Step 1: Determine the Material of Your Pipe(s)

Things you may want to bring:

• A pen and paper to jot notes, if you have multiple units to meter with different types of pipes
• Rough sandpaper in case there's paint on the pipes

Before ordering meters from SimpleSUB Water, you'll need to determine the material and size of your pipe(s) at the install location(s) to ensure the meters are accurate.  If you're not sure about where to install the meter, please reach out to [e-mail] or Submit a Request at the top of the page and we'll help you determine the best location.

Let's start with the material.  The most common pipe materials are listed below along with images:

• Copper - Metal pipe, typically orange/copper in color but can look more brown if it's older;  Green corrosion (think of the Statue of Liberty) can sometimes be spotted around joints of copper pipe.

NOTE: If you have copper pipe you'll also need to know if it's type L or type M.  Not sure?  Check out the FAQ article.

• PVC - Plastic pipe, typically white in color;  This pipe may say Schedule 40 somewhere on it.

• CPVC - Plastic pipe, typically light brown in color and may have a yellow or red band on it;  This pipe may have CPVC written somewhere on it.

• PEX - Plastic pipe, typically blue for incoming water supplies;  This type of pipe will be somewhat flexible.

• Galvanized Steel - Metal pipes, typically silver, steel or black colored and often look rough.

Unfortunately, if you have galvanized steel pipes you will not be able to use the SimpleSUB Water system at this time.  There are many reasons not to use galvanized steel for potable water and it's recommended to replace it when possible.

If there's paint on your pipes, not to worry, you can rub it off with some sand paper until you expose the material underneath.

Now that you've determined the material of your pipe, you can measure it's size here.