Is this dangerous? Photo attached

[LemonsIrdl]

Copper pipes have been painted white/cream but underneath the boiler itself they’ve been left unpainted and the copper has turned very very dark blue/light black. When you touch it it gets a light black coat on your finger. On one of the pipes it has started to flake off a bit.

Im worried this is dangerous? The guy who came to service the boiler said he’d never seen it before.

It couldn’t be that they were painted, and the paint has blackened/scorched from being close to the boiler maybe? (Probably not, but can’t think of anything else).

Thanks @2022sucksalready

@pigletjohn I was told to tag you :)

It's patina isn't it? Some info here
plumbertip.com/why-do-copper-pipes-turn-green/

If the guy who serviced the boiler is properly qualified I wouldn't worry.

YY, as @CurlsLDN says, that's just the colour copper turns when exposed to air/moisture long term. It's like rust on iron, so eventually the pipes will need replacing, but they will need replacing eventually anyway. Did the man who serviced it mean he'd not seen them left unpainted/not covered with a sleeve before?

black is not usual. do you know how old they are?

they all seem black so I do not think it will be heat or leakage

test them with a magnet (there should be no attraction)

I wonder if there are unusual fumes in that area? salt, vinegar, animal bedding, fruit juice, strong cleaners?

you can use a green nylon pan scourer and soapy water tp brighten them back to clean metal, and see if they tarnish again.

according to wiki, it seems that black copper oxide can form in the presence of ammonia.