A recent study commissioned by the Copper Sustainability Partnership, a UK-based media campaign, investigated the comparison between copper pipes and various plastic alternatives in how suitable they are in the event of a fire at both mitigating the spread of the fire itself and what harmful substances they produced.
The results of the test, a simulation of four different rooms being set on fire, each with plumbing made from different materials, showed the daunting consequences of using plastic pipes in your home. Plastic pipes not only produced 248 times more carbon monoxide than copper pipes, they also caused 761 times more smoke, and burnt much faster, allowing for much less time to evacuate yourself and your family from the house safely.
For homeowners, especially those with young children, the findings of this study should be particularly eye opening and concerning. The use of plastic pipes in your home could is putting your family at an unnecessary risk in the event of a fire. With a high melting point of 1,085°C and negligible toxic byproducts when burnt, copper tubes present the safest and thus most suitable building material for plumbing tubes in your home.
We would like to thank the Copper Sustainability Partnership for carrying out this important and insightful experiment, and for emphasising visually the threat that plastic pipes pose to homeowners. A full video of the tests can be found here.
