When evaluating a home purchase, finding out whether the household plumbing incorporates copper pipes can be very relevant information. Many older houses still on the market today were built with galvanized steel plumbing. As decades passed, steel pipes proved to be vulnerable to internal corrosion and rusting. Steel has a high incidence of pipe ruptures that can cause very expensive water damage to the structure of the house and its contents.
As a result, real estate and home inspection experts typically advise prospective buyers to figure the cost of re-piping into the total price of any house that incorporates galvanized steel plumbing. Overwhelmingly, the recommended replacement is copper pipes.
The presence of copper piping in a house you’re considering means you’ll be spared the expense of having new pipes installed later, as well as the disruption to your normal household routine. Here are some of the other benefits of copper:
Unlike galvanized steel, copper has a proven long-term track record of durability after many decades of installation in residences.It is the only pipe material with a 50-year guarantee. Newer synthetic pipe alternatives haven’t been in wide usage long enough to establish an estimated service life expectancy.
Today, over 80 percent of new homes are constructed with copper piping, making it the industry standard for residential plumbing.
Capable of withstanding 1,000 pounds of pressure per square inch, copper is resistant to internal deterioration including rusting and corrosion that trigger leaks and pipe ruptures.
Installation of copper plumbing is expedited by the fact that the pipes are rigid yet also very light. Long spans of copper pipes require fewer support brackets and attachment points and are easily assembled with safe, lead-free solder. This lowers labor and installation costs.
Copper doesn’t contain toxins that could slowly leach into drinking water and cause health concerns.
Copper piping is a definite plus for your home’s market value if/when you decide to sell the house.
Copper plumbing can be recycled when the house is torn down in the future.
For more information about the benefits of copper pipes, in Broken Arrow contact Air Assurance.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about copper pipes and other HVAC topics, call us at 918-217-8273. Credit/Copyright Attribution: “Jhonatan_Perez/Pixabay”