Water Pipes
What Kind of Water Pipes do I have In My Home?
This, of course, depends on the age of your home. Here’s some general guidance:
- Early 1900 – 1970’s: Galvanized pipe
- 1970’s – 2000: mostly copper, some polybutylene and PEX
- 2000 – current: PEX or CPVC, with a small amount of polybutylene

Galvanized
If your home was built before the 1970's, then galvanized steel pipes were generally used. We still see galvanized water pipes in some homes in the early 80's depending on the plumber. Some plumbers like to stick with a certain type of pipe they are used to, and sometimes for good reasons which we’ll talk about later. Galvanized pipes are silver in appearance, and they needed to be threaded together (like a screw and nut).
Be careful if you are cutting old pipes out on your own. Natural gas pipe looks very similar to galvanized but is black steel pipe. Some old, galvanized pipe can also look black due to age and dirt. So don't get too carried away cutting pipe unless you are 100% sure. We recommend that you check with us first before taking any chances.
Copper
In the 70's to the early 2000's, copper became the number one choice for plumbers. Copper is much easier to work and install than galvanized pipe. Copper also doesn't have the draw backs of corrosion which can plug or collapse galvanized pipes sometimes even after a short period of time. Copper piping is lighter, easier to cut, easier to connect and more cost effective. Copper pipes are connected by using a fitting like a tee or an elbow, prepping it, heating it up several hundred degrees, and either soldering or braising the joint together (a little bit like welding).
Copper is still used today in some custom homes and commercial business, but now we have another option to connect the pipe to the joints with copper. Rather than soldering, copper pipes can be connected with special fittings pressed on to the pipe by a special press tool. ProPress joints are a time saver, allow accessibility, eliminate the use of fire or heat, and are very secure.
ProPress fittings should not be confused with the typical push on fitting that you find at your local home improvement store. Those type of fittings are not used by professionals.
Copper pipe can be identified by its color. It is a metal pipe and looks like, well…you guessed it, copper - the same color as a penny.
Polybutylene
Polybutylene, as one of the newer products, seemed to have some great benefits over copper. Polybutylene was manufactured from the late 70's to 1997 before being banned from use in residential construction in 2005. Polybutylene is a flexible, grey pipe like the look and feel of newer PEX pipe (discussed next). It was a lightweight flexible, plastic, grey pipe, sometimes with a blue or red stripe.
Polybutylene’s use collapsed in a multi-billion-dollar class action lawsuit as the pipe and fittings failed in an unusually short time, often with catastrophic consequences. While the use of polybutylene piping was banned in 2005, there are still plenty of homes with polybutylene still in them. While it has failed at a high rate, many homes have never had a problem. (Most real estate agents require the seller to disclose the use of polybutylene pipes in the property.)
If you have this pipe in your home, having it inspected yearly by Eric’s Plumbing & Drain could save you thousands in water damage.
CPVC
CPVC is a plastic like your typical white plastic (PVC) sprinkler pipes but is made for hot water and indoor use. It is a light yellow or cream color. (Orange for fire sprinklers.) It may look the same size as PVC, but it is not. CPVC has been in Utah County and Salt Lake County homes starting in the early 2000's to now.
PEX
PEX pipe, like polybutylene, is a flexible piping, but without the failure rate of polybutylene. PEX has a long history and has established itself as a durable and quality piping. Usually, if there are any failures for this type of pipe, they are due to improper installation. If your home was built in the late 90's up until now, it is most likely going to be PEX. PEX can be white, red, blue, or grey and some brands use an almost clear white. Red PEX for hot water, blue for cold water, and white and gray can be used for either temperature. PEX pipe is flexible, light weight, easy to install and can last up to 50 years or more.