Civil Engineering "MORE: an intelligent knowledge acquisition tool." Contemporary pH meters and litmus paper are in fact similarly accurate. When putting pex in concrete do you need to pressurize the system before you pour the concrete? significance of changes in pH level, for instance, differ slightly At below left the contributors illustrate perforation corrosion of a brass PEX Tee fitting. We discuss this concern at LEAD LEACHING WARNINGS. Environmental Science and NW Civil Engineering, April 2, 2009 "Trace Metal Contamination From Brass Fittings." When the water supply is maintained within this neutral pH range brass fittings and other brass components in water supply systems (such as control or stop valve stems & gate valve components) will still experience corrosion, but at a slower rate. When different water and the same alloy are considered, lead leaching was Symptoms include visible corrosion, water leakage, & possibly obstructed water supply piping resulting in reduced water flow at fixtures. leaching, but the inhibitive effect of silicate diminished after 100 days of Desai, Rahul A., and Dean G. Assimos. This leak was due to a damaged UPONOR (Wirsbo) PEX tubing seal that inserts into the fitting end that connects to the shower control. Products Liability Litigation, United States Court of Appeals Below you can observe the considerable deposit of minerals / corrosion material built-up inside the body of this brass PEX Tee fitting. At above left we observe multiple perforation & corrosion deterioration of this brass PEX pipe tee and yellow / green stains that suggest that the corrosion has advanced to the point of active water leakage (yellow arrow). My 10 year old (+or -) gas furnace has a condensate pump. some lead leaching cases were related with dezincification in practice. I do see that the pex tubing is capped and supported above the slab to keep it accessible and clean at its connection points. Water Research 18, no. (Nov 8, 2014) Anonymous said:After the Zurn, Uponor and other class action lawsuits related to dezincification problems with brass fittings, did they take measures to correct the problem and if so how can I be certain I am not purchasing a defective brass fitting? But the research in this field relating dezincification to water chemistry is both diagnostic and prescriptive. 11-MD-2247 ADM/JJK ASTM B 828-02 "Standard Practice for Making Joints by Soldering of Copper to Copper Alloy Tube and Fitting.". 8 Daniel L. Gallagher The readers made clear that the dezincification / brass PEX fitting corrosion and leak problems they are observing in Midwestern U.S. states do not appear to be confined to a single manufacturer or brand. Journal of Failure Analysis and Prevention 4, no. concent on the dezincification behaviour of leaded brass in neutral and acidified 3.5% "Dezincification and brass lead leaching in premise plumbing systems: effects of alloy, physical conditions and water chemistry." Magnetic resonance in medicine 44, no. 26 October 2018 NIBCO PEX Class Action Lawsuit [PDF] opened, petaining to owners or occupants of NIBCO PEX plumbed buildings betweeen 1 January 2005 and the date of the class action suit; (A closure date is not yet evident - Ed.). This tapered red PEX fitting seal ring is provided by PlumbMaster. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/ available/etd-04162009-113815/unrestricted/ FINALWheltonDissertationMay09.pdf#page=158, [25] Website: GreenBuildingAdvisor.com, "PEX vs Copper", retrieved 2/18/2013, original source: http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/ community/forum/green-products-and-materials/ 16256/pex-vs-copper [copy on file as PEX vs Copper _ GreenBuildingAdvisor.pdf], [26] Website: GreenBuildingAdvisor.com," How Safe is PEX tubing? if interested in continuing this discussion. InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. EN 15664-1:2008, Influence of metallic materials on water intended for human consumption. 