Any experienced plumber knows that there are a number of different plumbing fittings available. Of course, all of these have pros and cons, but two of the most popular types are compression fittings and soldered fittings. In this blog post, we’ll take a look at the differences between the two to help determine which one is best for your project.
Compression Fittings
Compression fittings are made from brass or plastic and consist of three parts—a nut, ferrule, and sleeve. To install them, you simply slide the fitting onto the pipe and then tighten the nut until it compresses the sleeve onto the pipe. This creates a watertight seal without having to use any kind of solder or other adhesive material. The main advantage to using compression fittings is that they are relatively quick and easy to install, making them ideal for DIY projects.
The downside is that they can be difficult to remove should you need to make repairs in the future. Additionally, they don’t provide as good of a seal as soldered fittings since they rely on friction alone to hold them in place. As such, they may not be suitable for projects where an airtight seal is necessary.
Soldered Fittings
Soldered fittings are made from metal pipes with metal or plastic components attached to them via solder or some other type of adhesive material (such as polyurethane). Unlike compression fittings, soldered fittings require careful preparation before installation since they must be cleaned thoroughly prior to soldering in order for a secure connection to be made. As such, soldered fittings typically take more time and effort than compression fittings when installing.
The advantage of using soldered fittings is that they provide an extremely secure connection due to their tight-fitting nature which eliminates any gaps between pipes where water could escape from or seep into the system over time—making them ideal for applications requiring an airtight seal (e.g., swimming pools). Additionally, soldered connections make it much easier to dismantle if repairs need to be done in the future since there is no need for cutting any pipes or unscrewing any nuts/bolts like there would be with compression fittings.
Conclusion
When it comes down to deciding whether you should use compression plumbing fitting or soldered plumbing fitting depends on what your plumbing project requires! If you’re looking for a quick fix without compromising quality too much then go with compression plumbing fitting but if you want something more long-term and require better sealing then go with soldering plumbing fitting! Plumbing professionals should consider both options before making their decision so that their project will turn out perfect every time!