No apparent reason- leak

[Chad Fabry]

When I went to the basement on Friday, the floor was wet. All the plumbing in our home is less than 5 years old and I installed the K copper piece that was leaking just last fall.

In a Dirkish moment I grabbed the camera to document the drama.

Seriously, I'm adding a blurb to my plumbing section that says something like, plumbing doesn't leak until it does- leaks can occur at any time for no apparent reason.

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[rkenney]

While the internet has a plethora of good information about the sources of pinhole leaks, it also is ripe with misinformation.

This link presented itself some time ago while researching a similar occurrence: http://www.toolbase.org/building-system ... hole-leaks

Read the whole thing if interested, but the most interesting thing to me was this:

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[John Kogel]

Oh well, you needed another project to add to the list.

Now don't forget to post pics of the repair. Have you picked out the new pipe? Will it match the decor?

Lucky it was your basement, and good thing you were home to catch it.

Now what about the rest of the copper? [] What about the really old copper? Is it still OK?

I'm sure you have filters on your well water, so is there something that can be improved there? Questions, all these questions.

[John Kogel]

Read the whole thing if interested, but the most interesting thing to me was this:

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I'm going to go with "poor workmanship" for fun. []

[hausdok]

Hi Chad,

I've been hearing about aggressive water with high alkalinity in the eastern states for years. I remember that some of the most brackish stuff I ever tasted was water in upstate New York when I used to work summers building silos up there. Any chance that's what you're dealing with?

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[John Dirks Jr]

In a Dirkish moment.....

I'm on the map! WOOHOO! Wiki entry please....

[Nolan Kienitz]

Hi Chad,

I've been hearing about aggressive water with high alkalinity in the eastern states for years. I remember that some of the most brackish stuff I ever tasted was water in upstate New York when I used to work summers building silos up there. Any chance that's what you're dealing with?

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

Man oh Man ... I'm going to make sure I'm on the observant side so I don't get attacked by "aggressive water" .... []

[Marc]

I recall Chad gets his water from a nearby spring. He's likely too on-the-ball to allow bad water into his house, so I vote defective tubing as per Kenny.

Marc

[gtblum]

Hi Chad,

I've been hearing about aggressive water with high alkalinity in the eastern states for years. I remember that some of the most brackish stuff I ever tasted was water in upstate New York when I used to work summers building silos up there. Any chance that's what you're dealing with?

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

Man oh Man ... I'm going to make sure I'm on the observant side so I don't get attacked by "aggressive water" .... []

Not funny! Try living less than a hundred yards from the lake shore and getting a decent nights sleep!

[Chad Fabry]

My spring water pH is 7.0 with little to no dissolved oxygen and very few dissolved solids. The piping section that failed is dead straight and 5 feet from a fitting so I doubt scouring is the cause. Since the tubing was installed for just 9 months, I have to believe that the section was defective.

Now don't forget to post pics of the repair. Have you picked out the new pipe? Will it match the decor?

There is a picture of the repair in the original post. I chose Salvaged Copper Brown and I accessorized with two slip couplings- it matches the decor perfectly.

[Tom Raymond]

You need to watch more TV. They sell stuff that'd fix that lickety split, and you can choose between stuff on a roll or stuff in a spray can!

On a more serious note, doesn't your pex tubing squeak with that strap arrangement? I used Wirsbo clips on mine and it makes a chirping noise as the tubing expands. Chirp. Chirp. Chirp.

[Chad Fabry]

You need to watch more TV. They sell stuff that'd fix that lickety split, and you can choose between stuff on a roll or stuff in a spray can!

On a more serious note, doesn't your pex tubing squeak with that strap arrangement? I used Wirsbo clips on mine and it makes a chirping noise as the tubing expands. Chirp. Chirp. Chirp.

I was worried about squeaking- especially with the aluminum transfer plates but, the only noise is the occasional complaint from a board subjected to a bit of thermal stress.

[hoosier inspector]

While the internet has a plethora of good information about the sources of pinhole leaks, it also is ripe with misinformation.

This link presented itself some time ago while researching a similar occurrence: http://www.toolbase.org/building-system ... hole-leaks

Read the whole thing if interested, but the most interesting thing to me was this:

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I guess harmonic divergence is out.

[rkenney]

I guess harmonic divergence is out.

That was my favorite. Use it to explain away all kinds of anomalies.

[Denray]

I kept getting leaks next to my recirculating pump mounted on the side of the WH. A building buddy said that the electric motor was contributing to my leaks by accelerating electrolysis. The damaged piping was getting thinner where the leak started. So we/he added some dielectric unions.