3 (2001): 83-90. Marine chemistry 44, no. [2] Focused on the last 1200 hours as indicative of a longer-term trend the table order is revised as shown in this column. The following is excerpted from Zhang (2009): Lead and zinc leaching from a range of brasses were negatively correlated. It's worrisome to hear that even in 2015 dezincification of brass fittings used with PEX piping is a continuing issue. Polybutylene Plumbing Failures: Spencer Class settlement. There is no one manufacturer whose fittings we see issues with. Pex dezincification research citations. Critical care medicine 22, no. more accurate pH meter. found to increase with higher zinc leaching. At above right we can observe water dripping from this still more severely-corroded brass PEX pipe tee (yellow arrow). if interested in continuing this discussion. percentage of lead in the alloy to water. "A 23,000-year record of surface water pH and pCO2 in the Western Equatorial Pacific Ocean." traditionally been considered sufficiently corrosion-resistant to be used in all Danish Brian J. Our water is supplied from Lake Erie and you may be well aware of the water issues we have experienced since about 2008 with green algae blooms and the efforts to treat the drinking water. area and other areas with similar water quality, it is now recommended to use fittings Russell, Larry L. "Dezincification of brass fittingseffects of metal solvency control measures." In Metals and Related Substances in Drinking Water: Proceedings of the 4th International Conference, Meteau, p. 216. We are experiencing quite a lot of PEX brass fitting dezincification in In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of This article series discusses the properties of Pex Tubing or Piping, Cross-Linked Polyethylene (PEX). water types, and previous experience has been good. Brassis a generic term used to describe a family of alloys made principally from copper and zinc where zinc is alloyed with copper in percentages ranging from 15% to 40%. [16] Bonnie Ransom Stern & Gustavo Lagos, "Are There Health Risks from the Migration of Chemical Substances from Plastic Pipes into Drinking Water? We address pex tubing & fitting failures and leaks reported for some U.S. states: field photographs & reports of brass connector leaks, corrosion, blockages possibly ascribed to dezincification of brass connectors used with PEX plumbing systems. expectancy in the hard, high conductivity water types found in Denmark. F. Fontenay, A. Andersen, S. Klingaard, failure of new brass components in Dezincification(shown below) refers to the loss of zinc from a brass plumbing fitting by dissolution, ultimately leading to leaks or broken fittings. 1516 Middlebury Street DZR or dezincification resistant fittings should be used to avoid future leaks and supply piping clogs due to dezincification, and are likely to be specified as the repair where water chemistry has already lead to brass fitting leaks or clogs. The red arrow points to blackened corrosion at the fitting's insert into the connector to the shower control. [21] Jia Tang, Daniel L. Gallagher, and Andrea M. Dietrich. P.O. We discuss the uses of PEX tubing for water supply & in heating applications and we describe several different types of PEX tubing connector systems used including PEX crimp fittings, PEX compression fittings, PEX expander fittings, PEX Press-Fit connectors, and PEX Shark-Bite fittings and connectors. found water damage due to corrosion even where DZR brass was used. depending on whether pH is measured by litmus paper or the Microcircuitry and plastic have contributed to rugged pH meters and electrodes that witstand - Thoms (1996). Z 22 (1909): 352-356. However simple pH testing by litmus paper or by instrument is widely used by water test services as well as those building inspectors who perform basic investigation services. In The Use of Synthetic Environments for Corrosion Testing. - Kahn (1985), while Thomas (discussing measurement of soil acidity) points out that, As recently as two decades ago, the use of the small, handheld portable pH meters then available Blacksburg, Virginia. In the E.U., a 2013 EC directive restricts the allowable level of lead in drinking water to 15 mcg/L (micrograms per litre). The problems occur where the water supply has high conductivity - or as their paper cites, high alkalinity. Some examples are below. I'll copy this conversation over to that page to invite comment from others who have seen this problem. In the U.K. and the rest of the E.C., see. In Dan, I have a few additional photos of PEX fittings showing an interesting perspective. This result may help explain why A major But Neutral pH water is water with a pH in the range of 7.6 to 8.2. 