Rough and cold pipelines are to be avoided when designing a home plumbing system. The temperature in cold pipes is low and the heat will not flow from them easily. Softened water's conductivity increases as the temperature drops likewise, so does the water in hot pipes harden and its thermal conductivity decreases as it cools off. The effect of thermally conductive materials on home plumbing piping systems must be considered when installing the system. The size of the pipe and fittings ought to allow heat transfer in any situation where there are an equivalent number and size of connections in both sides of the junction. Should you run into a situation where pipes are buried or placed underneath floors or walls the pipes can be placed in a tray or other suitable material that insulates them. The use of non-thermal conductive materials to shield hot and cold pipelines is an excellent way to improve your home plumbing system's sustainability as well as its overall functionability.The thermal conductivity of piping systems is measured using Btu/hr. ft. F or the British thermal unit per hour per square foot degree Fahrenheit. The temperature factor is multiplied by a separate factor called the installation rating which estimates how much heat loss can be expected in an underground home plumbing pipe due to environmental factors such as soil, foundation and nearby objects. The thermal conductivity of water varies depending on its composition. Water heated to a higher temperature will therefore have higher thermal conductivity conversely, it will also lose heat faster when cooled off by colder water. These factors make it difficult to measure water's thermal conductivity. Research detailed information on how various factors affect the conductivity of water. It is clear that the temperature of a soil in which a warm and cold pipeline are placed, affects their thermal conductivity.