After thirty years of usage, the plumbing in my house is starting to fail progressively. The water pipes in my house is made of copper, one of which is suffering from pitting, which results in a pin-hole leakage. I tried to repair with plumber's putty, but that did not work as the water cannot be drained out completely even when the mains is shut. I have also tried taping and clamping, but it wouldn't work either.
As a portion of the pipes running through my house is buried underground, there could be leakage undetected elsewhere. My intention is to replace the entire network of water pipes with one that is exposed and easier to inspect and maintain. I am given two options, copper or stainless steel. The stainless steel option is currently 20% cheaper, but I am not sure whether this is the better option in the long run.
Is stainless steel piping more durable than copper?
Best Answer
In general, yes, stainless steel is more corrosion resistant than copper. It forms a tightly bonded oxide coating which tends to prevent further corrosion.
If replumbing a house where copper pipes corroded (this is more prone to happen in some areas than others due to water chemistry differences) my first instinct at this point would be to use PEX plastic tubing, but for metallic piping I would choose stainless steel over copper even if the price was the same.
If on a water supply that is treated with chlorine, or which has salts, there is a slight possibility of a stainless-steel specific problem (chloride corrosion). Certain grades of stainless (316, 316L) are more resistant to this form of corrosion than other grades of stainless, so precisely which stainless piping you are being offered will matter.
Still, I'd choose PEX by preference - should cost less, and it's not going to corrode.