Copper piping is the lifeline for medical gas distribution

For centuries, copper has been viewed as one of the most versatile metals known to mankind, and today, copper is the benchmark for plumbing applications because of its reliability. We all expect that when we open our faucet, water will be there, so we take this reliability for granted.  But what if a life is hanging in the balance.  Copper medical gas systems deliver gases necessary for successful patient treatment in all healthcare settings.  Having a reliable metal, and thus a reliable system for hospital applications is paramount.

Some common gases used regularly in hospitals are medical oxygen, nitrous oxide and compressed air. Usually these gases are used on patients who are having difficult breathing or who need anesthetic during surgery

“Medical grade oxygen is of extreme importance for patients who are hypoxic (low blood level of oxygen) to the point of being a basic life support measure,” said Gerald Schlette, MS, RRT and former Director of Respiratory Care Services & Hyperbaric Departments at Montefiore Medical Center in New York.

Proper delivery of nitrous oxide and oxygen to patients who rely on these gases as part of their treatment can mean life or death.  The medical gas delivery system that supports the work of the doctor needs to be clean, efficient and reliable.

For such an essential system, copper is the obvious choice. According to Dale Powell, Project Manager & Piping Applications Specialist at the Copper Development Association (CDA), “brazed copper systems form strong, leak-tight systems that ensure gases are delivered to equipment and patients at the high pressures required and as pure as when they entered the system.” This is the kind of reliability and endurance that is essential to medical infrastructure. Even in fire conditions, brazed copper joints will hold up and provide the service that is required of them. “Copper is also impermeable,” says Powell, “so as unlikely as it may seem, it will not allow substances from outside the system contaminate the gas stream, such as in the cases of spills of cleaning chemicals or other substances.”

It should also be known that copper piping does not support the growth of microbial bacteria, according to various studies. This is important because medical gas needs to be kept as sterile as possible on the way to the patient. Copper prevents the buildup of microbial growth on the interior tube walls, ensuring not only that gas quality is maintained, but also that excessive buildup in the system over time doesn’t restrict the gas flow – Both important considerations allowing the hospital to rely on the system for the lifetime of the facility.

For these reasons, medical practitioners have come to rely on copper for their facilities’, especially hospitals’, medical gas distribution systems.  As Schlette explains, the proper and reliable delivery of medical oxygen “is basic but very real, just multiply its importance by 100 percent when talking about life support: In comes the good air (oxygen enriched) and out goes the bad air (CO2 enriched)… Many times it is up to our medical professionals to achieve this goal, (which is) not as easy as it seems!”

Copper became the preferred material for medical gas applications because it is long lasting, corrosion resistant, lightweight, durable and virtually no maintenance is required.

This is why medical professionals choose to rely on copper for this basic but essential medical treatment.

“Solderless” copper systems offer longevity, quick and easy installations

In today’s economy educational districts and facilities are facing tough choices in providing programs and facilities that offer better educational opportunities at lower costs. When it comes to facilities construction and maintenance, that decision doesn’t have to come at the sacrifice of quality. Lower overall construction materials costs and new technologies can deliver reliable, long lasting facilities to serve them long into the future. 

Do your remember standing on your tiptoes for a drink from that water fountain in the hallway? Copper has long been the preferred piping material chosen to deliver safe, potable water for that and many other uses within a school building. For new construction or repairs, copper is still the benchmark for plumbing and heating systems due to its reliability, long life, and overall value. With today’s new joining methods, copper can continue to offer school districts a lifetime of safety and value while cutting down on installation, labor and future repair costs.

Alternative “solderless” joining systems rely on push-connect or press-connect mechanical fittings, or similar fittings that utilize a structural adhesive joining system, all of which are suitable for most plumbing applications and are capable of withstanding the pressure and temperature ranges common to both residential and commercial building systems. Another advantage of solderless joining systems is the ability for “wet-repairs,” which can be done immediately, without draining the system.

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An outdoor copper shower can make a great addition for the summer months

As the weather gets warmer, it’s time to start prepping your house for the pool parties and BBQs that accompany the welcomed summer months. While you may think you have every backyard addition that makes your home the ultimate summer destination, there is one renovation that is quick, easy, inexpensive and will separate your house from the others on the block — an outdoor shower.

