Why Copper May Become Your Favorite Metal

Copper and its alloy cousins, bronze and brass, are germ-repellant, which means you may want to find more places in the home to add the metals.

By: Melissa Dittmann Tracey – Design Trends, Kitchen & Bath

In the era of the coronavirus pandemic, copper may become the “it” metal to add to your home design.

In fact, you may want to add it everywhere because of its germ-repellant benefits alone.

According to this article:

“Bacteria, yeasts, and viruses are rapidly killed on metallic copper surfaces, and the term “contact killing” has been coined for this process.

While the phenomenon was already known in ancient times, it is currently receiving renewed attention.

This is due to the potential use of copper as an antibacterial material in health care settings. Contact killing was observed to take place at a rate of at least 7 to 8 logs per hour, and no live microorganisms were generally recovered from copper surfaces after prolonged incubation.

The antimicrobial activity of copper and copper alloys is now well established, and copper has recently been registered at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as the first solid antimicrobial material.” 

Stainless steel, on the other hand, may quickly lose some fans.

After all, research has shown COVID-19 can survive up to 72 hours on stainless steel.

Copper and many of its alloys—including brass and bronze—have antimicrobial properties and have been shown to kill greater than 99% of bacteria within two hours of exposure.

It can continuously sanitize objects, destroying even the scariest of germs like the Norovirus, MRSA, E.coli, and the coronaviruses, including COVID-19.

Not surprisingly, the medical community is calling for more use of copper, such as in hospital settings and on public drinking fountains and public transportation railings.

Copper can be added inside homes, too: sinks, faucets, appliances, door hardware, hand rails, and more.

Certainly, copper tends to be more expensive than other metals.

But if research continues to show it as a formidable COVID-19 repellant, more homeowners may find copper well worth the expense.

If you are considering upgrading your home with an eye towards later reselling, you certainly should consider copper over other available options whenever possible.

While it is more expensive, it’s can only improve your home’s value and marketability.

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