HOW DO YOU PREVENT CORROSION OF COPPER PIPING
Some people use their wellpoint or borehole water in their homes. However, corrosion of copper piping can be a major issue. Consequently, this is a pertinent issue if you are using borehole or well-point water in your home. To clarify, it can have costly and widespread implications. As a result, it’s not something that should be ignored.
As such, you may be wondering if water treatment systems actually work to prevent the corrosion of copper piping?
The answer is yes! Water treatment systems offer specific and efficient solutions for copper pipe corrosion. Some of the causes of corrosion of copper piping include the pH level of the water, high levels of dissolved oxygen, high levels of salt, high velocity of the water, and the sand and sediment content in the water.
Copper piping water has often been the number one choice for homeowners. This is because it has strong corrosion resistance. Additionally, it can also last for many years. Consequently, it seems to be an easy, clear-cut choice. Or is it?
Copper piping is generally a safe choice with council water. However, it’s another story entirely when it comes to well-points and borehole water. To clarify, corrosion of copper piping is typically associated with water from a borehole or well-point.
Therefore, to avoid this you must first test your water and treat it accordingly.
Let’s take a closer look now at what copper pipe corrosion is.
WHAT IS COPPER PIPE CORROSION?
Wikipedia defines corrosion as “the gradual destruction of materials (usually a metal) by chemical and/or electrochemical reaction with their environment”. As a result, copper pipes that convey water can become susceptible to erosion. Copper is corrosion resistant. However, it is not corrosion-proof. What this means is that when it is exposed to specific chemicals found in water, in particular, those found in borehole or well-point water, then corrosion can occur over time.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MAIN CAUSES OF COPPER PIPE CORROSION?
- pH levels of the water
- Raised levels of dissolved oxygen
- High levels of salts dissolved in the water
- The raised velocity of the water
- Sand and sediment in the water
Let’s take a closer look now at each of these causes:
- PH LEVELS OF THE WATER
To understand this let’s first look at what pH actually means. pH is a way to measure the electrically charged particles in a substance. As a result, it shows whether the water is acidic, neutral, or alkaline. This is based on a reading from a pH scale that ranges from 0 – 14. A reading between 0 – 6 indicates that it’s acidic. In particular, the most acidic substances show a pH of 0. Conversely, a reading between 8 – 14 indicates alkalinity. A pH reading of 7 indicates pure water because 7 is neutral. As a result, it’s neither acidic nor alkaline.
As a result, a high acidic pH level increases corrosion by providing hydrogen ions to the corrosion process.
Therefore, water with a pH between 7.0 and 8.2 is usually not corrosive. By contrast, water with a pH of 6.5 and below is corrosive.
2. HIGH LEVELS OF DISSOLVED OXYGEN
Dissolved oxygen refers to the amount of oxygen found in water. Numerous metals are coated with a protective hydrogen film. However, this can be destroyed by dissolved oxygen. As a result, when oxygen comes into contact with the copper it oxides it. As a result, this causes the pipes to rust.
3. HIGH LEVELS OF SALTS DISSOLVED IN THE WATER
Copper is very susceptible to corrosion from high levels of salt. High salt levels cause the water to become an electrolyte. To clarify, this means that the water becomes electrically conductive. As a result, it conducts ions which accelerates the rusting process.
4. HIGH VELOCITY OF THE WATER
This can cause corrosion as the abrasive particles in the water scour against and erode the protective film on the inside surface of the pipes. As a result, this can lead to pinholes and corrosion.
5. SAND AND SEDIMENT IN THE WATER
Underground water can often contain sand and sediment. As a result, this can scrub abrasively against your copper piping. This is particularly problematic if your water has a high velocity. As a result, wear and tear occur, and ultimately holes develop in your copper piping.
WHAT TYPE OF CORROSION CAN OCCUR?
The main type of erosion that occurs in copper pipes is pitting corrosion. Here’s how it works. When the copper pipe comes into contact with chemicals like chloride, hypochlorite, or bromide ions it causes a reaction on the copper. As a result, little greenish patches develop. These weaken the copper over time which causes pinhole leaks. These can be difficult to locate and can lead to much damage and water wastage.
Now that we understand copper pipe corrosion a little better let’s explore the various options available to you to deal with it.
The first step is to draw a water sample and have it tested at a laboratory. They will give you a full report on the quality of your water. As a result, your water systems specialist will treat your water according to these results.
The water analysis test will indicate the correct amount for each substance. Additionally, it will also let you know if your water is on par and can be used for drinking water. Most importantly, the Langelier index shows how corrosive the water is.
What is the Langelier Saturation Index?
The Langelier Saturation Index (LSI) is an indicator or scale that measures the amount of calcium carbonate saturation in your water. In particular, it measures the water’s ability to either dissolve or deposit calcium. If the water dissolves the calcium carbonate then scale will not build up in your pipes. However, if it deposits the calcium then scale will build up. Consequently, corrosion develops. So the LSI can show how corrosive your water is. Further info on how it is measured and the formula that is used can be found here.
Now that we’ve taken a look at some of the common causes of copper pipe corrosion let’s investigate some of the options for solving them.
4 WAYS TO DEAL WITH COPPER PIPE CORROSION
1. pH LEVELS
An acidic pH is treated by installing a corrosion-resistant chemical feed pump. This will release sodium hydroxide solution into the water. Additionally, it will also raise the pH level of your water making it alkaline. Ideally, you are looking to have the pH level around 7.0 – 8.2 for your water.
Alternatively, a pressure vessel filled with calcite can also be used to raise the pH level of your water.
2. HIGH LEVELS OF DISSOLVED OXYGEN
Reducing dissolved oxygen levels can be challenging. However, a flexible membrane or floating disc can be added to the pressure tank. This will help reduce the water’s contact with the air.
3. HIGH LEVELS OF SALTS DISSOLVED IN THE WATER
A reverse osmosis system can be used to address high levels of salt in our water.
Reverse osmosis refers to the way in which water is processed and treated so that salts are removed from the water. This is achieved by using pressure that forces the water molecules through a semipermeable membrane. As a result, the salt gets trapped in the semipermeable membrane where it is filtered and flushed out. All that’s left now is clean drinking water.
4. HIGH VELOCITY OF THE WATER
To reduce the flow rate (velocity) of your water use larger diameter pipes. This slows the flow rate of the water down.
The velocity for a pipe with cold water should be around 2.4 meters per second.
5. SAND AND SEDIMENT IN THE WATER
A common problem in underground water is the sand and sediment found in the water. Installing AFM filters is a good option to address this. With an AFM filter, 3 different grades of glass are used in a filter. Consequently, they range from coarse to finer quality glass. As the water is pushed through this glass, the sand and sediment are captured and removed from the water.
Copper pipe corrosion can be a factor for people using underground boreholes and well-point water. However, it’s something that can be addressed and dealt with through the above-mentioned methods.