plastic pipe

Since a home's metal plumbing was often used as the ground for its electrical system, if you install plastic pipe somewhere you must make sure that you haven't accidentally disconnected the ground. To reduce such errors, the National Electrical Code requires that in new construction, if the ground connection is made to a water pipe, it must be made within a few feet of the point where the pipe enters the building.

Types of plastic used for plumbing

Name of resin Uses inch-
based
metric
polyvinyl chloride   PVC PVC-U
chlorinated polyvinyl chloride   CPVC PVC-C
acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene   ABS  
high density polyethylene   HDPE  
cross-linked polyethylene   PEX  
polybutylene No longer used in
residential plumbing.
PB  
polyethylene (PE)      
rubber-modified styrene (SR)      
polypropylene (PP)      
polyacetal      

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