6 (March 2009): 1890-1895, Zhang, Yaofu. Note: appearance of your Comment below may be delayed: if your comment contains an image, web link, or text that looks to the software as if it might be a web link, your posting will appear after it has been approved by a moderator. In The Annual Congress of the European Federation of Corrosion Eurocorr. electrodes and meters were subject to sudden failures but this has changed rather abruptly in the last few years. Even before building occupants observe the effects of corroded leaky PEX brass pipe fittings they may report a symptom of reduced water flow rate and they may notice that effect first at the hot water side of plumbing fixtures. ], Original source: Zhang, Yaofu. (The shower control is new, the original one having been replaced). This effect leads to clogging: reduced water flow through the system, and is referred to throughout contemporary brass fitting failure literature as "meringue dezincification". Overall, That's because low pH allows both copper and zinc to dissolve together. (1993). (1981). Water Science & Technology: Water Supply 1, no. Surface and Bulk Properties of HDPE and PEX Potable Water Pipe", in Advancing Potable Water Infrastructure through an Improved Understanding of Polymer The process of dezincification of brass water piping system components includes at least the following contributors. Design and operation. 11 (November 1988): 47-56, Zhang, Y., A. Griffin, M. Rahman, A. Levine, Robert L., Robert E. Fromm Jr, Mojtaba Mojtahedzadeh, Ali A. Baghaie, and Antone R. Opekun Jr. "Equivalence of litmus paper and intragastric pH probes for intragastric pH monitoring in the intensive care unit." The immediate fix is replacing the fitting with a plastic one, but who knows what this has done to my cast iron drain pipe! Marc A. Edwards "Dezincification and brass lead leaching in premise plumbing systems: effects of alloy, physical conditions and water chemistry." From minor almost nonexistent corrosion on the brass fitting exterior to active leakage from fitting failure due to leaching out of the zinc. Quoting: In Danish drinking water installations, brass has been the most commonly used doi: 10.1061/(ASCE)EE.1943-7870.0000147. M. Ebner, Kupfer-Zink-Legierungen, Korrosionsphnomene und Mglichheiten Website: https://www.plumbmaster.com/wolverinebrass/ Tel: 1-800-523-5130, SharkBite Plumbing Solutions, SharkBite USA - Zhang, Yaofu. Korrosion i VVS Installationer, Statens Byggeforskningsinstitut, 2009. Adding 200 ppb of zinc slightly increased the lead concentrations in Dezincification also weakens the remaining fitting, increasing the risk that the fitting or other brass parts such as the stem of a water control valve might break. I think condensate neutralizers should be required by code (if they're not) and installed as a matter of course. Walpole, George Stanley. Above left: perforation corrosion visible on two brass Tee-connectors installed on PEX water supply piping observed in a midwestern U.S. home constructed in 2009 (orange arrows). Corrosion 48, no. inspectapedia.com/plumbing/PEX_Brass_Fitting_Leaks_De_Zincification.php. Higher chloride and lower alkalinity increase lead leaching. [4] Interestingly the author found that either a focus on the last test period (when corrosion was most advanced and presumably the rate of corrosion was accelerating) or on the total weight loss of the metal components (how much material has been lost) gave the same ranking after loose scale material was removed to leave just the brass intact. Phillips, R. John. experiment. Watch out: What about pH variations over time? We might blame some of this on the recent algal bloom issues we have been dealing with in the Lake Erie western basin. Journal of Endourology 22, no. In Gleick, Peter H. "The development and testing of a water balance model for climate impact assessment: modeling the Sacramento basin." metals from kitchen faucets." Kahn points out that, The Hindin, Barry, and Arun K. Agrawal. Sorensen, S. P. L. "Ergnzung zu der Abhandlung: Enzymstudien II: ber die Messung und die Bedeutung der Wasserstoffionenkonzentration bei enzymatischen Prozessen." 9 (2007): 1428-1437. [Photographs of de-zincification in PEX piping connectors & fittings are reprinted herein with permission of contributors who requested anonymity, 12 Sept 2014 - Ed.]