Alternative To Copper Piping For HVAC Units

[Dawn Vought]

Does anybody know if anything other than copper can be used for piping for outdoor Heat Pumps/AC units? I just had a tenant move in about a week ago. I had a cage welded and cemented over the outside AC unit on Tuesday. Later that day I got word that thieves came and ripped off the copper piping going from the AC unit up the wall, until it went up into the attic. Good thing the cage was installed that morning, otherwise they would have stolen the whole unit (for the copper coil inside).

One contractor was telling me that in certain circumstances some sort of plastic or metal (galvanized?) piping can be used instead. Does anyone have any info on anything available like this?

I'm having the unit installed on the roof of the house on Saturday, but I have more houses that are waiting for HVAC installs once a new tenant moves in, and I'd like to know all of my options.

Thanks.

[Matthew Gil]

While rehabbing our properties we have our crews paint (prime) the copper. One, it makes the copper look like galvanized and two, painted copper is worth significantly less than exposed copper.