Disadvantages of Copper Compared To Aluminium Pipe

by

K Quinn

You do not have to stick with your old heating system when it is time for a change, there are many different materials available and you should explore all the options before making a decision to ensure you are getting the most efficient system for your home. The options, amongst other include, plastic, steel, copper and

aluminium pipe

. All of these come with their own set of advantages but it is advisable not to install a copper system if you dont already have one as they do have a number of disadvantages which can be eliminated with the use if a different material.

Advantages

Flexibilty is coppers main strong point and the reason it is used in plumbing. This flexibility means it can be manoeuvred into tight corners with relative ease. With other materials you may need lots of connectors and fasteners to keep it in place however, this is not the case with copper. Another benefit of copper is sanitation and water supply; there is no promotion for growth of bacteria inside copper pipes which can often happen with plastic which means it is safer. As long as you have water with the right acidity copper also has the power to resist corrosion; however this is only the case in areas where water is monitored water from a well or other sources may not be suitable.

Reasons Against

Copper pipe prices

are the biggest drawback to copper plumbing systems. It was once though that copper would last a very long time but this is not the case and it is also very costly. It could be the case that it only lasts ten years meaning you will have to pay again to update it. Corrosion is another problem associated with copper pipe, as acidic water can cause harmful copper particles to enter into the drinking water. Worse still tiny holes can form which allow bacteria from outside to enter your water supply as well. Apart from copper poisoning there are also some quite nasty health issues associated with excess amounts of copper in the body.

Although copper is a great conductor and is quite a good system for indoor plumbing, the fact that it only lasts between 10 and 20 years and copper pipe prices are so high mean it is not a very economical choice. However, should you choose to use a different material such as aluminium pipe you may find that you can save moaney and also scrap your old copper.

The author of this article has worked in the plumbing industry and takes an interest in new innovations such as the use of

aluminium pipe

in residential homes. He is also interested in the scrap metal value of the existing materials, which here is copper with

copper pipe prices

ever increasing there isn t a better time to scrap your old copper.

Article Source:

ArticleRich.com