Rusty pipes are a nightmare for all homeowners in Port Richey, FL. It is a plumbing issue that might lead to the repiping of your entire house, depending on the extent of the corrosion.
Rusting pipes are a risk to your home because they lead to cracks in the pipes that start to leak. If unnoticed, the breakage can enlarge pouring water which can cause extensive water damage.
With that in mind, it is appropriate to hire a plumber for leak detection during maintenance can save your house from structural damage, molds, and expensive water damage restoration.
Plumbing experts advise against installing copper, cast iron, and galvanized steel pipes because of their vulnerability to rust because of exposure to certain conditions or environments. Before discussing ways to prevent corrosion, let’s begin with why pipes corrode in the first place.
Causes of Plumbing Pipes Corrosion
pH Values
Copper pipes are sensitive to low pH values, making the water or drain lines deteriorate and fail, while higher values change the color of the water. pH measures the acidity levels in the water. From the illustration below, 7 denotes a neutral pH, values from 0-6 are acidic, and 8-14 base.
Low pH can make the plumbing pipes, more so, galvanized steel and copper corrode because of the acidity levels in the water. The acid oxidizes the copper ions leading to rust that discolors the water in your Port Richey home. Once you notice the water you want to use is not crystal clear, reach out to a plumber to help find the root cause and fix the issue as soon as possible.
High pH is also a problem for plumbing pipes because it causes pitting corrosion in copper water and drain lines. Hard water with a pH value of 7.8 makes cold water lines rust, have pinhole leaks, and break.
Alkaline water with a pH of above 8.0 might not lead to cracks in the copper pipes, but the water you draw from your faucets might have traces of blue. A qualified and well-trained plumbing professional will never recommend copper water lines for people using hard water to avoid the risk of pinholes throughout the copper piping system.
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS)
Another cause of rust in corrosion vulnerable plumbing water lines is TDS. They are the number of metals, minerals, salts, and organic materials in water, affecting the purity of water. The total dissolved solids in Port Richey homes can occur due to pesticides and fertilizers, air with nitrogen, sulfur, calcium bicarbonate, and lead.
Many dissolved solids like metals and salts in water are indicators of hard water and harmful chemicals that can build up in plumbing pipes, causing corrosion and affecting their efficient performance. A plumbing company might charge more for system maintenance because of the high levels of the total dissolved solids before sending an experienced plumber to do the work.
Oxygenated Water
When water flowing to your home is oxygenated, corrosion is inevitable in galvanized and copper water and drain lines. The oxygenated water has nitrogen and oxygen, hence the risk of oxidation that corrodes metal plumbing pipes, especially cast iron.
The oxygen in the water facilitates rusting of the pipes, leading to thinning and weakening of the water lines, accumulation of the rusting particles, and pinholes that crack. Cracks in plumbing pipes can lead to adverse plumbing problems that require the urgent services of a nearby plumber to prevent water damage.
Chemicals for Drain Cleaning
Acidic chemicals to clean the drains to remove forming clogs is a risk to your galvanized and copper drain pipes. The harsh acidic drain cleaners can clear the blockage in the pipes but promote rusting of the plumbing pipes, leaving you with pinholes and breakages that are costly for a plumbing expert to replace with non-corrosive drain lines.
How to Prevent Corrosion in Plumbing Pipes
Get Non-Corrosive Pipes
The first measure that effectively prevents rusting of pipes is getting a plumber to install non-corrosive water and drain lines, including PVC and PEX. WHO recommends several piping systems in Port Richey, FL homes, including Chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC) and Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) that are non-toxic, lightweight, and resistant to corrosion, and have a high tolerance to acids.
Use Water Filtration Systems
Since copper and galvanized steel pipes are sensitive to total dissolved solids and minerals found in hard water, a plumbing professional has to install water filters to prevent the piping system from rusting. Water softeners remove the hard water minerals that cause corrosion.
The reverse osmosis method is the best for filtering a large amount of the total dissolved solids in water flowing in your plumbing and drain pipes, reducing the risk of rust that leads to severe plumbing problems. Other effective filters that a plumber can recommend are distillation and deionization to protect your copper plumbing pipes from damage due to rust.
Accurate Water Analysis
Homeowners in Port Richey with wells need water analysis for gauging if the water is aggressive or corrosive. The plumbing expert measures the pH values, water hardness, iron, chlorides, sulfate, alkalinity, and total dissolved solids in the water.
A plumber should also get the temperature, manganese, copper, and nitrate levels. The water analysis is vital in providing accurate information and selecting the best plumbing pipes for installation.
Homeowners with private wells use the results from the water analysis to get water lines that are resistant to corrosion and can tolerate different pH values.
Electrical Connectivity
To prevent improper electrical grounding, a plumbing contractor with electrical knowledge and skills must check the electrical grounding connection to the water pipes to ensure continuity throughout the piping system. Proper connection prevents electrodes that can cause corrosion and other electrical hazards.
Call Us for Professional Services!
If the pipes installed by a plumber in your home are not resistant to rust, including copper, cast-iron, or galvanized steel, you should call Holistic Homes, LLC in Port Richey, FL, to inspect your pipes for corrosion.
We are the best plumbing company with qualified plumbers offering competent and holistic plumbing services. Our plumbing service providers will replace the rusting water and drain water lines with PVC pipes to serve your water supply needs for decades.
Photo By teh_z1b at Shutterstock