Home plumbing pipe corrosion is one of the most prevalent issues impacting home water supplies and systems. It degrades the overall quality of the water and produces a foul flavor. Furthermore, copper and lead may seep into drinking water and create health hazards.
Copper poisoning in water can cause intestinal issues in the short term and liver and kidney damage in the long run. Lead poisoning can harm children’s physical and mental development. Let us first explore some of the most prevalent causes before we discuss measures to avoid home plumbing pipe corrosion.
- Industrial plumbing systems incorporating copper pipes can reduce the water’s pH level and cause corrosion in the water.
- Oxygenated water can form rust in metal pipes that damages the lines and causes severe health hazards.
- Mineral buildups can reduce the water quality and form clogs
- In some systems, hot water can cause home plumbing pipe corrosion and make them toxic.
Cleaning the Pipes Before Installation
Pre-installation pipeline cleaning is one of the most efficient strategies to avoid water. Everyone should clean the lines of commercial or residential plumbing systems before installation and remove all dirt to extend the plumbing system’s life.
Use a cleaning solution to fully clean your home’s water system and prevent home plumbing pipe corrosion. The water should be flushed out of the system frequently until clean and clear water emerges.
Why Do We Need to Clean Pipes Pre-Installation?
You can find Mill scale, jointing compounds, and a variety of other materials associated with the industries and constructions in newly created water pipes.
Systems not thoroughly cleansed of these impurities before use may accumulate sludge and germs over time. As a result, home plumbing pipe corrosion, obstructions, and biodegradation can occur, resulting in inefficiencies, leaks, and other expensive system failures.
Inadequate cleaning can leave suspended particles, biofilm, grease, and other impurities in your system, forming an impenetrable coating on the piping. As a result, inhibitors will not reach the metal surface and will be unable to prevent further corrosion, amplifying the home plumbing pipe corrosion.
Maintaining a Steady PH level in the water.
It is critical to keep water’s pH stable to have healthy drinking water and prevent water pipe corrosion. A healthy pH level implies it should be neither acidic nor alkaline. It should have a pH level of 7 that is balanced. If the pH level of the water is greater than 7, it is alkaline; if the pH level is less than 7, it is acidic. Rain that falls on the ground is generally acidic because it takes up carbon dioxide as it falls and converts it to carbonic acid.
The soil’s limestone and dolomite (calcium magnesium carbonate) can neutralize the acid, making it more alkaline. Water containing calcium and magnesium salts is less corrosive because these minerals cover the inside pipes, protecting against home plumbing pipe corrosion.
Prevent Home Plumbing Pipe Corrosion by Using Phosphates
Phosphates are occasionally added to water supplies to prevent water pipe corrosion. They operate as a corrosion inhibitors, preventing metals from leaching from lead and copper pipes. When inorganic phosphates are introduced to the water supply, an insoluble protective mineral scale coating forms on the interior of service pipes and domestic water lines. This protects the lines against home plumbing pipe corrosion.
Compared to a typical adult diet, the quantity of phosphate in a water supply is relatively small. But it’s crucial for phosphates and other chemical water treatments to be handled by specialists who know how to determine which treatment is best suited to avoid home plumbing pipe corrosion while not making the water toxic from these chemicals.
Using Chlorine to Prevent CPVC Home Plumbing Pipe Corrosion
Chlorine is widely used to keep hazardous germs at bay and to prevent material buildup in cooling towers and recirculating systems. But it’s vital for home plumbing pipe corrosion safety; remember that chlorine can cause damage to other pipes besides CPVC. As the name chlorinated polyvinyl chloride implies, CPVC is inherently very impervious to chlorine and the degradation it can cause to other materials.
Therefore, adding chlorine tablets to the water supply is one of the most significant ways to avoid water corrosion if your property utilizes CPVC pipes. Chlorine serves as a disinfectant and may destroy bacteria and pathogens. This is an efficient method of protecting water and avoiding home plumbing pipe corrosion for drinking while also killing bacteria that cause water corrosion.
How to Avoid Galvanic Corrosions
Not every metal gets along. Galvanic corrosion occurs when one metal draws electrons from another; as a result, the structure is weakened. For example, if aluminum and carbon steel are joined and submerged in seawater, the aluminum will corrode faster, but the steel will be protected. Let’s look at two of the most common ways how we can avoid home plumbing pipe corrosion for this issue:
Insulating the Metals
Metals such as copper are excellent conductors of electricity but are susceptible to electrolysis and galvanic corrosion. Underground copper or brass pipes can rot away if not shielded from this type of home plumbing pipe corrosion. PVC or plastic irrigation tubing can be utilized to insulate these metals. Paints, coatings, oils, and greases are also acceptable.
Using Home Plumbing Pipe Corrosion Inhibitors
The most efficient galvanic corrosion inhibitors remove dissolved oxygen from the electrolyte solution. Removing oxygen reduces the likelihood of reduction occurring at the anode, and the home plumbing pipe corrosion process is halted.
