The repair of heating pipelines must be approached responsibly. The durability and correct functioning of the system depends on the quality of materials and the strength of their installation. The market leaders in this area today are polypropylene materials, which are not inferior in strength to metal ones.

Polypropylene pipes began to be used for heating systems relatively recently. Before this, their place was taken by solid steel pipes. Such structures were connected by welding, were durable, but difficult to install and expensive to manufacture.

Polypropylene pipes have gone through a number of important metamorphoses over their short history. Polypropylene itself does not have the heat resistance that the companies developing it expected. That is why the first heat-conducting systems with such pipes quickly fell into disrepair, and they began to be skeptical about the material itself.

At the moment, polypropylene pipes have been significantly improved. There are various models that are used to supply cold and hot water, heat supply and sewage disposal. When carrying out repairs, it is important to choose pipes that are designed for specific purposes, otherwise the structure will not be suitable for use.

It is important! At the moment, there are many companies producing and selling pipes for heating systems. It is advisable to buy pipes along with all components from official suppliers in specialized stores, since there are many low-quality fakes.

Types of PPR pipes

Polypropylene pipes are used in various areas, but not all are suitable for heating. In pursuit of cheap material, you may buy the wrong type of pipe that could withstand hot water under pressure. It is important to be able to distinguish one type of pipe from another.

The classification of polypropylene pipes is as follows:

• RR-N. This is the first generation of polypropylene pipes. This model has all the properties of the base material. PP-N are hermetically sealed and resistant to high pressure, in addition, they do not enter into chemical reactions. However, melting of such a pipe can begin already at a temperature of 50 ͒ C. Such pipes are used in cold water supply systems, ventilation and for industrial purposes;
• RR-V. During the production of this type, the formula of the material was slightly changed. The pipes turned out to be stronger and more durable, but they still could not withstand temperature fluctuations. Such pipes have the advantages of previous generation and, in addition, better withstand the effects of hot temperatures. However, they are unsuitable for heating systems and even hot water supply. Such pipes are often used in sewer construction;
• PP-R. In the production of these pipes, in addition to polypropylene, ethylene is used. This allows them to withstand high temperature loads. In addition, such pipes, as a rule, are reinforced, which allows them to withstand temperatures of more than 100 ͒ C. Reinforced PP-R pipes are the most suitable option for a heating system.

Currently, the replacement of outdated steel pipelines and the laying of new heating lines is carried out with new generation polymer pipes. In the ranking of popular materials for heating installations, PPR pipes come first. This information article discusses in detail the technical characteristics of the material, the main advantages and disadvantages of polypropylene pipes for heating.

Polypropylene belongs to the group of synthetic thermoplastic polymers that change their properties under the influence of temperature. As a result of a complex chemical process using special organometallic catalysts under the influence of medium and low pressure, propylene is polymerized and converted into polypropylene. The resulting material is highly resistant to alkaline environments, as well as a high melting point, reaching 170 degrees. All these wonderful properties of polypropylene were used to create a new generation of modern polypropylene pipes for heating and hot water supply lines.

Reasons to choose polypropylene pipes for the heating circuit

Carrying out home or intra-apartment wiring begins with consultations with heating system installers and shopping trips in search of suitable materials. Almost all experts unanimously advise choosing polypropylene pipes as the best material for a private home or replacing the central heating of multi-storey buildings.

The main reasons for choosing polypropylene pipes for heating are based on their technical characteristics :

• Ability to withstand high pressure. Heating pipes made of polypropylene with a coolant temperature of up to 70 degrees can withstand operating pressures from 4 to 6 atmospheres.
• High thermal stability. In a heated circuit made of PPR pipes, the maximum water temperature is 95 degrees.
• Thermal conductivity. Thanks to this property, the polypropylene pipeline is not covered with condensate droplets.
• Anti-corrosion resistance for heating. Polypropylene does not react with chemicals. The inner surface does not become clogged or overgrown with hard deposits.
• Large margin of safety. Under normal operating conditions, heating pipelines made of polypropylene can be used for up to 50 years.

A simple technology for assembling a heating circuit, combined with a complete set of connecting and docking fittings, brings polypropylene pipes to the top sales of popular polymer products.

