![]() Galvanized pipe corrodes on both the inside and outside surfaces as it ages, and galvanic corrosion can cause large powdery, cancerous-looking lumps where it is connected to copper piping, as shown in the photo below. It was used primarily for water piping, but sometimes as a drain pipe. It was a less-expensive alternative to copper up until the 1970s, when it fell out of favor due to its short lifespan of 40 to 50 years. Galvanized Steel - Galvanized steel water pipe is gray metal color and, when tapped with a screwdriver, makes a metallic sound.Today it is only used as water pipe, but up until the late 1960s it was also installed as drain pipe in better quality construction.Ĭopper has a life expectancy of 50 to 70 years or more, but pitting of the interior of the pipe can shorten the lifespan to just 20 years in areas with “aggressive” (very acidic) water, or water with any of several other combinations of ph, hardness, and contaminant factors. However, acidic water or soil can cause premature failure, and it is more expensive to install than plastic pipes like CPVC and PEX. It has been used for water pipe since the 1930s, so copper is the tried and true, dependable choice.Ĭopper was predominant water supply pipe in our North Florida area from the ‘70s through 2000. Oxidation can cause greenish areas, and galvanic corrosion will make a powdery crust at connections to other types of metal pipe and valves. Copper - Copper is the same color as a new penny when first installed, then gradually transitions to the dark brown of an old one after a few years.Here’s a list of the different pipe materials, with descriptions: ![]() A black or gray rubber “transition coupling” with clamps (shown at right and below) peeking out from the wall at the escutcheon plate under a sink is a sure sign there is older pipe lurking inside the wall. So take a look in the attic with a flashlig ht and pull back the escutcheon plates (a metal ring that covers the opening where a pipe penetrates the wall) to look behind them where you can, and see if you have older pipe still in place, but hidden from view. But often there is different pipe used in the original construction of the home which is at least partially hidden from view in the walls, under the floor and in the attic. The newer pipes are usually the most visible, under the sinks and at the water heater. So if your home is more than about forty years old, you likely have four or more different pipe materials. Over the years and with remodeling and repairs, newer types of pipe may have been added. Identifying all the different types of pipe in your home requires a little detective work, because most homes are originally built with multiple pipe materials: one for water and a second type-or sometimes a combination of two types-for drain pipes.
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