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The Differences between Type L and Type M

Copper Pipes

Contents
Pipe manufacturers produce soft and hard soft copper pipes for plumbing
purposes. Copper pipes are mainly used for supplying water.

A pipe made of soft copper tends to bend easily even without using any tool. As
such, pipes made of copper are also known as tubing.

Pipes made of the hard type of copper are inflexible and require bending using
special tools. Hard copper pipes are cut and joined to make a joint rather than
bending them.

Most water supply lines in residential properties are made of hard type L and
type M copper pipes.
 

Types of Copper Pipes

Copper pipe manufacturers offer four standards of copper pipe which are types
L, M, DWV, and K. These letters partially indicate the relative pipe wall thickness.
A pipe’s wall thickness is dependent on the pipe size.

These letter codes are also used in relating the color printed on a pipe to the
type it represents. The color assists in identifying the type of copper pipe.

Green represents type K, blue represents type L, red represents type M, and
yellow represents type DWV. Thus, type L copper pipes are also known as blue
and type M copper pipes are also known as red.

What are the uses of different types of

copper pipes?
Each type of copper pipe has a suitable application. However, DWV pipes are
not ideal for application as supply lines for water because they don’t have a
pressure rating.

Green copper pipes, that is type K, are the only type suitable for burying
underground. They’re generally used for supplying water into a house.

Types L and M are the ideal pipes for supplying water throughout a home. Type
L comes with thicker walls than type M. Type L also has a high rating in terms of
pressure than type M.

Some local plumbing codes only allow the use of type L and don’t allow the use
of type M in homes. However, international codes of construction allow the use
of types L, M, and K pipes for supplying water.

The Differences between Types L and M

The key difference between types L and M is their pressure rating and wall
thickness. The most common copper pipe sizes are ½ and ¾ inches.

Type M ½ inch measures 0.028” in wall thickness whereas type L ½ inch

measures 0.04” in wall thickness. Type M ¾ inch measures 0.032” in wall
thickness while type L ¾ measures 0.045”.

Generally, type L is costlier than M. The reason behind the cost difference is that
type L has thicker walls, thereby weighs more.

Consequently, it requires more amount of copper to manufacture, making its

cost of production higher than that of type M. Its cost of transportation is also
higher due to weighing more than type M.

Copper pipes that are of similar size and type come with the same exterior
diameter, making them ideal for use with the same fitting when making
plumbing connections.

The interior diameter varies depending on the type as a result of the varying
wall thicknesses. For instance type M ½ inch measures 0.569” while type L ½
inch measures 0.545” in diameter.

 
 Residential Suitability of Type L and M
Copper pipes for water supply within a home are either type L or type M, unless
specified otherwise by local codes. Both types have good ratings in terms of the
water pressure required in municipal supply lines.

Type K, being costlier than type L, makes it less ideal for burying in the ground
for water supply into a house.

The difference in cost between type L and M is enough to make most property
owners prefer type M rather than type L when working on large projects.

Nevertheless, always check with your local municipal for permits before doing
any plumbing project or buying construction materials. You may also contact
Fast Plumbers if you need a plumber to assist you.

Related: How to Replace Copper Pipes Using PEX

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