Varieties

At the beginning of their history, PPR polypropylene pipes were unrivaled; they began to be used everywhere to replace heating circuits made of steel and cast iron. Short-term operation of a heating system made of such elements showed the material’s poor resistance to linear thermal deformation. To rid the heating wiring from such unpleasant defects, polypropylene pipes were improved with internal reinforcement or, as builders call it, “internal braiding”:

• Made of aluminum. Installation of aluminum-reinforced pipes is carried out with preliminary cleaning of the products so as not to damage the thin foil coating.

• Fiberglass. Unlike the first type, soldering of fiberglass pipelines is carried out without any special conditions.

Reinforcement of the inner part of the pipes from polypropylene made it possible to significantly reduce linear thermal deformations of the heating line.

Reinforced polypropylene pipes for heating systems

Despite the extensive line of polypropylene pipe products, not all types of polypropylene products can be used in heating systems and hot water supply. If you ask any specialist: “Which PP pipes are best for heating,” you can get a clear answer that reinforced products are best suited for laying heating systems. This statement is based on the high degree of thermal expansion coefficient of products as a result of contact with a high temperature coolant. There are cases where, by mistake, hot water supply and heating lines were installed from ordinary polypropylene pipes and connecting fittings. Under the influence of the hot coolant, the laid heating branch was deformed and sagged. Horizontal wiring has lost all its attractiveness and turned into a wavy line.

Polypropylene pipes without reinforcement are suitable as a heating circuit for a “warm floor” heating system. In this case, the water temperature does not exceed a comfortable temperature and, in addition, the heating water pipe is rigidly fixed with a concrete screed and is less subject to deformation tension.

Of the entire extensive family of polypropylene pipe products, only reinforced products are considered an ideal material for laying heating and hot water networks.

Diameters of polypropylene pipes for heating

The main characteristic of products is the cross-sectional size - diameter, measured in mm. The home heating network consists of different sections, which for better effect are equipped with pipes of different diameters:

• from 100 to 200 mm are used for centralized supply of hot water to multi-storey buildings and public civil buildings.
• from 25 to 32 mm are used for connecting private houses and small buildings.
• Hot water is supplied through horizontal sections of distribution with a diameter of 20 mm, vertical risers are equipped with a diameter of 25 mm.

The presented table clearly shows the gradation of diameter changes depending on the amount of heat flow.

Polypropylene fittings for heating

Polypropylene pipe products consist not only of individual linear elements, but also connecting or joining parts called fittings. They are necessary for interconnection, connection to vertical risers, radiators and water taps, and other various devices.

Types of heating fittings:

• Connecting couplings.
• Angled bends at 45 degrees or 90 degrees.
• Tees for connecting three sections.
• Plugs used in the dead-end part of the heating network or on the outer sections of heating radiators.
• Transitions from one diameter to another.
• Transitions from metal to plastic.

The exact number of fittings is determined after drawing up the installation diagram. A graphically drawn plan for the location of the heating network with the exact dimensions of each section and indicating the heating radiators will help you select pipes of the required diameter and calculate the number of connecting fittings.

Leading manufacturers

The main task of any heating heating system is to create comfortable indoor conditions during the cold season.

The efficiency of heat transfer of heating devices depends on competent installation technology and high-quality pipe products.

It is difficult even for specialists to navigate the brands and trademarks of polypropylene products. To make the difficult choice of the right material a little easier and not make a mistake in the chosen product, we offer a top list of the best manufacturers of heating propylene pipes:

• The first place belongs to European brands. An example is the German brands Aquatherm. Wefatherm (Wefatherm). Rehau, whose products are distinguished by excellent quality and advanced manufacturing technology. The only drawback of this product is the high price.
• Czech manufacturers occupy second place. Many experts note the quality of EKOPLASTIK brand products. This company was the first to launch the production of polypropylene pipes reinforced with basalt fibers, capable of competing with the best German brands in terms of quality and lower price.
• Third place belongs to the well-known Turkish companies Tebo and Kalde, which produce products of average quality and affordable prices. Heating systems assembled from pipes and fittings of these brands have an average service life of up to 50 years and, from a practical point of view, have no complaints.

The budget segment is represented by the line of the best Russian manufacturers PRO AQUA (Pro Aqua) and RVK, as well as the Chinese brand BLUE OCEAN. The companies have gained a good reputation and produce products of normal quality at an affordable price.

