Evening star., 1940-01-20
Copper Uses Widen;
Employment Of Metal
In Homes Gaining
Durability q Feature
Thut Commends X
To Many Builders

Thut Commends Il
To Many Builders
The advance Of copper as q popu-
lar home building material has been
speeded. during recent years. by the
development Of an widening
variety Of uses and long-life equip
ment.
Copper is used extensively in the
basic structure Of new houses. No
longer regarded as luxuries. copper
pipes. fittings, tanks, room heaters,
roofs and insulating materials are
common installations now.
A section Of copper pipe, excavated
from the Egypt of $500 years ago,
= Is still in condition to carry water.
This dramatic demonstration Of
durability certainly exceeds the
plans. requirements and expecta-
tions for any of today's building,
including the monumental project.
More recently cathedrals and tenn
pies In Europe and the Far East
were built with copper roofs to Sc
cure endurance and beauty corre-
spending to the massive masonry
walls. The oldest existing copper
roof has been on European cathe-
dral since 1920.
32% Of World Production Here.
It is natural that American In.
dustrial research should investigate
fully the possibilities Of wider uses
for copper. Thirty-two per cent Of
the worlds production is carried on
here, most of it in Arizona, Montana,
Nevada and Utah. Home building
benefited from this research through
new products, which combined the
advantages of abundance of supply,
endurance, f1exibility, beauty and
economy.
The perfection of q lighter weight
sheet copper, 10 ounces per square
foot. increased the use of the metal
for roofing. The attractive and ad-
vantageous standing seam roof be-
came a more economical installa-
ton. Generally copper roofs require
no maintenance when they have
been installed correctly. Snow and
ice do not adhere readily. minimizing
the danger of leaks at flashings.
Positive protection from flying
sparks is provided.
- Under most atmospheric condi-
tions copper soon takes on a color
similar to bronze and, eventually,
the characteristic patina, velvety
green, which blends so well with
stone, brick, wood and surrounding
foliage.
Rustless copper is particularly
well adapted to roof drainage sys-
TENS, which are subjected to heavy
volumes of rushing water. The roof
Of an average house Is subjected to
the effects of about 20 tons Of water
every year, reliable estimates have
revealed. Valleys, cutters, flashings
and rainpipes Of copper are designed
for lifetime service.
Rustless Piping Systems.
A new type of copper pipe-f fitting
has simplified and economized the
installation of copper piping sys-
TENS in homes. Capillary attraction
makes it possible to solder thread
less copper pipes into these fittings
quickly, and with maximum strength
In the finished joint. The rigid pipe
and the flexible tubing both pro-
vide permanently rustless and free
flowing water supplies, when they
have been installed correctly.
To maintain the advantages OF
copper throughout q domestic hot
water system, storage tanks made OF
copper-silicon alloy are recommend
ed. These tanks combine the ad-
vantages of non-corrosive copper
and the strength Of steel.
More and more heating systems
are being installed with copper pipes
because of the low heat loss while
transmitting heat from the boiler
to the room heaters. Copper is q
good heat conductor but it is not q
good radiator.
Termites Combated.
Protection against ,termite dam.
age is being incorporated in many
new homes. The permanence anc
hexibility of copper have Influenced
home builders to use the metal a.
an effective termite shield. Sixteer
or 20-ounce material is recommend.
ed for this purpose because it l!
: less liable to mechanical injury. Tn.
shield is inserted between th'
masonry foundation and the sill
Of the house, during construction
to prevent termites from establish
ing shelter tubes" their commune
cation tunnels between the damn
earth and the wood on which the.
would feed.
Walls covered with copper prob
ably will be rated as the newest ant
most modern wall covering Of 1910
Thin sheets of copper, weighing
ounce per square foot, can be ham
fnered and fooled somewhat lik
leather before being applied to pre-
pared wall surfaces. The materia
will not tear easily and Withstand
more abuse than most, If not all
other coverings. An acid solution