Brass and stainless steel are both common materials in the plumbing world, and they are popular because they do many jobs effectively. Sometimes in this trade we are faced with a straight choice between two materials, and with ball valves it usually comes down to a straight choice between these two excellent options. So, brass vs stainless steel ball valve: which is best in particular applications?
Reasons to Choose a Brass Ball Valve – And Reasons Not To
Brass is the plumber’s friend in many situations and for many reasons, starting with economy. It is relatively affordable – not that stainless steel is prohibitively expensive, but sometimes every little bit helps when you’re working to a budget.
Brass is also easy to work with and versatile enough to cover both water supply systems and gas lines.
Two situations that are not ideal for brass are high temperatures and severely corrosive environments. Corrosive in this instance means more than the sort of gentle, gradual hostility of water. Certain chemicals can antagonise brass and it is important to know if what you’re going to be working with is likely to cause a problem in this respect.
Acids, alkalis, chlorides and chlorine (two very different things) are prime examples of chemicals that can cause issues with brass ball valves.
Even water can be a problem if it is in the form of seawater (which is a chloride solution) or demineralised water, which can leach the zinc from the brass. It is the zinc content that makes brass harder, stronger and more corrosion-resistant than pure copper, and that is why the alloy was developed in the first place. Losing the zinc creates the obvious problem of leaving a metal that is not up to the job on its own.
There is also the issue of corrosion caused by erosion, the physical, abrasive effect of fast flowing liquids and in particular those that contain minute pieces of a hard material. Sandy seawater, for instance, presents a dual problem.
Reasons to Choose Stainless Steel Ball Valves
Basically, if you are dealing with a situation where the corrosion potential of chemicals is likely to compromise brass, it makes sense to go for steel, but because the innate weakness of ordinary steel is rust and that is what water creates, stainless steel comes into its own. Stainless steel ball valves can handle high temperatures, fast flows and corrosive chemicals, plus there are various grades, so if the environment in the pipe is going to be exceptionally demanding, a higher, more resilient grade can be used to guard against problems.
Stainless steel is often found in environments where health and hygiene are particularly important, such as food production and medical laboratories.
Carbon steel is another material that can be used for ball valves, but it is vulnerable to corrosion and in most instances stainless steel is preferable.
If in Doubt Discuss it: Brass vs Stainless Steel Ball Valves
If you are going to be dealing with a system or environment you have never worked in before, it can be well worth discussing it with your supplier. A specialist such as Valve Warehouse Australia has seen all sorts of scenarios and we have received feedback from customers, so someone else’s experiment or experience, positive or negative, can be beneficial to you. Feel free to get in touch with us today for more information on brass vs stainless steel ball valve.