In order not to make a mistake in choosing polypropylene pipes and not to buy a fake of a well-known brand, you should carefully read the company logo on the official website and check the accuracy of the company name. You need to pay attention to the evenness and smoothness of the surface, and check in practice that the connecting fittings match the pipeline.

Polypropylene is the most popular material on the market. This is not due to its special quality, but still to its pleasant price. But in the end you have to pay for everything available. Therefore, in this article you will learn 9 disadvantages of heating a house with polypropylene pipes.

If you are planning to use polypropylene pipes for heating, then immediately plan to use them only in hidden installation. You will need to hide all pipes in the walls and screed, and preferably in insulation.

The main problem with polypropylene is its linear expansion. It is approximately 2.5 mm per linear meter. If you have installed straight pipes, then during operation they will definitely “float” somewhere. Even if you fasten them often. If these pipes are located outside, then you are unlikely to appreciate such a picture.

Pipe welding problems

PPR pipes are connected to each other by welding (or by soldering). On the one hand, this is a fairly simple and convenient way of connecting, but at the same time it requires a serious and responsible approach. Many installers are dishonest about this procedure, welding everything at random. As a result, you can get this picture:

Such situations also happen to experienced installers. And the saddest thing is that it is impossible to know whether the joint turned out normal or not until you cut the pipe in half.

We had a case when we invited a third-party team to install a boiler room from PPR pipes. The guys turned the welding iron to the maximum temperature, although each pipe has its own temperature limits. They were warned about this repeatedly. But they still did it their way. In appearance, all the connections were made perfectly, but in the end, after starting up the boiler room, some of it began to leak. I had to redo it

A large number of joints

Another disadvantage in organizing heating with polypropylene pipes is the large number of joints. The average house can sometimes have 200-300 joints and most of them are hidden in the screed and walls. And every junction is a human factor that can play a cruel joke. At any moment, any joint can leak. It's good if he's outside. But as practice shows, quite often the joint begins to leak inside.

And taking into account the constant linear expansion of the pipe, the joint may also lose its tightness. It would be correct to note that such situations do not always occur.

Material life

No matter what anyone says, polypropylene pipes have a short service life. The manufacturer estimates the service life of the pipe to be 50 years. Practice shows that after 15 years the aging of the pipe begins to be felt. It may crack, the joint may leak, etc.

But the advantage of polypropylene is that it can be quickly repaired.

Polypropylene pipes with fiberglass

PPR pipes are divided into pipes for cold and hot water supply (heating is also included). Previously, PPR heating pipes were reinforced with special aluminum foil. This led to an increase in the price of the finished product. Over time, fiberglass pipes appeared, which replaced similar pipes with aluminum.

Few people know, but when heating your home with polypropylene pipes with fiberglass, you are at risk. Fiberglass tends to break down. Sometimes just throwing a pipe on the floor is enough to damage the reinforcing layer.

It is also impossible to work with such a pipe at low temperatures, since the fiberglass becomes brittle and is subject to rapid fracture. And it performs not only the function of reinforcement, but also an oxygen barrier.

Just as we know, such pipes are stored in ordinary warehouses and no one there monitors the microclimate required for storing pipes.

Therefore, everything is simple here. Fiberglass is good, but you have to be careful with it.

Pipes with aluminum foil

Aluminum foil acts as a pipe expansion compensator and as a diffusion barrier. Aluminum foil is located both closer to the surface of the pipe and in the middle. It all depends on the specific brand of pipes.

In order to solder such a pipe, it must first be cleaned. If the foil is located in the center, then after stripping it, the pipe will become very thin and when soldering, the connection may be of poor quality. Therefore, if you are still planning to heat your house with a polypropylene pipe with aluminum foil, then take the pipe where the foil is located closer to the surface.

Danger of pouring into screed

It is quite dangerous to pour a bare polypropylene pipe into a screed due to its linear expansion. If, when heated, the pipe has nowhere to “walk,” then there is a possibility that something might happen to it. Therefore, ideally it is better to fill this pipe in insulation. Now it is better to insulate all heating pipes.

Shaped products

The main disadvantage of shaped products when heating with polypropylene pipes is their thickness. They are thicker than the pipe itself. This creates certain inconveniences when installing insulation, as well as when using a pipe in a screed. Sometimes the height is so limited that the enlarged shaped product has nowhere to hide.

