A PVC (polyvinyl chloride) pipe is really a long lasting form of pipe which will not rust or wear over time. Because it contains chloride in the molecular composition, PVC pipes withstand burning, therefore it won’t create or spread out fire but will simply melt or deform if this cannot handle the heat. This is why it’s the most preferred form of pipe to be used in water and electrical wiring systems, both indoors and outdoors. PVC pipes can be purchased in just about all plumbing related or any hardware stores.

PVC pipes are measured by its nominal size which is standard in The United States. PVC pipes also are classified according to the thickness. The thickness of a pipe is called their schedule. Common thicknesses are schedule 40, 80 and 120. The higher the schedule of the pipe, the thicker it is. Different thickness is needed for several applications. The thicker the pipe is, the higher the pressure it will withstand. Thicker pipes can also be ideal if you need to have minimal temperature loss on whatever passes the pipes.

A newer version of PVC pipe can be obtained and it is the CPVC or chlorinated polyvinyl chloride pipe. It can withstand temperatures as hot as 180 degrees Fahrenheit. Because of its ability to resist high temperature ranges, you can use it with warm water systems. Additionally it is found in the same dimensions such as the diameters along with schedules like the PVC pipes.

Since PVC pipes are sold at rather long lengths, they could be cut to certain lengths depending on its implementation. There are lots of saws that can be used to chop PVC pipes. The most frequent tools employed to cut them are hacksaws, reciprocating saw and reciprocating saws. Let’s compare each based on their performance in cutting PVC pipes in several scenarios.

• Hacksaws - is a handheld manual saw that may easily cut PVC pipes. It is an affordable choice as compared to power saws. To create a finer cut, use a hacksaw with an increased number of teeth in the blade. It may also cut PVC pipes in tight areas so you can use it in substituting PVC pipes.
• Chops saws - they’re tools with round blades with a main purpose to cut. It may quickly cut a PVC pipe in several seconds. Due to its fast and accurate chopping ability, it is suited in cutting large quantities of pipes, useful in construction locations. The down-side of any chop saw is it will be hard to use in cutting and changing already installed pipes in tight areas.
• Reciprocating saws - they are the most versatile saws in cutting PVC pipes. It has a small saw that moves back and forth thus it doesn’t need a lot of space to use. Reciprocating saws enables you to cut new pipes and can cut installed pipes in limited locations easily.

Hacksaws, chop saws, and reciprocating saws are great in cutting PVC pipes. All of them may be used in cutting pipes under different situations, but I would prefer the reciprocating saw such as the Makita LXT601, as it can certainly easily cut pipes that are completely new and/or mounted.

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