How Does Salt Water Impact Plumbing?

If you have a fascination for beach life, you might consider settling somewhere close to the coast. However, embracing this type of a lifestyle comes with some drawbacks. You might love the typical smell of salt water, but the presence of salt around your home might be affecting your plumbing system. So, if you find that your plumbing pipes have corroded faster than you had expected, simply reach out to one of the reputed plumbers Sydney. 

Unchecked corrosion in your plumbing system can wreak havoc on the metal pipes. So, you might need re-piping services at regular intervals to prevent a total collapse of the plumbing infrastructure at your home.

Impact of salt on your plumbing system

When you reside in coastal areas, the environment would be salty. Even the vapor would contain traces of salt, which can prove detrimental to your plumbing system. This salt accumulates in the pipes and other plumbing installations for long periods. Eventually, they form salt crystals, or can get dissolved in saltwater.

Now, the salt would reach with the metal pipe linings, which would eventually corrode. This would eventually rob the pipes of their lifeline, which would become weak or frail. At one point, the pipes would fail to hold the water pressure and start leaking. The presence of salt also leads to burst pipes.

How dangerous are corroded pipes?

As a homeowner, you would like to maintain your plumbing pipes and keep them in good condition. In case the salt leads to corrosion, these pipes might eventually burst and lead to flooding in your home. Water damage can be expensive, and you might end up with a structural damage in your home.

Besides, the presence of excessive amounts of minerals in the water would deteriorate its quality. You would find a foul odour or bad taste in the tap water, rendering it useless.

Sometimes, corrosion can lead to pinhole leaks. These leaks are hard to detect, but you would be losing water all the time. Eventually, you would have to shell out higher energy bills. This explains why you need to reach out to a professional plumber in Sydney and address the issue before it inflicts excessive damage.

Warning signs of corroded pipes to check out

In most cases, you would come across plastic or metal in plumbing pipes. The common materials in these pipes include galvanized steel copper, PVC, iron, or CPVC. Saltwater corrosion can damage plumbing installations and pipes made of iron, steel, copper, or any other metal. Based on the type of plumbing pipes, you need to inspect them for signs of corrosion.

• In copper pipes, you would notice peeling or flaking. Besides, the colour of these pipes would turn greenish-blue.
• In case you have iron pipes, you would get discoloured water. 
• Corroded copper pipes might supply reddish water. 
• In case of steel pipes, the colour of the water would be blue-green.
• Due to the oxidizing effect, the water would carry the taste of metal.
• Also, there would be clogs in the pipes due to the accumulation of the corroded particles.
• Reduced water pressure is one of the prominent signs of corrosion.
• You’re experiencing minimal water pressure caused by clogs from corrosion particles.

 So, make sure to reach out to one of the established plumbing companies to address the issue.

Get the corroded pipes repaired by professionals

Experienced plumbers in Sydney can help you replace corroded pipes. Considering the risks of unchecked corrosion, it makes sense to work closely with one of the reputed plumbing companies. Otherwise, salt can jeopardize the entire plumbing system. The experts would do the needful, based on the intensity of the damage. Sometimes, you need to replace only a few sections of the pipes. However, under severe circumstances, you need a complete re-piping.

 In case the corroded particles lead to a blocked drain Sydney, the plumbers would help you out. Moreover, if there is salt water inside the pipes, they would flush your system completely. In case the salt water remains inside the pipes, they would undergo further damage. The experts would recommend viable means to secure your plumbing system from damage by salt water. They might also cover the external pipes and secure your property from flooding. This explains why most households hire reputed plumbing professionals in Sydney to maintain their plumbing systems.