Understanding PVC Pipe Pressure Ratings & Considerations

When selecting PVC piping for any project, whether it’s for domestic plumbing, irrigation or water supply lines, the PVC pressure rating is a crucial detail.

To help you get it right, here we draw on our expertise as a plastic pipe supplier to explain PVC psi ratings, bar ratings, pipe classes and more. Our experience of both supplying and fitting high-pressure pipes means that we can tell you exactly what to look for when selecting PVC and UPVC pipes for any high-pressure application.

What Are High-Pressure Pipes Used For?

High-pressure pipes are used to supply water to homes, offices, factories and other industrial operations. Primarily, high-pressure pipes transport drinking-quality water, but they can also be used for irrigation or to transport sewage, chemicals, and other liquids.

High-pressure pipes have been tested and proven to withstand high-pressure fluids without rupturing or leaking.

What Is the Best High-Pressure Pipe?

Unplasticized PVC (UPVC or PVC-U) or rigid PVC is best for high-pressure applications.

How Much Pressure Can PVC Hold?

To know if a pipe is up to the standard, you will need to fully understand its PVC pressure rating numbers. PVC pressure ratings and classes can tell you exactly how much pressure that particular PVC pipe can hold.

What Is a PVC Pressure Rating or PVC PSI Rating?

A PVC pipe pressure rating shows the force the pipe could safely take in testing at normal temperatures. This pressure resistance is recorded as a number or letter.

You will see PVC pressure ratings on pipes displayed as:

• PSI
• Bar
• Class C, D, etc
• SCH 40 or SCH 80

How to Read a PVC PSI Rating

PSI is a standard imperial unit of measurement for pressure and it tells you how many pounds of force per square inch a pipe can comfortably manage.

Here are some typical uses of various PVC psi ratings:

• 100 psi pipes can be used for drainage and low-pressure applications
• 160 psi pipes are suited to domestic plumbing with typical water pressure levels
• 200 psi pipes are best for residential plumbing with higher water pressure levels
• 315 psi pipes are right for high-pressure applications in industry

How to Read a PVC Bar Pressure Rating

Bar is a metric unit of measurement for pressure. Here is how bar measurements correspond to psi.

• 7.0 is equivalent to around 100 psi
• 11.0 is equivalent to around 160 psi
• 14.0 is equivalent to around 200 psi
• 22.0 bar is equivalent to 315 psi

You may see bar measurements written as PN (pressure nominal) numbers. A PN7, for example, would tell you that the pressure rating on that pipe is 7 bar (100 psi) or PN22 would indicate a pressure rating of 22 bar (315 psi).

How to Read a PVC Pressure Rating Classes

High-pressure pipes can also be marked with a class of pressure rating. Here are class pressure ratings corresponding to a psi pressure rating at normal temperatures.

• Class C indicates approximately 130 psi / 9 bar
• Class D indicates approximately 174 psi / 12 bar
• Class E indicates approximately 217 psi / 15 bar

You may also see a Schedule 40 (SCH40) or Schedule 80 (SCH80) PVC pressure rating. A schedule 40 PVC pressure rating is lower than a schedule 80 PVC pressure rating. The classes give you a broad indication of their suitability.

• A schedule 40 PVC psi rating means the pipe is suited to lower-pressure tasks like drainage.
• A schedule 80 PVC psi rating indicates the pipe can handle high-pressure tasks, including industrial applications.

What Factors Affect PVC Pressure Ratings?

A few factors affect a pipe’s ability to withstand pressure. For a start, temperature affects psi. Pipes are tested at normal ambient temperatures, but particularly high temperatures can decrease pressure ratings.

The thicker the wall, the more pressure it can take. You’ll notice pipes with high psi like 200 psi or 315 psi have much thicker walls and are more rigid as a result. Smaller diameter pipes have higher pressure ratings for the same thickness of walls. Narrower pipes have less surface area to exert pressure against.

Finally, the PVC pipe manufacturing process and the different PVC compounds used by PVC manufacturers impact psi ratings.

Why Is Selecting the Right PVC PSI Rating Important?

Leaks or burst pipes are a disaster for any project, requiring costly, inconvenient and time-consuming repairs. Using the PVC pressure rating correctly will help avoid these situations.

When you select the right psi rated pipe for a task, you need to select a pipe with double the psi compared to the maximum pressure you expect it to withstand. So, if you need a pipe to withstand 100 psi, you should select a pipe of 200 psi to be certain it can cope.

Making sure your pipes can easily withstand the pressure you expect them to be under will also help maximize the longevity of your system by avoiding unnecessary strain. Protecting against leaks and burst pipes is also an important step towards protecting the environment from localized damage and unneeded water usage.

Polyfab PVC Pipes

Only the very best PVC and UPVC pipes and fittings should be used for drinking water supply, irrigation, and industrial and commercial uses. Our products are made only of high-quality compounds that are reliable and safe for high-pressure applications.

Explore our range of high-pressure pipes today.