Polypropylene with metal

Many polypropylene shaped products come with a threaded metal insert. It is quite difficult to obtain a perfectly strong connection between metal and plastic. Therefore, there are cases when such connections leak just in the places between the PPR and the metal.

Bottom line

What is important to understand if you are planning to use polypropylene pipes for heating. This is actually good stuff for the money. But you shouldn't expect anything special from him. There is a high probability of periodic leaks and breakdowns, which are quite easily eliminated (if the pipe is located outside).

The peculiarity of this material is that the problem does not always manifest itself immediately. You can mount, pressurize the system and make sure that it is sealed and nothing is leaking anywhere. And during operation, a leak suddenly forms. This is not exactly a pleasant moment.

It is up to you to decide whether to install heating with this pipe or not. Many people install it and don’t worry. We decided to prepare you a little.

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Which polypropylene pipes are better: 6 little things that can determine the fate of the future pipeline

Everyone has probably already heard about the victorious march of polypropylene in the plumbing industry. But which polypropylene pipes are best used in a given situation? For example, when I first came to a specialized store specifically for this product, I was puzzled by the fairly extensive number of offers. So I propose to deal with the most significant criteria, which due to inexperience can be considered insignificant details.

Some general characteristics

Why is it even worth switching from the same metal to polypropylene? Why are plastic pipes better than cast iron or metal? Before delving into their varieties, you need to have an idea about their advantages:

• Complete absence of corrosion processes. Subject to constant contact with water, quite significant quality;
• Absolutely smooth walls, thanks to which the pressure maintains its intensity for as long as possible. In addition, there is no effect of the formation of growths, which renders metal analogues unusable;

• Almost complete no noise emitting transported liquid;
• Relatively low price. This is one of the most important advantages due to which most owners choose plastic pipes;
• Simple instructions performing installation work. Using a pipe soldering iron, reliable connections can be easily and quickly created, since the melting point of the material in question is only 260 degrees Celsius above zero;

• There is no danger of ruptures as a result of freezing of the transported liquid, which is very important for external highways in winter;
• A huge number of all kinds of connecting fittings, allowing you to lay pipelines of any complexity;
• Durability. The service life of polypropylene exceeds 50 years.

The positive aspects of this material are obvious, but they can vary dramatically depending on the brand and type of pipe, so it’s worth having an idea about these nuances.

What to pay attention to

If you just come and order plastic pipes for yourself, you may end up encountering many problems during their operation or simply overpay where this is not required. Understanding the meaning of some “little things” that you can detect even during a visual inspection of the product will help you avoid such undesirable outcomes:

Little thing #1: number of layers

In this context we are talking about single-layer and multi-layer products. And here everything is simple:

• Single layer polypropylene pipes are cheaper and are used to create most types of pipeline systems, but are not suitable for operation at high temperatures, since they begin to deform when heated to 70-90 degrees Celsius;
• Multilayer Due to reinforcement, samples are able to withstand much higher temperatures, although they are correspondingly more expensive.

For the purpose of installing an apartment heating system, I recommend purchasing reinforced products. The fact is that in winter the temperature built up in boiler rooms can significantly exceed the threshold permissible for single-layer pipes.

Little detail No. 2: markings on single-layer pipes, which determine their more accurate composition

On all plastic pipes that have one layer, you can find certain designations, by which you can judge their more detailed composition and recommended area of ​​application:

For home use, I recommend purchasing single-layer pipes marked PPR, as they have the best performance characteristics, and their cost is not much higher than their less practical counterparts.

Little thing #3: reinforcement method

If you plan to use polypropylene products when installing a heating system in an apartment, then, as I noted above, you will need multilayer reinforced samples.

They have greater rigidity and good resistance to high temperatures, for which, however, you have to come to terms with an increase in their cost, and in some cases also with additional difficulties during installation work associated precisely with the need to eliminate reinforcement at the soldering site.

