copper pipe outdoors?

[MiamiCuse]

I have a water valve that is corroded and I hired a plumber to come out to repair it. When he finished the job I noticed he attached a copper pipe section to the original pipe that is galvanized. I thought I have only seen copper pipes used indoor behind walls, and it seems the copper pipes are kind of weak...when I asked him he said it's the same but something makes me uneasy about it.

This is the main 1" pipe that comes into the house. Using the think copper pipe just does not seem right to me. May be it's just me.

MC

[Meat Plow]

They bury copper pipe from my city's lateral hook up to my house. Just had my galvanized replaced that was ready to blow from age.

[hallerb]

copper is far better than galvanized, one day you will need ALL that galavanized pipe replaced. It rusts, corrodes inside causing poor flow, leaks and causes big hassles.

no trouble adding copper as long as he used a direlectric connector. without that the connection will fail fast

[MiamiCuse]

There is no connector, he soldered them together. Is it ok?

[Meat Plow]

I did that last year. This year the valve on the street side of the meter in my basement started leaking and the damn thing was too fragile to mess with. Fortunately it was right over a drain so a few drips per minute didn't bother me until recently when it escalated into a steady stream indicating it was ready to split.

Was at work at the time but this contractor has replaced many in this neighborhood over the past decade.

[dpb]

...

...

Can't solder on galvanized so that probably is the connector attached to the existing galvanized. One would assume a professional plumber knows about galvanic corrosion and wouldn't make the connection w/o the proper fitting, at least as long as it wasn't just some schmuck but an actual, real plumber.

As others noted, the outside use of copper isn't bad for any reason other than if it were for some reason subject to physical damage. Otherwise, think copper as in roofs, etc., ...

[Meat Plow]

I don't think it matters in your case. This was an outdoor spigot?

[Bob F]

With the possible exception of the theft problem.

Bob

[Meat Plow]

Man is that a problem around here.

[hallerb]

yeah people have stolen downspouts and gutters, all sorts of stuff.

One person I know had all their copper removed and replaced with vinyl to avoid someone getting hurt stealing it. They live in a theft prone area:(

[Sacramento Dave]

Copper is far superior to galvanized, But in some soil conditions it,s not the best. Also I hoped he used a dielectric nipple on each side of the copper

[Steve Barker]

Anyone with copper gutters and downspouts deserves to have them stolen. What a waste of money anyway.

[CJT]

For sure. They should have gone straight to gold.

[hallerb]

hey they last literally a lifetime, no need for any maintence at all.

so because they are costly they shouldnt be used?

the house I grew up in as a kid had copper downspouts till recently. they were probably over 50 years old.

I drove by and noticed they have been replaced.

[Jackson]

Probably because the 50 y/o copper was your truck as you "drove by"? ;-)