The fittings are necessary when installing pipes in the building for water supply to the rooms in the buildings. It is crucial for a building to have proper fittings to prevent any water leakage in the house. Moreover, having the fitting helps divert the direction of water from the main pipe to the other pipes getting inside the rooms in the building.
There are various types of plumbing fittings. They include:
Coupling Fittings
The coupling fittings are the best option when you are connecting pipes that have the same diameter. They come in handy when you need to repair a broken pipe to reduce water leakage. The coupling fittings are easy to handle because of their simple installation. The coupling fittings are made from different materials like PVC, CPVC, brass, and ABS.
Union Fittings
The union fittings are the go-to fittings when you need to maintain the water pipes for a long time without damage that can lead to water leakage. The union fittings are used when joining pipes that need to be attached to each other with no deformation of both pipes. The material used to make the union fittings are cast iron, rubber, plastic, bronze, brass, and nickel.
Adapter Fittings
The adapter plumbing fittings have male and female ends, and you can turn the male pipe into the female pipe. The fact that the adapter fittings can withstand high pressure makes it possible for easy transitioning from the pipes to the tubes. The adapter fittings are made of various materials like steel, polymers, brass, copper, aluminum, and cast iron.
Barb Fittings
The barb fittings are specifically designed with a ridged cone at one end and a male end to enhance more grip inside the pipe, creating a sealed connection of the tube. When considering the barb fittings, it would help to evaluate the water temperature inside the pipes. The plastic barb fittings are preferable for cold water, while the brass barbs are the best option for hot water.
Cross Fittings
The cross plumbing fittings have four open ways and are commonly used in a piping system where thermal expansion is not a primary factor of consideration. For instance, cross fittings are applicable in fire sprinkler systems and pneumatic applications. The cross fittings are available in materials such as PVC, stainless steel, brass, and malleable. They connect and divert the flow of the fluid inside the piping system.
Elbow Fittings
The elbow fittings are specially made to make it easy to change the flow of the fluids in the tubing system. The elbow fittings are available in different sizes to suit the diameter of the pipes you are connecting. Copper, stainless steel, PVC, CPVC, brass, and ABS are some of the materials used to make the elbow fittings.
Zees Fittings
The tees fittings have three open ways and are available in two types: a straight tee and the reducing tee. The straight tee is commonly used when the pipe is connected to the same diameter and size as the tee branch. The reducing tee is applicable when the tee branch has a smaller diameter and size than the connected pipe.
The tees fittings are made from various materials, including ABS, chrome-plated brass, PVC, CPVC, stainless steel, copper, and brass. The tees fittings are the best option when you are in need of a firm connection of pipes.
Nipple Fittings
A nipple fitting is specifically designed to connect the piping system to electrical appliances such as water heaters. There are various types of nipple fittings: weld nipple, close nipple, barrel nipple, swage nipple, and hexagon nipple. Materials such as brass, stainless steel, aluminum, copper, and PVC are majorly used to manufacture nipple fittings.
Caps Fittings
As the name suggests, the caps fittings are used to cover any open pipe that is either gas or liquid-tight. They are specifically designed to protect the pipes and waterproof the connections in the tubing system. Moreover, they can be used to cover the hydraulic ends and the pneumatic tubes. In the manufacture of the caps fittings, materials such as malleable, brass, PVC, CPVC, chrome-plated brass, and copper are the best choices.
Before you choose any fittings when carrying out plumbing, you need to consider the water type, soil characteristics, and probability of the pipes being exposed to the sunlight.
Author name– Hannah Gilbert
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