FAQs: Corzan® CPVC for Hospitality
Installation, lifecycle performance and repairs can add significant time and expense in the hospitality industry. Many hospitality property owners are turning to nonmetallic piping to alleviate corrosion concerns and to deliver an excellent total cost of ownership. Corzan® CPVC has a proven reputation for performance in hospitality. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about CPVC in this industry. If you have additional questions or would like more information, please contact us to be connected with one of our piping material experts.
1. Which piping systems maintain hot water delivery reliability for large hotels?
A high-performance plastic piping like Corzan CPVC is a reliable choice for large hotels. Schedule 80 Corzan CPVC is widely specified for larger hospitality facilities due to its pressure rating up to 200°F (93.3°C), its inherent corrosion resistance and scale resistance. Stainless steel is a reliable choice but is often cost-prohibitive to specify for an entire large hotel. Traditional copper piping has shown decreased efficacy for large hotels as changes in water treatment chemical types and levels increase risks of scaling and corrosion, which can decrease flow rates and lead to pinhole leaks.
2. How does CPVC compare to copper in hospitality plumbing?
Copper remains a popular choice for plumbing, but CPVC offers favorable performance in several critical areas. Most importantly, CPVC outperforms copper in corrosion. CPVC does not pit, scale or corrode when exposed to chlorinated water that can cause corrosion and pinhole leaks in copper. CPVC also has lower thermal conductivity than copper, helping maintain heat in recirculation loops and can be much quieter than copper for both flow and water hammer. CPVC is also more affordable to source, deliver, cut, join and install than copper.
3. What piping materials help reduce noise in hotel water systems?
A system made of plastic, such as Corzan CPVC, can significantly reduce noise in hotel water systems. Metal piping transmits vibration more readily, creating more noise during normal operations. Additional acousitic installation is required to dampen the sound. Plastic piping innately produces less sound. Third-party noise testing conducted on Corzan CPVC and on copper piping showed Corzan CPVC produced 31.7 dBA while copper produced 49.9 dBA. To the human ear, the copper pipes would sound four times louder than CPVC.
4. How does piping material selection influence renovation timelines for hotels?
Piping material dictates installation methods, which impact renovation timelines. Metal piping installation timelines must allow for cutting, brazing or welding, pressure testing and corrosion mitigation. This lengthier process also requires specialist laborers, who may be less available on a tight timeline. A plastic piping like Corzan CPVC requires fewer tools and lower expertise to install. Corzan CPVC uses a solvent welding process that can easily be completed on-site with no hot work, which may reduce or eliminate shutdown windows for occupied hotels.
5. Is CPVC suitable for multi-story hospitality hot/cold water distribution?
Corzan CPVC has a long history of use in multi-story hot/cold water distribution systems for mid- and high-rise hotels, such as Fort Lauderdale’s 23-story W Hotel. Schedule 80 Corzan CPVC is engineered to perform safely for vertical use under high pressures. Always defer to local building codes and carefully follow manufacturer’s installation instructions when specifying and installing a high-rise CPVC system.
6. Can CPVC help reduce frozen and burst pipe incidents in hotels and resorts, and how does its cold-weather performance compare to metal piping materials?
No piping material is truly “freeze-proof.” However, CPVC can offer significantly improved performance in freezing conditions compared to metal systems. CPVC is less thermally conductive than metal, meaning it will lose heat slower and thus freeze later than metal in the same conditions.