Copper is an incredibly useful metal, which has been used by humans for thousands of years. Going back to the time of the ancient Egyptians, copper was used as a disinfectant to clean wounds as well as surgical instruments. The earliest weaponry crafted from copper alloys has been carbon dated as far back as the fifth millennium BC.
Despite its emergence as a useful material many thousands of years ago, it is estimated that up to 80% of the copper mined and refined in the world is still in use today. Copper finds its way into pretty much everything we do today, with new applications being found all the time. With its ability to be recycled infinitely as well as its unique properties, copper is not going anywhere soon.
Let’s take a look at some of the ways in which copper will be found in your home.
Electricity and lighting
The ductile nature of copper means that it can be shaped into sheets and formed into wires, without the threat of it breaking, which makes it one of the best possible materials to be used in the electrical systems of your home. Additionally, copper is a highly effective conductor of electricity, giving it a leg up over other materials that could be used for transferring electricity around your home.
It is likely that you will not just find copper in your walls and plug sockets, but within most appliances within your home, due to its amazing conductivity.
Plumbing
Again, due to copper’s ductility, it is also a very highly regarded material used in plumbing. Ductility is defined as the capacity of a material to be able to be deformed permanently, such as spread, stretched or bent. Copper is incredibly ductile, meaning it can create pipes as well as copper pipe connectors in all shapes and sizes, in order to be used in both domestic and commercial plumbing.
If your copper piping is in need of attention, all manner of specialist suppliers such as Watkins and Powis will be able to supply whatever replacement parts you require.
Another reason why copper is widely used within plumbing systems is the antimicrobial properties that it possesses. Antimicrobial materials either stop the growth of microorganisms, or kill them, making copper ideal for the supply of clean and safe drinking water.
