Copper corrosion is a relatively common issue and can impact the infrastructure of your home, water quality and health. Understanding what causes corrosion can help prevent problems from occurring and stop you from experiencing issues like metallic-tasting water, pinhole leaks, and blue or green staining.
Here are six of the most common causes of corrosion in copper pipes.
Wrong pH
If the pH of your water is too low or too high, then copper pipe corrosion can occur. Your water should have a pH of above 7.0 but below 8.5 to prevent it from being too acidic or alkaline.
Dissolved Oxygen or Solids
If there is too much dissolved oxygen in the water, corrosion can be sped up. Copper oxide is formed and blue/green staining can occur.
High levels of TDS or total dissolved solids will raise conductivity and, in turn, encourage corrosion. This means that water containing large amounts of dissolved substances such as minerals and salts will be more problematic.
Solid items that haven’t dissolved can also cause issues with copper pipe. For example, sediment, fine grit or sand that is flowing through a plumbing system can wear away the walls of pipes. This can particularly cause issues at joints and elbows of copper pipe systems.
Bacteria
Common bacteria such as iron and sulphate-reducing bacteria can cause corrosion and are often found in well water. The microbes can create slime and produce acids, which can lead to damage to copper pipe from Watkins and Powis and other specialist copper pipe suppliers.
Electrical Currents
Lightning strikes and electrical systems that aren’t correctly grounded can lead to electrochemical reactions which attack copper pipes.
Fast Water Movement
High water velocity can mean that water moves too fast in a pipe and causes erosion or corrosion. This can be particularly problematic in hot water systems.
Poor Installation
Improper installation of copper pipe can cause accelerated corrosion. This includes bad soldering techniques, over-use of flux and pipe ends that haven’t been reamed.