Archeologists recovered a portion of the water plumbing system from the Pyramid of Cheops in Egypt. The copper tubing used was found in serviceable condition after more than 5,000 years.
Copper Fact 2Sometime around 1927, metal manufacturers introduced a new type of lightweight yet durable drawn copper tube that could be quickly soldered together with inexpensive copper fittings. This revolutionized plumbing and set a standard for the type of indoor water systems found in homes today.
Copper Fact 3Since 1963, some 35 billion feet or about 6.6 million miles of copper tube has been installed in U.S. buildings. That's equivalent to a coil wrapping around the Earth more than 260 times.
Copper Fact 4A major application for copper tubing is fuel gas. More home builders are installing high-pressure gas lines these days, and copper tubing is the most economical choice for connecting appliances like gas ovens, ranges, clothes dryers, water heaters, fireplaces and outdoor barbecues to a natural gas or propane supply.
Copper Fact 5Ground source, direct-exchange heat pumps can home energy costs by as much as 75 percent. Unlike other heat pump systems, the direct-exchange system's savings result from having its heat-exchange medium (refrigerant) circulating through closed loops of small-diameter copper tubing buried in the earth, where temperatures hover constantly around 55 degrees Fahrenheit, even in winter climates.