Vexing plumbing problem

[Anonymous]

:I'm concerned that the copper and galvanized pipe are in the same :system. If these two metals are in direct contact, they set up :galvanic corrosion which is supposed to lead to failure of the :galvanized pipe. At least, that's how I recall the situation. They :make special fittings to isolate the two metals, just for this reason. : :I have no idea if that is related to your problem, though.

That copper water service was put in by professional licensed plumbers (a large local company) a little over a year ago. I'm 99+% positive they have the correct coupling of copper to galvanized.

Dan

[Wayne Whitney]

Without an aerator, the flow will be very chaotic if you ever open it up all the way. An aerator can and will limit flow, but that shouldn't be a problem for you.

Any water supply pipes you replace should be copper--it doesn't make sense to install galvanized given its performance, and PEX is not approved here, as previously mentioned. To connect the new copper to your existing galvanized, the best solution is to use a 6" brass nipple (or stainless steel? not sure if stainless is OK) with a female threaded galvanized fitting on one side, and a copper sweat to female threaded adapter on the other end. A "nipple" is just a short section of (threaded) pipe.

Cheers, Wayne

[Anonymous]

:On 2008-04-21, Dan Musicant ( [e-mail]) wrote: : :> I don't think I even keep the aerator on there. Is there a good :> reason to do so? I thought it was more or less a flow restriction :> device (which I don't need since I self-regulate that!), or a means :> of filtering (post stem!), and since I don't cook with or drink hot :> water I figure why bother? : :Without an aerator, the flow will be very chaotic if you ever open it :up all the way. An aerator can and will limit flow, but that :shouldn't be a problem for you.

I thought I might not be using an aerator, but it turned out I am. When I removed it actually, the full flow didn't seem chaotic at all. I'd already put a full flow through the pipe with the aerator on, and maybe because of that there was quite a bit of a variety of sized particles on the screen. So far, there's no dripping, so I'm hopeful that flushing like this resolves the problem for the time being. If I do decide to replace the galvanized, I'll do copper and as you describe with the brass fitting.

Thanks...

Dan : :> So, if I do decide to replace the old galvanized I'm restricted to more :> galvanized or copper? : :Any water supply pipes you replace should be copper--it doesn't make :sense to install galvanized given its performance, and PEX is not :approved here, as previously mentioned. To connect the new copper to :your existing galvanized, the best solution is to use a 6" brass :nipple (or stainless steel? not sure if stainless is OK) with a female :threaded galvanized fitting on one side, and a copper sweat to female :threaded adapter on the other end. A "nipple" is just a short section :of (threaded) pipe. : :Cheers, Wayne