. Paige, J. I., and B. S. Covino. Readers - as recommendations in other countries may vary) that plumbers should use only dezincification-immune (gunmetal) or dezincification-resistant (marked DR in the U.K.) brasses on water supply systems that initiate or propagate dezincification corrosion. "Stress-corrosion cracking." DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY We also include a field report of leaks at PEX connectors due to damaged PEX connector seal inserts in fittings used to connect the tubing to other metal plumbing fittings such as a shower control. Above & below are identification photographs of a NIBCO brass PEX elbow removed from a domestic water heater piping installation. While I can't cite an authoritative reference, certainly I've never seen a system pressurized before installation. Or use the SEARCH BOX found below to Ask a Question or Search InspectApedia. "Comparison of two methods of measuring gastric pH." Samuels, E. R., and J. C. Meranger. Pipe Oxidation, PolymerContaminant Interactions, and Consumer Perception of Taste, Andrew James Whelton Asbjrn Andersen, Frank Fontenay, Lisbeth Rischel Hilbert, "Corrosion of brass in drinking water with high alkalinity", FORCE Technology, Denmark, Paper no. The environmental geochemistry of mineral deposits. Journal AWWA 80, no. the water. Nibco and Qitec are the top two that seem to be used in our market. Water with a low pH means that the water is "acidic" to use a term familiar to many people. Journal of Environmental Engineering 137:7, 559-568 "Dezincification and brass lead leaching in premise plumbing systems: effects of alloy, physical conditions and water chemistry." Thank you. 5 (1911): 207. contamination of potable water due to nitrification." Try the search box just below, or if you prefer, post a question or comment in the Comments box below and we will respond promptly. NOTE: because Wikipedia entries are fluid and can be amended in real time, we cite the retrieval date of Wikipedia citations and we do not assert that the information found there is necessarily authoritative. "REVISION RECORD FOR THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENT August 18, 2010 2007 Title 24, Part 5, California Plumbing Code." Palmer, M. R., and Paul Nicholas Pearson. (DZR) brass of the type CuZn36Pb2As being the dominating alloy. hard, high conductivity ground water has increased the focus on corrosion of copper "Corrosive effects of condensate." Ward, K. M., and R. S. Balaban. Watch out: since gunmetal fittings may contain lead there could still be a lead leach-out and water contamination concern. Dissertation submitted to the Faculty of the A Review", Human and Ecological Risk Assessment: An International Journal Part A (1999): 249-264. In IJCAI, pp. Dickson, Andrew G. "The measurement of sea water pH." 5 (1949): 631-631. For investigators of dezincification who are including water testing in their inspection procedure, we suggest that In addition to testing for the chlorine level, investigators should test the water pH. See LEAD IN DRINKING WATER, HOW to REDUCE. The significance of Zhang's observation is that we might find PEX brass fittings or other brass piping or fittings failing and leaking "prematurely" on water supplies that are of low pH regardless of the chlorine level, or exacerbated if the water supply is low in pH and chlorine is being added at high levels. We do not see Kitec issues as there has been very limited usage in the region. When you receive them, note the build up of the "meringue" corrosion inside the tubing that extends from the fitting. as a result DZR and red brasses release more lead to water, and a greater The PEX brass fitting manufacturing companies mentioned in the readers' observations include. In the Copenhagen 2300 Defoor Hills Rd. 5618 (2003): 480-482. - http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-12182009-203827/unrestricted/Zhang_Y_T_2009.pdf, Zhang, Y, A. Griffin, and M. Edwards. Zhang (2009) observed that water that is low in pH (such as in Rhode Island in the U.S.) is likely to cause brass fittings to fail by general corrosion rather than meringue dezincification. We have no relationship with advertisers, products, or services discussed at this website. The home was constructed in 1995 widening our area of concern to earlier than 1997 as we had previously identified through research and inspection findings. als (2015). DeWerth, D. W., and A. M. Waters. Above right, brass tee corrosion