PVC Pipe

Frequently Asked Questions About PVC

Q. Can I use PVC for home plumbing?
A. PVC is not rated for hot water use, so plumbing code prevents it from being used in water supply lines. However, it is often used in drainage systems. PVC fittings used for drainage are usually called DWV (drain, waste, & vent) fittings.

Q. What is the difference between schedule 40 and schedule 80 PVC?
A. The obvious difference between those two types of PVC is their color: sch. 40 is white and sch. 80 is dark gray/black. But what really sets them apart is their wall thickness. Sch. 40 PVC has thinner walls than sch. 80. Sch. 80 PVC can withstand substantially higher pressures due to its thicker walls.

Q. What is the highest temperature PVC pipe can handle?
A. PVC is rated for temperatures up to 140°F (60°C) without pressure and 100°F (38°C) with pressure. Due to these limitations, PVC is not rated for hot water systems. It is usable for water, gas, and drainage systems, however.

Q. What is PVC pipe usually used for?
A. The most common PVC application is drainage. Because of this, many special PVC fittings are made specifically for drain, waste, & vent (DWV) systems. DWV systems usually use schedule 40 PVC pipe or special DWV piping with thinner walls than schedule 40.

Q. Is PVC recyclable?
A. It is a common misconception that PVC is a completely un-recyclable material. This is due to the fact that it cannot be simply melted down like many other plastics. When burned, PVC releases corrosive hydrochloric gas, so that is not the proper way to recycle it. Used PVC can become new source material by undergoing mechanical recycling. It can also be broken down to a molecular level through chemical recycling.