copper to galvanized piping
I have been advised by a licensed plumber that improperly joining of old galvanized waterlines with new copper waterlines will cause interior wall corrosion of the copper lines resulting in pinhole leaks due to electrolyis/galvanic corrosion. Is this a possibility. What does the GA plumbing code require in this instance? I am in the Decatur, GA area.
Our plumbing contractor routinely connects galvanized to copper without dielectrics or brass nipples. Usually this involves 2″ and 1-1/2″ mains in basements or joining new copper mains to galvanized risers. There often is not enough space for a nipple, and since the steel is going bad fast anyway, we know we’re just delaying the inevitable.
Once that steel-to-copper connection goes bad in the basement, we know they’re going to have to open up the first floor wall and see if there’s a decent piece of steel to connect to in there. If not, copper or pex will be installed as far up as necessary.
But typically a galvanized-to-galvanized connection higher up will go bad on its own before the newer galvanized-to-copper connection. I suppose that might vary depending on water chemistry.
