Stainless steel Plumbing
Stainless - a natural choice for Plumbing
For everything plumbing and potable water requires, Stainless steel supplies. A sturdy yet ductile, durable, environmentally friendly, non-toxic material with a long life span, Stainless steel Pipe is able to handle high levels of water flow velocity and pressure with low thermal conductivity. Better yet, Stainless steel can be installed completely heat-free with Pressfit. What more could you ask for?
Keep reading for a comparison of Stainless steel, Copper and Polymer (PVC and PEX based) , as well as the various benefits of Stainless steel in plumbing, information on installation as well as our range at Stirlings!
Stainless steel v Copper and Polymer based Piping systems
For years, Copper has been the de facto standard for transporting drinking water into and throughout buildings. Copper is a soft and highly malleable material, which can prove beneficial in some applications, however, it can pose numerous issues in large water installations. Polymer based Pipe has also emerged as a Piping system option, thanks to its long life span and economical price - however it is limited in the water pressure and velocity it can handle and can require ongoing maintenance.
See below a table summarising Stainless steel to Copper and Polymer based Pipe.
Advantages of Stainless steel in Plumbing and Water supply
Material Benefits
Corrosion resistant in most water handling applications.
Can withstand very high flow rates, up to 20 times those for copper lines.
Corrosion resistance and high strength allows reduction in section diameter, wall thickness and weight, making it quick and easy to install.
Highly formable and, using the appropriate tooling, is not difficult to bend and cut.
Pressfit is easy to use and ideal for installation in areas with limited access or where the use of heat would be a problem.
Handles a much wider range of temperature (Grade 304/Grade 316 is used in other applications, as low as -196˚ C, as high as 700˚ C. Used in chiller/AC systems right through to superheated steam. Stainless steel even maintains structural integrity during fires!
Environmental Benefits
Excellent resistance to a wide range of potable waters (including various chloride levels).
Installation is clean and does not contaminate the system and reduces flushing times.
No heat is required to form a joint or a groove for a Pressfit installation, reducing fire hazards. Therefore hot work permits are not required.
Stainless steel is fully recyclable, non-toxic, and has a low carbon footprint. An estimated 70% of Stainless steel is recycled to produce new material.
Economic Benefits
Well designed and installed Stainless steel systems can easily provide many decades of service.
Requires no additional coating.
Little to no maintenance is required after installation, reducing system down time, replacement and maintenance costs over the life-cycle of the installation.
Although initial costs may be higher than for competing materials, Stainless steel often offers highly favourable lifetime cycle costing.
At the end of its useful life, Stainless steel is fully recyclable and retains a high residual scrap value.
Aesthetic benefits
Stainless steel installations blend well with modern architecture and interior design, and can be used as a design feature – many breweries have learnt this!
Installation of Stainless steel Plumbing systems
Stainless steel Pipe and Fittings can be installed using traditional welding, but an efficient and cost effective method of joining Stainless steel pipework is by pressfitting. This involves clamping the fittings around an integral polymeric seal using an electro-mechanically actuated tool. This technique takes less time and less manpower, is flame free, quick-to-joint and low weight, making the installation cost substantially lower compared with other techniques.
Stirlings has the full range of Pressfit products - see our catalogue here. We also have a blog on Pressfit and its benefits - check it out here.
Our Products at Stirlings
Stirlings supplies an excellent range and depth of products required for Stainless steel Piping systems, including:
Pipe
Pipe Fittings
Flanges
Tube & Fittings
Pressfit Pipe & Fittings
Valves
WaterMark Pipe
WaterMark is a mandatory scheme for the certification of specific plumbing and drainage products. It ensures that plumbing materials and products are fit for purpose - typically for potable water, and have been tested and evaluated to an approved product specification.
We have the following in stock:
Customer example
Stirlings Stainless steel Pipe and Fittings (Pressfit) in use for a commercial plumbing project by a valued customer.
A rhyme for your time
If you need to get some products for plumbing, its straight to Stirlings you’ll be coming!