appearing both on the Tee-fitting body (red arrow) and around the end of the PEX tubing (green arrow) on water piping in a 2009 home. 1985. While our correspondent, an inspector discussing dezincification, described using pH testing in the field, he warned that most field inspectos are not attempting the same level of testing as might be performed by a more-expert water testing laboratory. DZR brass has "Lead He ranked the following water supplies from highest to lowest. Box 1167 See CHLORINE TESTS, WATER for an explanation of methods to test the chlorine level in waterand/orSee WATER DISINFECTANT QUANTITY. "Materials Performance for Residential High Efficiency Condensing Furnaces." Neill, K. M., K. T. Rice, and H. L. Ahern. reason is believed to be that the preferred pipe material has changed from hot-dip Methods of soil analysis. 12 Zinc present in the brass alloy dissolves leaving pores or openings that can become water leaks. Environmental Science and Technology 42, no. Eng., 136(2), 227237. "Chart presentation of recent work on indicators." We have seen Zurn - Qest and Nibco as the primary brands of leaky brass fittings in this application. phosphate dosages. 1 (Janurary 1984): 75-80, Schock, M. R., and C. H. Neff. [3] Zhang noted that Rhode Island water has a low pH, allowing copper to dissolve together with zinc. dezincification or lead leaching from brass alloys. at. Also see "Leaks-When-On Devils" discussed. ihrer Verhinderung, Sanitr und Heizungstechnik 4/2011. A. Andersen, F. Fontenay, S. Klingaard, K. Nielsen, SBI anvisning 227, Rossum, J. R. "Conductance method for checking accuracy of water analyses." I ask because you'll see there was a well-known brass connector corrosion, leak failure problem a while back - see details Gunmetalalloys are used only in the manufacture of cast items. See PEX BRASS CONNECTOR LEAKS - field reports of de-zincification corrosion and leaks at brass PEX pipe connectors, elbows & tees. (August 2007): 70-76. Thank you for the helpful field failure report of severe corrosion at a brass PEX connecting tee handling gas furnace condensate; I'll be sure to keep your photo and report with that topic whose link I'll give here; Can you see if there is a brand or identification mark of any kind on that correded brass Tee? BC448383, NOTICE OF PENDENCY AND PROPOSED SETTLEMENT OF CLASS ACTION - http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-12182009-203827/unrestricted/Zhang_Y_T_2009.pdf. Meanwhile in the article above I've added your 2015 merengue dezincification photos to your earlier report and some updated research citations on PEX and dezincification problems. Some companies already DZR-Brass fittings or alternatives including. PhD diss., Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 2009. A single pH test of a water supply can be taken only as a reasonable estimate of the water's chemistry at the time the test was taken. Is there any information compilation you are preparing for the public to educate themselves on related to zinc fitting issues from the late 1990's to 2013? Abstract: [23] ANDREW J. WHELTON & TINH NGUYEN, "Contaminant Migration from Polymeric Pipes used in Buried Potable Water Distribution Systems: A Review", Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology, February 2012 posted online, [24] Andrew James Whelton, "Advancing Potable Water Infrastructure through an Improved Understanding of Polymer 581-584. Journal of American Water Works Association 99, no. IWA Publishing, 2012. Below the reader holds the original UPONOR TuffPEX fitting seal - a yellow ring intended to seal the fitting to the female threaded connection of, in this case, a shower control water inlet line. Ohio and Michigan, with increasing issues with PEX brass fitting corrosion anywhere from 1997 through 2013 construction. of gun metal or stainless steel (AISI 316 or better).Examinations confirm that the traditional copper alloys have unacceptably short life NaCl solution." material for fittings such as stop valves and control valves; dezincification resistant 1.4 mg/L decreases lead leaching, but the inhibitive effects are very sensitive to [Click to enlarge any image]. said:We are experiencing quite a lot of PEX brass fitting dezincification in the NW OH, SE MI region. If you decide to make some tests including pH I hope you'll report the results to us. Some "brass" fittings sold worldwide, including plumbing fittings, may also contain lead, tin, and zinc and would more properly be called "gunmetals". It's worrisome that dezincification of PEX fittings continues as an ongoing issue. 