But even in this case, I was faced with a choice of two most common options:

1. Pipe with foil-coated intermediate layer. If the foil is located close to the outside of the product, then it is removed using a shaver, but if closer to the inside of the product, then the cut edge is trimmed to avoid contact of the metal with the transported liquid. In any case, additional work during welding is provided. In turn, such pipes are divided into the following types depending on the structure of the reinforcing layer:

• Perforated layer. This means that the foil has holes, and during the process of filling the workpiece with polypropylene, it seeps through them, creating a reliable connection without the use of glue;

• Solid layer. In this case, there are three separate layers glued together;

1. Glass fiber reinforced pipe. In this case, reinforcement is performed by adding fiberglass filler to polypropylene. This approach provides clear advantages:

• There is no need to strip the edge of the pipe before it;
• Increasing the rigidity coefficient of the product;
• Reduced thermal expansion rate by 75%;
• Monolithic structure. In this case there is no division into layers.

Little detail No. 4: markings that determine the pressure and temperature the pipe can withstand

Before choosing polypropylene pipes for laying a specific pipeline, you need to carefully read the designations beginning with the letters PN. This “trifle” will tell you what conditions a particular product can withstand.

The classification of polypropylene pipes according to this criterion looks like this:

• PN 10. Suitable for transport cold water, the temperature of which does not exceed +20 degrees Celsius. Permissible pressure – up to 1 MPa;

• PN 16. Here it is already possible to use products in both cold and hot water supply, so they are able to withstand heat up to +60 degrees Celsius and pressure up to 1.6 MPa;

• PN 20. There are no problems with transportation of hot liquid, the temperature of which even reaches +95 degrees Celsius. The working pressure is 2 MPa;

• PN 25. These are already reinforced samples used in heating systems. Withstands temperature surges exceeding +95 degrees Celsius and operating pressure up to 2 MPa.

With an increase in the number after the letters PN, not only the performance properties increase, but also the cost of the products, so in order not to overpay, choose those pipes that exactly match your plans. That is, for example, for cold water supply there is absolutely no need to buy relatively expensive reinforced samples.

Little thing #5: color

Here the opinions of experts differ. Some of them believe that the color of the pipes does not affect their technical characteristics in any way. But others reasonably note that such markings put into products by manufacturers should be taken into account. I am a reinsurer, so I take the side of the latter in this matter.

And this is what the color can tell you according to the manufacturer:

1. White:

• Ability to withstand pressure of 25 bar;
• Cheapness;
• Complete absence of corrosion processes;

1. Grey:

• Heat resistance;
• Long operational period;
• Environmental cleanliness;
• Excellent tightness;

1. Black:

• UV resistance;
• High resistance to aggressive acids and alkalis;
• Resistance to drying effect;
• Increased strength parameters;

1. Green. Cheap samples with a low operating pressure threshold, used, as a rule, to implement a garden watering system.

As you can see, colored products can also tell some information, which, however, has a rather general appearance.

Little thing #6: manufacturer

You can answer, they say, this is not a car or even household appliances, so you can also monitor the brand here. But only if you deal with the products of a well-known company, you can be sure that all the designations described above will correspond to reality.

With some goods of dubious origin, you may not pay attention to the marking at all, since it is most likely applied only to increase the cost.

Polypropylene pipes are considered by many to be the best. They really have very good technical and operational characteristics: they do not corrode, do not interact with water, do not change its composition and taste, have a long service life - up to 50 years, have very smooth walls on which sediment does not form. In general, there are a lot of advantages. All that remains is to decide which polypropylene pipes are better, and this is not at all easy. You'll have to understand some of the subtleties.

What are there and which are better?

• Single layer. The walls are completely made of polypropylene.
• Three-layer:
  • glass fiber reinforced - glass fiber threads are sealed between two layers of polypropylene;
  • reinforced with foil - the design is similar.

Now briefly about why polypropylene pipes are reinforced. The fact is that this material has a high coefficient of thermal expansion. When heated by 100°C, one meter of single-layer pipe becomes 150 mm longer. This is a lot, although no one will heat them that much, but even at lower temperature deltas the increase in length is no less impressive. To neutralize this phenomenon, compensation loops are installed, but this approach does not always save.

Manufacturers found another solution - they began to make multilayer pipes. They lay fiberglass or aluminum foil between two layers of pure propylene. These materials are not needed for strengthening or any other purposes, but only to reduce thermal elongation. If there is a layer of fiberglass, the thermal expansion is 4-5 times less, and with a layer of foil - 2 times. Compensation loops are still needed, but they are installed less frequently.

