer edges.
You can use a ruler, but a tape measure is highly recommended.
After that, write down the measurements and write down the outside diameter. PVC pipes with the closest pipe size will then be used.
Other Factors to Consider When Buying Pipe Schedules
Besides cost, inside and outside diameter and pressure, there are other factors you should consider before you buy your program PVC pipe.
First, you need to measure the length of PVC pipe you need. If you are on a tight budget, you can choose the longest one and just cut the pipe. This will allow you to use the other side of the pipe for other areas in your home.
Second, you may also want to consider the location where you will place your pipes. If you are exposing them to the sun, it is vital to consider the degree of heat in that area.
Remember, too much heat can damage your pipe. Again, based on personal experience, because I didn’t have the knowledge of these pipe programs back then, I once bought a Schedule 40 PVC pipe and placed it in our open garage.
After a few days water started flowing and I found out that the pipe was already damaged.
Final thoughts
Indeed, when doing home renovations, choosing the right plumbing fixtures is essential.
There are PVC 40 and 80 schedules, and choosing the best one depends on many factors, such as pressure and pipe size.
Between these two, the schedule 40 PVC pipes are cheaper. You can generally use it, but once the pressure is too high and unmanageable, it can only damage your PVC pipe.
