Brass fittings are necessary for the basic function of nearly every house and building. A brass compression fitting can make the difference between everything from water pipes to HVAC systems working or failing. Thus, a brass compression fitting can be seen as the key to most systems, whether they?re for dispensing beverages at a restaurant, running a medical company?s systems plumbing, and maintaining the proper function of a common garden hose.
What Is In A Compression Fitting?
Obviously, brass compression fittings are made up of brass, which in turn is made of 67% copper and 33% zinc. The brass alloys that make up a compression fitting are typically recycled ? in fact, 90% of all brass alloys are recycled today. Lead is often added to brass; though its concentration is only at 2%, this has recently been objected to by some. As such, lead free brass fittings have become more readily available. A lead free compression fitting is no less effective than those without lead. The choice, however, is left up to factors like what the distributor wants, what buyers desire, and what is best for all involved.
Why Is Having Proper Compression Fittings So Important?
Improper brass fittings can be incredibly difficult to handle. They can lead to issues like poorly-working HVAC systems, bad piping, and leaks. Leaks can be especially problematic, as the average household?s leaks can result in 10,000 gallons of wasted water. This water could have been used for 270 loads of laundry. Nonetheless, leaks could be worse. The standard at which a family of four can know that they have a serious leak problem is if they use 12,000 gallons of water in a month ? this is in fact very possible in the case of bad brass fittings being used. A poor brass pipe fitting can also end up with cracks, resulting in the loss of up to 250 gallons a day, flooding, structural damage, and the potential for mold.
What Are The Long-Term Consequences Of Poor Compression Fittings?
As indicated above, mold is a major issue associated with brass fittings failing. Certain kinds of mold can lead to health problems for any people in contact. The potential monetary consequences for those experiencing issues with compression fittings can also be devastating. Indeed, even the manufacturers of poor compression fittings can stand to suffer from consequences should they fail, whether due to a reputation issue or potential liability.
Clearly, it?s of the utmost importance that a good manufacturer is chosen when considering brass compression fittings. It could very well make the difference between a system working perfectly, or it failing entirely.