On the left is a fiberglass-reinforced pipe, on the right is a regular single-layer pipe

Why is reinforcement made with both fiberglass and foil? It's a matter of operating temperature range. Those with fiberglass can withstand heat up to 90°C. This is enough for hot water supply, but not always enough for heating. Polypropylene pipes reinforced with foil have a wider temperature range - they can withstand heating of the environment up to +95°C. This is already enough for most heating systems (except those with solid fuel boilers).

Which PPR pipes are suitable for which systems?

Based on everything said above, it is clear which polypropylene pipes are better for heating - those reinforced with foil, if high-temperature operation of the system is expected (from 70 ° C and above). For low-temperature heating systems, glass fiber reinforced products can be used.

Any PPR pipes are suitable for cold water supply, but the most rational solution is ordinary single-layer pipes. They cost quite a bit, and the thermal expansion in this case is not so great, one small expansion joint for the water supply in an average private house is enough, but in an apartment, with a small length of the system, they don’t make it at all, or rather they make an “L”-shaped one.

To install a hot water supply system, it is best to take polypropylene pipes with a fiberglass reinforcing layer. Their qualities are optimal here, but they can also be used with a foil layer. Please note that compensators are required.

Which ones are easier to install?

When deciding which polypropylene pipes are better, pay attention to such a parameter as the complexity of installation. All types are connected by welding, and for turns, branches, etc. fittings are used. The welding process itself is identical for all types, the difference is that in the presence of aluminum foil, pre-treatment is required - it is necessary to remove the foil to the soldering depth.

In general, there are two types of aluminum reinforcement - external and internal. With the outer one, the foil layer is close to the outer edge (1-2 mm), with the inner one the reinforcing layer is located approximately in the middle. It turns out that it is filled with an almost identical layer of polypropylene on both sides. In this case, preparation for welding also consists of removing the outer layer of propylene to the entire depth of welding (and the foil too). Only under these conditions can the required seam strength be achieved. All this preparation takes a lot of time, but the most unpleasant thing is that if there is an error, we get a very unreliable connection. The most dangerous option is when water seeps into the foil. In this case, the polypropylene will sooner or later collapse and the connection will leak.

Based on these data, we can come to the conclusion that if conditions permit, it is better to use single-layer or fiberglass-reinforced polypropylene pipes. Proponents of aluminum reinforcement say that foil further reduces the amount of air that penetrates into the system through the walls. But the foil is often made perforated and it does not necessarily go in a continuous strip, covering the entire diameter of the pipe. Often it has a longitudinal gap. After all, its task is to reduce the amount of thermal expansion, and even strips of more stable material can cope with this task.

Manufacturers of quality polypropylene pipes

Having decided on the type of PPR pipe you need, you need to decide which manufacturer is better. The task is not easy, although there are clear market leaders in quality - the Germans. It’s strange, but very often it turns out that German building materials are the best, and polypropylene pipes are no exception - in terms of quality indicators, it is German products that lead. Here is a list of companies that have a very good reputation:

Here you can’t even say that some products are better, some are worse. They're all pretty much the same. The whole question is which company is represented in your city/region. They have only one drawback - a more than decent price. No others were seen.

Czech polypropylene pipes are no less popular. In terms of quality indicators, they are almost as good as German ones, but have slightly lower prices. There are mainly two brands on the market:

These pipes also have a good reputation and excellent reviews. If you have them in your store, you can buy them without hesitation.

Turkish polypropylene pipes are located in the middle price segment. If the concept of “best” includes a not very high price, then you need to choose products from these companies:

Almost all Turkish manufacturers of polypropylene pipes operate in the middle price range. The quality of the products is good, the range is decent. If funds allow, choose from these manufacturers. If you need even more budget solutions, look towards Russian and Chinese manufacturers:

The products of all these brands have been on the market for many years, the companies have a stable reputation. However, from time to time there are reports that some products turn out to be of very low quality. When they start to look into it, it turns out that a fake was purchased. By the way, the number of fakes can be used to measure the popularity of a particular brand: a lot of fakes is a very popular product. How not to make a mistake when buying - read on.

How not to make a mistake

If you have chosen polypropylene pipes for yourself, go to the manufacturer’s official website before purchasing. You will need:

Overall, you should have a positive impression of the quality of the products. Only if all the “tests” are passed, you can buy.