Whether you get your hands dirty from gardening, want to rinse off the chlorine from floating in the pool all day, or need to spray down the dog after a day of rolling around in the grass, an outdoor shower is practical and can make a unique home addition.

While it may seem like a complicated project, if you have the time and are handy around the house, follow these quick and simple steps to install a copper shower on your next free Saturday afternoon:

Step 1: Get the proper tools and material for the project.

Copper tubing is a good choice for an outdoor shower. It’s a durable option that is easy to work with, with an incomparable look and style. When using copper, you’ll need tubing cutters and a propane or other handheld torch, flux and solder for soldering the joints for the shower.

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Copper was the choice for engine repair shop after plastic systems fail

Since 1996, S&G Motor Repair has seen plastic come and go in their shop. Paul Yancey, the owner of the certified rebuild shop in Blackfoot, Idaho, installed PVC plastic pipe, Schedule 80, for his compressed air service – a system that operates all of their major equipment in the plant.

Unfortunately, the plastic system failed after just four years in service, and it was replaced with another plastic pipe system. Five years later, the PVC system failed again. Following this second failed attempt with plastic, Yancey decided it was time to move on to copper.

Copper tubing offers several benefits for mechanical systems including: corrosion resistance, durability, versatility, and workability when installing.

For Yancey, the longevity and workability were what convinced him to switch to copper. He wanted a system that his maintenance crew could install themselves, inexpensively in their downtime at the shop.

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While school is out for most teachers and students, every summer, project managers for the Copper Development Association head back to the classroom to teach the newest copper-related applications to instructors of the United Association of Journeyman and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry of the United States and Canada (UA).

The Instructor Training Program (ITP) draws close to 2,000 of the top craftsmen in their field and is held annually in conjunction with the International Apprenticeship Competition, a contest in which apprentices from all over the United States and Canada vie for first place in the five different disciplines — HVAC, pipe fitting, plumbing, sprinkler fitting and welding.

To actively support trade-related continuing education initiatives and a little healthy competition between colleagues, with member companies donating copper tubes and fittings and project managers judging copper–related sections of competitions, CDA sponsors many teaching and skills programs year-round including:

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Plumbing has seen significant changes in methods, codes and materials since it moved indoors in the 1920s. Despite this, copper tube continues to be the most common piping material found in both residential and commercial plumbing, and the standard against which all other types of piping are judged.

Pipe connections, in particular, continue to evolve. In today’s green building environment, these innovations – some old, some new – will increasingly compete with the familiar, time-honored trade practice of heat-soldering copper tube connections (for more on copper fabrication and installation, visit www.copper.org). New solderless or “cold” joining products are the latest improvement in this area

Although soldering is easy to do, it requires a gas-fired torch, and it’s not as quick – or as environmentally acceptable – as today’s newest cold joining methods. With these fittings, no heat, solder or chemical flux are required to produce dependable, watertight joints.

The two principal types of solderless fittings for copper tube are press-connect and push-connect. Depending on the type, these connections are permanent or may be disassembled for refitting or adjustment. The press-connect method is generally permanent and requires a special tool to bond the fitting to the pipe. Push-on fittings simply require an installer to manually push or twist the fitting onto the tube. Both types employ gaskets to create a watertight seal.

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New Building Codes to Require Fire Sprinkler Systems in Homes

All newly constructed one- and two-family homes will soon have to include automatic fire sprinkler systems, according to a recent ruling by the International Code Council, which develops model building codes and standards in the U.S.

The “burning” question for builders and buyers of those homes, beginning in January 2011, is whether they would rFire Safetyather be protected by plastic, steel or copper—the three principal piping materials used in today’s sprinkler systems. All are approved for use in both commercial and residential structures.

Threaded steel pipe was for many years preferred for sprinkler systems in commercial facilities. Steel pipe is inexpensive and easy to install in open, accessible areas, and where its bulky, rough-looking appearance is not objectionable to occupants.

But appearance matters to homeowners, and rigid steel pipe is hard to work with in confined spaces and especially difficult to accommodate in design-conscious residential interiors. Another drawback is that in “wet” (water-filled) fire sprinkler systems, rusted or discolored discharge water from steel pipe can multiply the damage caused by fire.

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