Have you ever crushed or shattered old CPVC tubing while doing service work? Well, you’re not alone, and we have a fix for that!
It’s a fact that CPVC gets brittle as it ages, and because of that most people assume that it’s no longer effective. However, it turns out that isn’t the case. According to research by FlowGuard Gold, CPVC’s pressure bearing capacity actually increases as it ages, and you can avoid repair problems simply by using the correct tool for the job.
A recent survey of more than 1,500 tradesmen about the proper way to service and repair CPVC tubing showed that many plumbers and contractors are operating on outdated information or failing to fully account for important differences in material characteristics, both of which could lead to unwanted problems on the job.
One of the first things you learn when entering any trade is to always use the right tool for a particular job. According to the survey, that isn’t always happening. When it comes to cutting tubing, it’s not only a matter of matching the right tool to the right material but also, in the case of CPVC, you must also take into account the age of the material you’re working with. Over 60 percent of the survey respondents didn’t know the correct tool for cutting into an existing CPVC system.
New CPVC is relatively flexible. But as it ages, it becomes more rigid. The pressure bearing capability of the material increases with age, contradicting the perception among some plumbers that CPVC that appears brittle is weak or compromised. It is not, but it does require special handling and a different tool for cutting. If you use ratchet or scissor-style plastic tubing cutters on older CPVC, you may end up cracking or damaging the pipe, which can add time to a job.
It turns out that General Pipe Cleaners’ new AutoCutPL plastic tubing cutter is a perfect tool for servicing existing, older CPVC because of how it makes the cut. When using the AutoCutPL, you close the gate around the pipe and apply even pressure as you rotate the cutter. The cutting blade quickly slices through the plastic tubing in as little as one rotation without crushing or damaging it. When you are done, you still have a clean square cut with no burs. This is true regardless of whether the tubing is brand new, fresh, and pliable, or old and rigid.
So, don’t give up on existing or older CPVC; its pressure bearing capability actually increases with age! Using the AutoCutPL plastic tubing cutters instead of ratchet style cutters will save you time and money, and help you to exceed your customer’s expectations!
For more information, contact the Drain Brains at General Pipe Cleaners at 800-245-6200, or visit drainbrain.com/cooltools to see the AutoCutPL in action. See our handy Where to Buy page to find a distributor near you where you can pick up a pair of these time-saving (and CPVC-saving!) plastic tubing cutters for your next assignment.
