Anything that has a pH value is refering to its acidity or alkalinity. A plumber, needs to be highly aware of the effects the acidity or alkalinity of water can have on materials, appliances and fittings. Acids and alkalis cause corrosion and will damage plumbing materials, metals being high risk. All water has a pH value. Rainwater has a slight acidic quality, due to a small amount of carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide in the atmosphere dissolving into it, and forming a very weak carbonic and sulphuric acid. The pH value of groundwater is dictated by the different rock types it passes though. For example, water containing dissolved carbonate from chalk or limestone is alkali. A Dagenham Plumber knows pH values.Atmospheric Corrosion.Pure air and pure water have hardly any corrosive effect, but together as moist air (oxygen + water vapour) they will attack ferrous metals like steel and iron really quickly to form iron oxide or rust. This corrosive effect of rust can destroy metals. There are other gases (carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide, sulphur trioxide), that are present in our atmosphere. These increase the corrosive effect that air can have on particular metals, like iron, steel and zinc. The gases are more abundant in industrial environments because they are quite often waste products from industrial processes.Non-ferrous metals, like copper, aluminium and lead, have great protection against corrosion from the atmosphere. A protective barrier (usually a sulphate) forms on these metals to stop further corrosion. This protection is known as patina. Dagenham Plumbers can prevent corrosion.Corrosion by Water.The ferrous metals are really vulnerable to corrosion by water. Commonly found in central heating systems as black ferrous oxide and red rust build up in radiators. Hydrogen is also produced as a by-product which accumulates in the radiator, resulting in the need to be bled. In some areas of high acidic water, copper can be slightly discoloured. This does not affect the quality or safety of drinking water. But, in areas where lead pipework is still used, if the water is very soft (acidic) it can dissolve tiny quantities of lead, that contaminates the water which may have toxic effects, particularly for children.