If you are familiar with home building materials then you must have heard of PVC Conduit Pipes. The use and importance of these pipes in the electrical work of the house are immense. In today’s article, we will discuss PVC conduit pipe.
Can you use plastic pvc conduit inside?
You can use plastic PVC conduit pipes directly inside the walls. Its main component is plastic so you don’t have to worry about rust or corrosion. It is mainly used for electrical cables and wiring in the home. These are specially designed so that electrical connections can be made between them.
Its main function is to protect the electrical connection of the house from any kind of external pressure or injury. You can bury the entire pipe inside the walls when doing electrical installations.
Besides, these pipes are considered as a replacement for the traditional galvanized pipes for their lightweight, durable and economic structure. It is mostly optimized as a good choice for outdoors but it can also be indoor residential applications.
It doesn’t require any primer when installing, you can simply get the suitable cement or glue when purchasing from a hardware store for the PVC conduit indoors. You can use plastic conduit indoors as well if you want.
The best part of using PVC conduit is you can conceal it within the floor, walls, or even ceilings. Some reasons why you should use pvc conduit inside the discussed below:
It is cost corrosion and rust-free:
PVC conduit pipes are made of plastic so there are no chances of getting worried about your pipes getting damaged due to corrosion or rust like the traditional galvanized steel pipes.
Moreover, these pipes are specially made to use in electrical wiring installations so the structure is made up strong enough to endure any pressure and sustain its characteristics.
Lightweight and cost-effective:
These pipes are made of plastic; hence they are lightweight, easy to use, and transport. Moreover, the plastic structure of the pipe makes it cutting easy.
As it doesn’t require any type of steel or expensive material, it is cheap, affordable, and cost-effective considering bigger projects.
Fire-resistant and distortion-free:
The traditional steel pipes become distorted due to weather conditions. The material used to manufacture the pipes makes them fire-resistant and distortion-free.
Is PVC conduit allowed inside?
PVC conduits are allowed to use inside. Its design and structure make it convenient to use in indoor-based wiring. The plastic used in the conduit pipes is fire resistant.
Also, it is waterproof and leakproof hence no liquids will be able to enter the pipe and cause a short circuit. It doesn’t bend due to different weather conditions.
Generally, conduits need a lot of cutting and that is why PVC conduit is used as it is very easy to cut. You can bury or conceal the pipes within the walls and ceilings or floors in a building of any height.
With the conduits you have inside, you might choose between varieties of wiring connections.
Can you run plastic PVC conduit in walls?
The answer is yes, you can run plastic pvc conduit in walls. There is no harm in using it in the wall. Moreover, it creates a safe electric supply and turbulence-free connection to your home.
The biggest benefit of using plastic pvc conduits in walls is it lets you establish an organized electrical connection throughout the walls.
The materials used to make the PVC conduit are plastic, it is easy to cut them into pieces when attaching to them the walls.
You can simply attach the pipes to the walls using clips or hooks that will help you to replace or transfer the entire connection to another place without taking extra hassle. So, it is possible to run plastic pvc conduits in walls.
Can PVC electrical conduit be used indoors?
PVC electrical conduit can be used indoors. It is specially made considering indoor-based electrical wiring-related works.
It has a thicker diameter than the traditional galvanized steel conduit that helps you to run more than two or three electric connections through one pipe. In addition to that, it prevents getting in contact with fire or water.
You can bury or conceal the pipes inside the wall or attach them to the wall based on your choice and demands.
As the PVC electrical conduits don’t need primer when fitting two pipes, there is some cement or glue that is used to join the pipes to a circuit. Although, detaching or pulling apart two pipes might be difficult once you attach them.
Do you have to glue PVC conduit indoors?
The PVC conduit pipes must be stuck together using glue or specific cement in order to prevent any leakage and make them waterproof. As per the national electric code of the United States, it says, all the electrical connections are to be made uptight.
It means they either have to be glued or sealed using cement. It is important to seal the PVC conduit indoors to make sure no elements from outside such as water, fire, or even dust could interfere with the current flow and cause malfunctions.
The best way to glue PVC conduits is to apply glue to the male end and push it into the other end of another pipe. So, when they are pushed together, they will stick together without damaging the wires inside.
Where can you use PVC conduit?
The main purpose of using PVC conduit is to use in electrical systems as housing for wires. It is usually used in underground-based areas as well as wet areas where it needs to be protected from any type of liquid interference.
The conduits come in different shapes and have flexibility based on demands. Usually, flexible conduits are installed in lights, heaters, or attic vents. Some of the places where you can use PVC conduit is shown described below:
Exposed areas:
Some of the exposed areas in your house require a conduit to hide the electrical wiring. Garden is one of them.
You might want to put lights on your garden but if the wiring is not done correctly, or if you leave the wires in the open, that might cause you a serious issue.
The wires may break due to unwanted reasons or the efficiency of the wires may be lost due to different weather conditions.
This is why you should not leave the wires in the open but seal them with conduit pipe so that the wires are maintained.
Wet surfaces:
There are many places in your house where water can accumulate and you want to make an electrical connection through that area.
But if the electrical connection is kept open in those places, the wires can be electrified by coming in contact with water and can cause big accidents. So, PVC conduit pipe should be used to avoid such accidents.
Inside walls:
It is the best and safest way to conceal the wiring connection inside the wall using the PVC conduits. They will remain safe, away from fire and water and most importantly, the pipe will not distort due to different weather conditions.
How to install PVC conduit indoors?
PVC conduit is an essential item for the electrical wiring purpose of your house. Although, most people use hard metal in their house almost all of them has switched to more modern and convenient solutions for electrical wiring solutions.
PVC conduit is easy to cut, doesn’t change its shape, made of fireproof materials. Almost every home has electric conduits installed in it. So, it must be learned so that you can install a new one by yourself. The steps are shown below:
Cut the right length:
Get yourself a proper measurement of how long your pipes should be. Then cut them accordingly. Be careful when cutting. Cutting 1 or 2 cm longer than the measurement is safe in order to avoid mismeasurement just in case.
Install the wires:
As your pipes are cut and ready to be installed, put the wires inside from one end and take them out from the other end.
Here, make sure you have the wires 3-4 inches longer than the pipes or the connection length so that you have enough wires when joining them together.
Attach all the parts:
Now you’re all set to join all the parts together. Make sure to use glue or a specific type of cement when joining them together.
Use glue to the male end of one pipe and then put it in the other end of the other pipe. Join the wires by twisting them.
Final Thoughts
Plastic PVC conduits can be used inside as they are specially manufactured to pass multiple wires through one pipe. At the same time, it protects electrical wires from fire, water, and human contact which reduces the possibility of short circuits. It is also made of plastics so it is corrosion-free.