Environment
2008-01-01 11:17:00
Plumbing problems perplex people
ANSWER: Nearly all of the homes built in the time period you describe were plumbed with galvanized piping. That’s what was used in most homes back then, no matter what the value or price of the home.
Galvanized pipe is steel pipe covered with a protective coating of zinc that greatly reduced its tendency to corrode and extended its life expectancy. It was used in water lines, but not gas lines, because the zinc coating will flake off and could cause the gas valve to not operate properly.
Corroded galvanized pipe in homes and businesses causes a very high percentage of the water flow problems people experience. Over time, many of these pipes fill with scale and reduce or totally stop the flow of water. This is why older homes with galvanized pipes suffer from low water pressure. If you have hard water, the build up of scale in your water pipes will happen much faster. To check for galvanized water piping in your home you can see if the pipes connecting to your water heater are lead gray in color, and if they are, you can be pretty certain you have galvanized pipes in your home.
But, you may have all copper water piping in your house because at some point the galvanized pipe was replaced and still have a galvanized water service line from the water meter outside into your house. If your water pressure is low, the galvanized water service is probably the cause. Generally when customers say not enough water is flowing from a tap or fixture, something on the customer’s property is restricting the flow. It can be from corroded and collapsed lines made of galvanized steel, and can also be from the clogging up of the faucet screens found on most faucets today. It can also be due to the total failure of a particular faucet, or the shutoff valves inline below the sink or fixture. Normally, unless the water utility has announced a temporary lowering of water pressure due to some occurrence or planned repair to the supply system, the city pressure for water is pretty consistent.
The first copper pipes were actually used in plumbing systems nearly 5,000 years ago. Today, the vast majority of homes with metal plumbing lines use copper pipes for water distribution. Copper holds certain advantages over other metals like lead and iron. In comparison to these metals, copper is softer and easier to work with and is relatively non-toxic. The availability and water-resistant properties of copper also continue to make it the first choice for most, but not all, homebuilders.
As new materials are developed and new technologies are created, copper piping may soon no longer be the obvious choice for homebuilders. To ensure a comfortable living environment a plumbing system should meet the demands of the homeowner. It should be durable and free from leaky connections, joints, or fittings, which can all cause water issues. The more connections in a home’s plumbing system, the greater the chance that one of them will fail over time leading to water damage, rot, and sometimes mold or mildew.
The conventional copper pipe method of plumbing requires that the water supply line branch at the water heater. The hot water line exits the water heater and then runs in tandem with the cold water line throughout the home. Smaller-diameter lines branch off from the main lines to serve all of the water using fixtures and appliances. This system requires more fittings, and pipe sizes vary according to the loads they carry. With this method the water supply is subject to pressure loss if several fixtures on a branch are used at once. That’s why sometimes when you’re taking a nice warm shower and all at once you’re feeling extremely cold water flowing over you, it’s due to someone turning on the washing machine, or flushing a stool or two. That can get your day off to a chilly start...Copper pipe also has to be run around many obstacles, so more connections, tees and ells are required.
With copper, soldering and connecting the joints takes time & talent, and after construction the pipe connections are inaccessible inside the walls. Since many of the joints are hidden behind finished walls, if there’s a leak, the homeowner may not realize it until substantial damage has already been done to the home. Repairs from such a leak can be costly and difficult.
There’s a new method for water distribution in residential homes that is gaining popularity among homebuilders. A manifold plumbing system is a control center that feeds flexible hot and cold water supply lines to individual fixtures.
Flexible plastic piping is used because it is resistant to extreme temperatures and is therefore suitable for hot water use. This piping is also resistant to minerals and chemicals that can corrode copper pipes and will retain its shape and strength over time.
A good alternative to traditional copper pipe is a manifold plumbing system with PEX (cross-linked polyethylene) piping. Manifold plumbing systems are similar in concept to a home’s electrical circuit breaker system.
Separate manifolds serve hot and cold water lines. The cold water manifold is fed from the main water supply line, and the hot water manifold is fed from the water heater. Water pressure in the manifolds is maintained by the incoming service line, and a dedicated water supply line feeds each fixture from a port in the manifold. Because each fixture has its own supply line, the size of the PEX pipe can be adjusted for a fixture’s specific use. Flexible plastic piping expands and contracts, is quieter than other types of piping, and is less likely to cause a tapping sound in your water pipes. More next month…
