Heat fusion

Heat fusion is one of the safest and most reliable joining methods for piping systems in the world. It involves heating two pieces of an identical plastic material and allowing them to cool together under moderate pressure. Polypropylene is particularly well suited to this joining method, because polypropylene will fuse at the chemical level. There is no longer any seam between the pipe and the fitting, so there is no longer any way for the system to leak or come apart.

By using heat fusion connections to join the pipe and fittings, aquatherm piping systems eliminate the systematic weaknesses that exist in other piping systems. While other systems tend to leak and fail at the joints, Aquatherm's joints are leak-proof, and will last even longer than the pipe itself.

There are many different methods of heat fusion. These include:

• Socket Fusion: A method of heat fusion in which the outside of the pipe is fused against the inside of the fitting, creating a strong bond without restricting the opening of the pipe. This connection uses a heating iron.
  
• Outlet Fusion: This method involves heat fusing a special curved fitting directly into the side of the pipe. This connection serves as a branch from large lines to smaller ones. Outlet fusion also uses heating irons.
  
• Butt Fusion: A heat fusion method that involves fusing the face of one pipe directly to the face of another, creating a connection without a coupling. Fittings match the pipe walls and are installed the same way.
• Electrofusion: A method of socket fusion that does not use heating irons. The pipe is joined by running an electrical current through a special fitting, rather than heating the pipe and fitting directly.