Out of all house renovation ventures, rebuilding your bathroom and replacing the critical plumbing system is one of the most sensitive tasks.

While changing the tiles and fitting a new faucet once in a blue moon won’t require that much hard work, changing an entire plumbing system is a complex process that is best left to professionals unless you’re a plumber yourself.

The thing is, just like the electrical outlets and wiring in a house, the plumbing is something you don’t change every year, as these systems are built to last for decades before they need to be checked and replaced again.

In this article, we’re going to talk about bathroom renovation and how the materials you use will affect the longevity of the installations.

As various fixtures such as faucets and toilets are something that you will likely change fairly often (once every couple of years, for example), we will concentrate here on the piping, as this part of the plumbing system is expected to run like a clockwork for many years uninterrupted.

Here’s the deal.

1) Plastic Piping

If you want to combine low prices with decent sturdiness and longevity, plastic would be the material you’d want to look into.

The thing about plastic is that it comes in all sorts of shapes and sizes and that you will be able to cover whatever plumbing-related needs you have – even if you use only plastic as the material for not only the pipes but various joints, too.

Of course, when fixtures such as faucets, bidets, and toilets are in question, you may be better off acquiring models that are made out of ceramics or metal, since these are high-frequency plumbing objects, as you will be touching them and operating them on a daily basis.

One other thing to pay attention to if you’re going to use plastic for your bathroom plumbing would be that this material is so versatile that you may end up picking up the wrong kind of plastic for the pipes, for example.

Plastic, when used for plumbing purposes, comes in different hardness levels, elasticity scales, and it differs in other relevant categories, so to speak, so if you want to get the most out of it, you may be best off contacting a professional plumber to help you pick the right sort of plastic for the task at hand.

If you’re from Australia, you can find a plumbing agency from Canberra to help you out with this, for example.

2) Copper Piping

Representing possible the best all-around material for plumbing pipes and fixtures, copper has become a favorite of many plumbers ever since it replaced lead-containing fixtures of yore, so to speak.

The great thing about copper is that it’s a decently sturdy metal that nevertheless gives you plenty of elasticity if needed. This plays an important role during the installation process, as the fact that you can bend a copper pipe easily any way you like means you don’t need to haul heavy machinery to cut and reshape the pipes on the spot.

Every bathroom is different, so the person fitting these always need to be prepared for having to cut and reshape pipes on the spot. (This is mostly relevant to plumbers, but it’s still worth mentioning.)

Last but not least, copper doesn’t rust, which is a pretty self-explanatory reason for its popularity when it comes to making plumbing pipes.

3) Cast Iron Piping

Representing one of the least-frequently used materials for plumbing fixtures and piping, cast iron is a material with a couple of qualities but also some big flaws in terms of how easily it can be managed around a bathroom and how well it deals with water.

The good thing about cast iron is that it’s fairly strong, so it won’t break or bend pressure. 

On the other hand, it’s quite difficult to cut and shape and it doesn’t do too well with water, as it can start rusting given enough time. If a cast iron piping develops a leak or otherwise fails, you can forget about trying to fix the thing yourself, as getting to any sort of long-term solution would probably require you to get in touch with a professional plumber.

All in all, whether you’re battling with old cast iron fittings or are trying to make a decision between spending more money on copper or sticking with good ole plastic, taking care of your bathroom plumbing system is a must if you want it to run smoothly for many years to come. 

Author bio:

Ayla Anderson is an avid reader and an enthusiastic blogger who writes articles on home improvement, business, Family and beauty. She is also an MBA student who spends much of her time giving advice to newly small businesses on how to grow their businesses. You can follow me on Twitter