Andrew Barss wrote:
chaniarts wrote:
Andrew Barss wrote:
I had a flood, due to a leaking pipe in my attic crawlspace (brick
house, built 1943, Tucson AZ, pipe likely put in during 1970 kitchen
remodel).

The leak was apparently due to corrosion the plumber attributed to
a mixture someplace in the system of galvanized steel (what leaked)
and copper. I'm trying to decide whether to repipe the whole house,
which is going to be expensive and a pain, or not. My gut tells me
to do it, but thought I'd ask anyone who knows more about plumbing
than I do, especially in this sort of house, for advice on how to
proceed.

Thanks,

Andy Barss

you'd only get the corrosion where the two metals touch.

That's what I thought as well, but the plumber showed me a length of
galvanized steel cut out of the middle of a longer length in the
attic, with the hole in it. And pointed out some elbows in an
exposed wall (exposed as part of the renovation we have in
progress) that he said were showing signs of the corrosion, and
they're minimally several feet away from any copper.

So, is this possibly the result of something else?


-- Andy Barss

yes. acidic water would cause corrosion, and you would expect this to occur
anywhere in any of the pipes. a good plumber would know that, and a good
plumber would know that you can only get a galvanic reaction where
dissimilar metals touch.