Making the connection between plastic pipes such as ABS or PVC and metal pipes such as copper or galvanized steel is very straightforward. The fittings cost under $10, and not only is the transition easier to accomplish, but it also leaves you with a joint in the line that can be disassembled later if you need to perform other work on the lines. The two halves of the joint are then connected using a lock nut and two insulating washers that prevent the copper half from contacting the steel half. The other end has a female copper slip (non-threaded) fitting, which is soldered onto the copper pipe. The dielectric union has a threaded steel female fitting on one end, which is threaded onto the steel pipe. The second method is to use a special transition fitting called a dielectric union. Since brass doesn’t react with either the copper or the zinc, one method is to make sure you have a threaded female end on both the copper and the steel pipes, and then connect the two by simply inserting a short threaded brass nipple between them. To safely connect copper and galvanized steel, you have two options. If you make a direct connection, these two materials will interact in a chemical reaction that will corrode the joint and eventually cause it to start leaking. The problem is that the zinc used for galvanizing the threaded water pipes doesn’t get along very well with the copper. If you’ve browsed through the plumbing section at the home center, you no doubt noticed that there are threaded copper pipe fittings that you can solder right onto the end of the pipe, and they will screw directly onto older threaded galvanized water lines. The fittings are readily available in home centers, hardware stores and plumbing supply retailers. Luckily for all of us, these transitions are common enough that there are a number of fittings on the market that make dissimilar pipe connections quick, easy and safe. It might be a transition from threaded galvanized water pipes to copper pipes, or from old cast-iron sewer lines to today’s ABS. If you’re doing any remodeling or repair work on the plumbing system of an older home, it’s a pretty safe bet that you’ll encounter the need to transition from an older type of pipe to a one of today’s newer materials.
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