Ipex uncoated PVC pipe approved for plenums, high-rises

North York, Ont.-based Ipex Inc. recently introduced an uncoated polyvinyl chloride (PVC) piping system that is fully approved for plenum and high-rise applications.
System XFR(R) 15-50 is lighter, faster to install and its properties provide benefits over competing materials, Ipex said.”Times are changing for commercial DWV systems,” Trevor Johnston, business development manager for Ipex, said in a statement. “Until now, contractors installing DWV pipe in high-rises and plenums had few alternatives to cast iron and copper.”
System XFR(R) 15-50 is 75 per cent lighter than equivalent length of cast iron, making it easier to handle and install, reducing labour and installation costs, Ipex said in a statement.
Although PVC has the same high impact strength as traditional metal, it won’t corrode, rust, pit or scale like cast iron. The firm says its walls will remain smooth and exterior walls will not degrade in virtually any surface condition.
Additionally, System XFR(R) 15-50 has a substantially lower roughness factor than metal, allowing it to be used for small diameter pipe, the firm said.
As well, the system’s larger inside diameter, a greater cross-sectional area for flow, raises both carrying capacity and flow rate.
And its lower conductivity means less sweating than metal pipes due to its insulating properties, eliminating the need for insulation.