6 (1994): 945-948. Technology 43, no. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Biochemical Journal 5, no. Materials Chemistry and Physics 106 (2007): 134-141. Camper, H. Baribeau, and M. Edwards. Online publication date: 1-Feb-2013. at LEAK TYPES, WATER SUPPLY or DRAIN PIPES. "Is pH paper an acceptable, low-cost alternative to the blood gas analyzer for determining pleural fluid pH?." Note I have photos etc. Elkhart, IN 46515-1167, Website: http://www.nibco.com/, Nibco - http://www.nibco.com/fittings/metal-fittings/pressure-fittings/lead-free-cast-dzr-brass-fittings/, Sioux Chief - http://www.siouxchief.com/no-lead/no-lead-product-markings, Uponor's WIPEX fittings - DZR brass: http://www.uponor-usa.com/~/media/Uponor/Sidebar%20Brochures/LFBrsFitt_ProdG_1-10.ashx, Incledon (note the location) - http://www.incledon.co.za/catalogues/14%20Valves%20General%20Purpose/3%20Cobra%20DZR_BRASS.pdf. Initially, dosing 40 mg/L of silicate also inhibited lead S.C. found corrosion that may be de-zincification discussed above, but significantly he found that the combination of over-tightening of the brass PEX-to-Fixture connector crushed, split, or otherwise damaged the Wirsbo / Uponor PEX connector seal inserts leading to leaks that could be difficult to track down - the fittings leaked only when the shower was on. Hilbert, L. R., H. J. Albrechtsen, and A. Andersen. CHEST Journal 112, no. This article reports on current observations of corrosion & leakage in PEX piping systems in recently-constructed homes in the U.S., particularly in Ohio & Michigan. "Preliminary studies on the leaching of some trace "In pursuit of the perfect pipe." Kitec web search retrieved 02/19/2013, original source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitec, Our recommended books about building & mechanical systems design, inspection, problem diagnosis, and repair, and about indoor environment and IAQ testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the. - Anderson et. Meringue dezincification(shown below) is a special case of corrosion of brass plumbing fittings that occurs in high pH water (above 8.2 or basic water), leaving corroded material as a white deposit (probably salts) that clogs brass fittings and reduces water flow rates. While the pH of most water supply systems is probably rather consistent over time, environmental, weather, or other variables might cause pH values to vary in private water supply systems and possibly even in municipal water supplies. "Accuracy of urinary dipstick testing for pH manipulation therapy." Thomas, G. W. "Soil pH and soil acidity." Meringue dezincification might explain some reader reports we receive of a decrease in hot water flow rate at some plumbing fixtures, particularly those used most-often and at highest-temperatures. Lawrence, Benjamin L. "Sulfur treatment for copper zinc alloys." Dynamic rig test for assessment of metal release. Lesho, Emil P., and Bernard J. Roth. "Effect of overlying water pH, dissolved oxygen, salinity and sediment disturbances on metal release and sequestration from metal contaminated marine sediments." Continue readingat PEX PIPING INFORMATION - topic home, or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX. A second leak is developing at the same fitting, shown by the white mineral salts around the fitting near the clamp securing the UPONOR TuffPEX to the fitting (yellow arrow). Watch out: Danish researchers Andersen et als. [1] Zinc leaches into the water supply; 100-day test; note that this same effect can cause corrosion and leaks as are illustrated and reported in this article. There is no one manufacturer whose fittings we see issues with. Zinc does not seem to play a significant role in mitigating either Chemosphere 69, no. Part 3 (1996): 475-490. The shredded PEX fitting yellow sealing ring is probably due to over-tightening at original installation but might also be caused by subsequent re-tightening of the connector in an effort to stop a leak that could be from the seal OR could be from mistaking a leak due to de-zincification in the brass fitting itself for a loose fitting.
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