If you do any pipe work think pvc vs abs even if it's allowed. Many states are change the use of abs and steering towards pvc. My nephew works for pipe the us standardization for all plumbing and pipe work. They recently had a rash of abs pipe failures and did a investigation the ares in question had the sewage pipes become blocked but when they dug up the pipes for repair they discovered something unheard of. The pipes failed because they were destroyed, consumed by subterranean termites. Biologists were called in but could not explain why the termites were eating the abs. Some abs manufacturers have added a toxin to the pipe to ward off the termites. It's has baffled even the piping industry as a whole the pipe organization has been rewriting the standards as abs can be used in. Regions void of subterranean termites. Pretty weired stuff, fortunately all work I've done has been pvc or galvanized pipe. LA has a lot of galvanize pipe use for city projects based on gal will not break even in earth quakes and may hold and flex but won't break like pvc or other non metallic pipe. So if you live in a high infested termite area and building a home or doing improvements to insure your piping will last for decades use pvc. The last I heard from my nephew about the problem they are still trying to figure out what the deal is about the termites eating the plastic I would think they would have figured out something since last year. Like what is the main materials in abs, what parts of the material are they actually ingesting and would changing the formula for abs resolve the issue. Many cities have gone to pvc as requirements as pvc lasts longer and can take more punishment like expansive soils shifting etc.
