The water pipes are the veins and arteries of your home’s plumbing system, and you need them in good shape to keep freshwater flowing to the tap and wastewater moving out to the sewer system without problems. People tend to think of the pipes in their home as indestructible, and unless they freeze during winter, they should not present any danger of developing serious leak problems.
However, pipes can start to corrode—even “corrosion-resistant” copper pipes—leading to issues with leaking that will waste water and cause damage to your home. Always call for professional plumbers when you suspect that corroded pipes have led to leaks. The plumbers will locate the leaking pipes and fix them.
Reasons that corrosion occurs
- Old, out of date piping material: For many decades, the standard material used for residential pipes was cast iron and then galvanized steel. These metals were eventually phased out in favor of copper and plastic piping, but if you have an older home (pre-1970 and especially pre-WWII) you may still have this outdated material that is prone to corroding with age. The best option in these cases is to repipe the whole house.
- Low pH levels: If the pH level of your home’s water is lower than 8, it will dissolve an important protective barrier that prevents copper pipes from corroding.
- Chemicals in the water: The chemical composition of the water coming to your home from the municipal system cause trigger corrosion, even in copper.
- Galvanic corrosion: This is corrosion that occurs because of the contact of different metals. Copper pipes that touch steel studs or steel pipe hangers can result in this type of corrosion.
Whatever the reason for the appearance of corrosion on your pipes, it’s something that needs to be fixed as soon as possible. Let your plumbers find the solutions necessary.
You can rely on Red Rock Mechanical LLC for plumbing services in Plattsburgh, NY and the surrounding areas.
