Copper in the Home: Explore Copper Within a Room

Explore the diverse applications of copper alloys within a home:

Test Your Copper Knowledge

How to play:

Explore the Room: Look around the room and click on everyday items.
Find Copper Products: Try to find which items use copper. For example, a phone’s circuit board contains copper.
Get Feedback:
- Correct! If the item uses copper, you’ll hear a ding and see a pop-up showing where copper is used.
- Try Again! If the item uses brass or bronze, you’ll hear a buzzer sound.
Keep Searching: Keep clicking until you’ve found all the copper products in the room.
Have Fun! Test your knowledge and learn about everyday uses of copper!

Your Score

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Brass C26000, C27200: Faucet hardware (usually nickel-plated)

These brass alloys are typically found in faucet hardware and other bathroom and kitchen fixtures. The nickel plating enhances the material’s corrosion resistance to hard water and chemicals while retaining a pristine appearance.

Brass C36000: Water fittings for water supply lines (usually nickel-plated)

Brass C36000 is a free machining brass often used in fittings for water supply lines, due to the material’s long-term mechanical strength, corrosion resistance, and durability. It can withstand high pressures and wear, making it ideal for residential and commercial installation.

Copper C12200: Plumbing tubes inside walls

Copper C12200 is almost pure (99.9%) copper and is fit for plumbing tubes in walls, refrigeration, boiler feed lines, and more. This lightweight grade is highly corrosion-resistant, durable, and antimicrobial.

Brass C26000, C46400: Other hardware (door pulls, kick plates, push plates, drain grates, hinges)

Brass C26000 and C46400 are often used for functional hardware, such as hinges, door pulls, push plates, kick plates, and drain grates. Depending on the intended application, these pieces can be made decorative to match the property’s aesthetic.

Copper C10100: Computer and phone circuitry

Computer and phone circuitry is typically constructed from copper C10100, which offers enhanced corrosion resistance and electrical conductivity.

Copper C10100: Hi-fidelity audio wiring

Due to its excellent electrical conductivity and resistance to corrosion, copper C10100 is a popular choice for high-quality visual/audio systems.

Copper C10100, C11000: Home wiring

Both copper C10100 and C11000 are used in home wiring, providing reliable electrical performance in a diverse range of conditions.

Copper C11000, C12200: Countertops and backsplashes

Copper C11000 and C12200 backsplashes and countertops add warm visual accents to kitchens. They add a metallic luster and are easy to clean.

Copper C11000: Cookware

Copper C11000 is a high-purity grade commonly found in cookware. The material is harder than aluminum but softer than stainless steel. Copper cookware requires regular cleaning to maintain its appearance.

Copper C17200: Spring connectors in RJ45 or RJ11 wall jacks for networking/phones

This beryllium copper grade has greater hardness and strength than standard copper alloys. These properties make C17200 ideal for spring connectors in RJ45 or RJ11 wall jacks, depending on the brand.

Copper C11000, C12200, C26000, C65500: Kitchen hoods

Island, wall-mounted, and under-cabinet kitchen hoods are commonly made of various copper grades. They can feature different finishes, such as embossed, hand-hammered, and fingerprint-resistant.

Bronze C93200, C95400: Bushings in fans, pumps, and grinder gears

These grades of self-lubricating bronze bushings offer reliable performance in pumps, fans, and grinder gears. They feature exceptional tensile strength, ductility, and resistance to wear and fatigue even under overload or shock.

So many consumer and household goods contain copper. From electrical wiring and fixtures to cookware and plumping, and from architectural elements to antimicrobial finishes, copper is found throughout most homes.

Copper is widely-used because of its many beneficial properties, including corrosion resistance, easy workability, and conductivity, and aesthetics. Sequoia Brass & Copper is a leading supplier of copper, bronze, and brass alloys for manufacturers across all major industries and consumer goods categories. We provide high-purity oxygen-free copper in multiple grades, shapes, and sizes. See how our copper stock is used in a variety of common household applications.

Common Household Applications of Copper

Even a quick glance around a typical home reveals dozens of common uses for copper. Some are highly visible, and others are hard at work behind the scenes inside appliances and walls. The most common household items made of copper include, but are not limited to:

Cookware. C11000 is often used for copper cookware. This grade of copper distributes heat evenly and responds quickly to changes in temperature, giving fine-tuned control over dishes.
Countertops and backsplashes. Copper has an aesthetically pleasing color and shine that is incorporated into countertop accents, kitchen hardware, and backsplashes.
Electrical wiring. Both C10100 and C11000 offer excellent electrical conductivity for home wiring and electrical appliances and devices. These are also safer than older alternatives like aluminum wiring because they provide better thermal management.
Plumbing. Plumbing pipes, joints, and other hardware are often made from C1220, an antimicrobial copper that resists organic buildup and contamination from microbes in the water. Plumbers and builders also prefer C1220 copper because it’s strong enough to resist damage from pressurized water and resists corrosion from hard and softened water.

Two Additional Copper Alloys: Brass and Bronze in the Home

In addition to the different grades of copper, residential goods and equipment often feature brass and bronze. These common copper alloys have all of copper’s desirable properties with added durability and strength.

Brass, coded as C26000, C27200, or C26000, is an alloy of copper and zinc. The copper provides excellent corrosion resistance and shapeability, and the zinc adds mechanical strength. Common brass objects in the home include faucets, hinges, and water fittings.

Bronze, an alloy of copper and tin, is even longer-lasting and can resist long-term mechanical wear. C93200 and C95400 are used in applications like bushings because of their low-friction and high wear resistance.

Copper With a Room: Interactive Play—Sequoia Brass & Copper

Copper is a highly ductile metal that can easily be formed into tubes, pipes, wires, plates, sheets, and more. The metal’s thermal and electrical conductivity and corrosion resistance make it a popular choice for residential applications. Modern conveniences like plumbing, computer wiring, and audio equipment all rely on copper and copper alloys like brass and bronze to function efficiently and reliably. Sequoia Brass & Copper specializes in supplying oxygen-free copper—high-purity copper grades that improve upon the properties of standard copper metals.

Sequoia Brass & Copper in the Home

There are so many applications for copper in the home thanks to its conductivity, corrosion resistance, and ductility. Manufacturers can trust Sequoia Brass & Copper for easy, consistent access to high-quality copper sheets, bars, tubes, and other shapes, as well as high-quality copper alloy materials. Contact us today to explore our copper stock options, or request a quote for pricing details.