Plumbing and Heating - What is Best?

By Tal Potishman

Industrial professionals, plumbers and most other machinist professionals in the United Kingdom list copper as the metal of choice for most fabrications. Historians can date the use of copper as far back as ten millennia and believe that only gold and iron were used before copper was discovered. The natural colour of Copper is red, though over time its colour can shift into green.

Professionals in the plumbing and heating industries have been using copper for their pipes and for a number of the electrical devices that help operate the heating and plumbing systems the professionals create. While copper has been used commonly for almost a century, copper miners have recently begun raising the price of the metal out of fear that the world's available copper supply will not meet the demand.

Copper tubing is the most reliable transport mechanism for water in the United Kingdom and in recent years it has also been used to house the transport of natural gas. The "quality standard" in the heating and plumbing industry in the UK is copper and there is not one single building code that forbids the metal's use. This metal is durable and strong and can protect the health of humans and larger organisms by hindering the growth of bacteria on its surface.

Copper has proven to be one of the most versatile materials in the domestic plumbing industry. This metal can carry natural gas and water and is non corrosive and resists deterioration. There are many UK based companies that are so sure of copper's strength that they offer fifty year warranties on all materials that make use of the metal.

For heating systems, UK experts agree that radiant heating is one of the best systems that can be installed. Copper pipes have been used in underfloor heating for decades because the metal easily and evenly distributes heat and because copper pipes are unlikely to leak and cause damage to the structural integrity of the house. Underfloor heating is becoming increasingly popular in the UK because it is the most efficient and cost effective method of heating a home.

Copper has also been used in refrigeration units and air conditioners because, as easily as it distributes heat, it also effectively distributes cooler temperatures. Air conditioning manufacturers have started incorporating copper into their units with a resounding positive response. Copper has increased the lifetime of the machines as well as their effectiveness in "beating the heat."

In addition to its heating and cooling properties and its structural integrity, copper is also known for being environmentally friendly. This metal does not go bad and can be recycled indefinitely. It is a natural germ fighter and is often used for doorknobs and surfaces in hospitals. Copper also helps the human body produce haemoglobin and fights against coronary heart disease and high cholesterol levels. - 30517

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