If you notice that your water has a brown, green, or reddish tint, it could be a sign of corrosion inside your copper pipes. Discolored water can be a result of oxidized copper or rust from corroded pipes.
Copper pipes can last a long time, typically between 50 to 70 years, depending on various factors such as water quality, installation quality, and environmental conditions. However, they may need to be replaced sooner if they show signs of corrosion, leaks, or damage.
Copper piping systems are a great selling point for homes due to their longevity and reliability. The life span of copper plumbing pipes can vary significantly based on several factors, but on average, they can last between 50 to 70 years when installed correctly and maintained well.
Copper pipes are pretty terrible. Copper reacts with minerals and chemical additives in the water. After a long time, the copper pipe will wear out. You end up with a leak.
Its popularity soared after lead pipes became obsolete due to their unsafe nature. Today, plumbers still install copper pipes quite regularly, but you have a wide variety of other materials to choose from, too. PVC and PEX are both common and tend to be more affordable than copper.
Copper is usually preferred for water supply lines and heating systems but plex is most often used for drain or waste lines because copper corrodes over time. Ultimately, it's up to the homeowner to decide where to spend the construction budget.
Copper Piping: Copper pipes cost $2 to $12 per linear foot for the materials alone, depending on the diameter of the tube, and can have a higher plumbing installation cost when you compare copper pipe to PEX or CPVC.
Over time, old pipes can corrode and introduce contaminants into your water supply. By replacing your pipes, you can ensure that your water is clean, safe, and free from impurities.
If just a pipe or a section of your copper plumbing system is leaking, you could just replace it with PEX piping. But if you have an old copper plumbing system that leaks frequently in different areas of your home, you may want to consider a whole-house repipe.
When copper is not protected it will fade and tarnish. Clean, polish or patina your copper to the desired finish and then coat with Everbrite™ or ProtectaClear® or CrobialCoat™ to stop tarnish and to lock in the shine and patina on your copper fittings and hardware – indoors and outdoors.
If you notice musty and stagnant smells, see bulges on your walls and ceilings, or notice green crust on your pipes, this means you're probably going to have to fix or replace your pipes sooner than you had hoped.
If you notice widespread signs of corrosion on your home's piping, you probably need to think about repiping your home. Check exposed piping for visible signs of corrosion, which include: Bluish-greenish tinting (on copper piping) Rust colored powder or marking.
Like lead and certain other contaminants, testing for copper usually requires a water sample to be sent for laboratory analysis, like at Culligan's IL EPA-certified lab.
Vulnerable to Damage
Plumbing failures can be caused by defective copper pipes several years after installation. Acidic water can be very bad for copper systems. Scale builds up inside the lines and blocks the flow of water through the plumbing system.
Copper pipes generally last between 50-70 years
The expected life span of copper pipes depends on several factors, but in general they can be expected to last at least 50 years. Copper piping is fairly reliable and resistant to most forms of corrosion, but it doesn't last forever.
On average, a small-scale pipe replacement could take anywhere from a few hours to a couple of days. Just a Few Hours: For minor pipe damage or replacement of easily accessible pipe sections, professional plumbers could complete the job in just a few hours.
It just depends. Insurance policies may cover repiping if there is significant damage due to a fire or natural disaster. If there is extremely cold winter weather and your pipes freeze and then burst, your insurance policy may cover related expenses, but not always.
The cost to repipe a 2000 sq ft house is between $3,500-$15,000 on average. Some variables that will affect the total cost of the job are the size of the house, the ease of access to the pipes, the material that is used, and if any other plumbing work needs to be done.
The Cons of Using Copper Pipes
Installation costs: Copper is more expensive than other piping materials. Since they're also rigid, you must incur the cost of elbow fittings. The rigidity makes them more challenging to cut and fix during installation. The longer it takes to handle the materials, the more cost you incur.
Copper is more likely to freeze and break.
The challenge arises more frequently in older homes needing more insulation. If you reside in a colder region or have experienced water pipe freezing, opting for PEX when it's time for a repiping endeavor is a wise choice.
Like any other material, multiple factors could lead to problems with PEX. Some of these factors could be simple over-chlorination of the water running through it or dezincification, which could weaken and break down the fittings used on the piping. Another issue could be the piping failing to pass a pressure test.
Efficiency. Another reason you should consider replacing copper pipes with PEX is because the latter offers better efficiency. To start with, PEX pipes have a lower thermal conductivity than copper pipes, thus preventing heat loss as water moves through the pipes, ultimately saving energy.