When Plastic Pipes & Chemical Clash: Risks

Plastic pipes made of PEX, CPVC, and PVC have become increasingly popular in residential and commercial plumbing over the past four decades. Promoted as cost-effective and easy to install, these materials are often selected fully considering their long-term performance, particularly chemical compatibility with the environments in which they’re installed. Research from the industry shows chemical incompatibility poses significant risks to plastic piping systems.

In contrast to metal pipes made of cast iron, copper, and steel, plastics are far less resilient materials. The chemical structures of plastic pipes are vulnerable when exposed to a range of substances commonly found in buildings, including cleaning agents, lubricants, firestopping materials, pesticides, construction adhesives, and even disinfectants used in water treatment. When these substances come into contact with plastics, the resulting interactions can damage the pipe, causing swelling, softening, cracking, or even catastrophic failure.

Our reports on issues related to plenum space piping and value-engineering, as well as the Safe Piping Matters Specification Guide,  document some of these risks, noting that dozens of