When it comes to choosing an appropriate piping for your home or workplace, some of the options that you will be faced with include steel, plastic and even copper. For many years now, copper tubing has been the most preferred option for a number of reasons. Whilst there are a number of advantages associated with this choice, it is important to remember that it also comes with a few disadvantages that you would be foolish to ignore. This way, you can ensure that you are making the right decision.

Advantages
Fortunately, there are a large number of advantages associated with choosing copper tubing, some of them include:
€ It is extremely easy to install, as copper is a relatively soft metal by nature that bends almost effortlessly. This means that the tubing can be installed using less fasteners and connectors, which will make the process a lot faster and cheaper.
€ It is actually better for our health and water supply than other materials are, especially plastic, as they can encourage bacteria growth. Copper is actually a bacteriostatic material, which means that bacteria will not be able to grow in the tubing.
€ It is extremely durable and resistant to corrosion (unlike steel, which is prone to rusting). Copper is also highly resistant to ultraviolet rays, which are known to negatively affect plastic tubing. These sorts of traits make it the perfect materials for use outside.
€ It is extremely resistant to temperature changes, so if a fire ever occurs in your home or workplace you can rest assured that it will not release any toxic gases (plastic tubing is known to release toxins when exposed to fire, as it is able to burn).

Disadvantages
Before you get too excited, there are also a number of disadvantages associated with using copper tubing that you should be aware of, including:
€ It is one of the most expensive materials on the market, especially in comparison to plastic. Even though you will require less hardware to install the tubing, the overall cost of the copper is often enough to far outweigh any of these savings.
€ It is really only suitable for water that has a pH that falls between 6.5 and 8.5, which is generally found in your local water supply. Water that is sourced from a well, however, may be too acidic for the pipe, which can cause all sorts of problems.

Whilst it is true that there are a couple of disadvantages associated with the use of copper tubing in your home or workplace, there are far more advantages, as you can see from the list above. If the disadvantages are something that you are able to deal with, then there is no reason why you shouldn't begin using this type of tubing as soon as possible. Whilst copper is often in high demand, it is important to keep in mind that it is completely recyclable, so there is no reason why we should run out any time soon.