pipe leak

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Barry J

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I have a pin hole leak on my supply line that goes toward my furnance. It's in an accessable area, but I'm pretty much a novice at the soldering pipe thing. I've done it but, not without solder burns on my arm. So, my question is..should I attempt to solder the pipe or just cut it and use some compression fittings??
any suggestions
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Barry
 

Jadnashua

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Hassle is, that that piece of pipe may have more holes ready to spring. It can be caused by aggressive water, high velocity (and turbulance), excessive flux that wasn't cleaned off, abrasion for something rubbing, or a defect in the pipe. If you're lucky, it's not a symptom of impending systemic failures. Soldering in a replacement piece is the safest, but I guess not if it leaks and gives you grief.

Soldering isn't all that hard, but it does take a little practice, skill, and some tools.
 

Gary Swart

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First rule of soldering is don't apply heat to your arm.:p After that bit of wisdom, it's all downhill. Clean the pipe ends withemery cloth or sandpaper and the inside of the fitting with a wire pipe brush just prior to soldering. Apply a liberal amount of flux to both the pipe end and the inside the fitting. Be absolutely certain there is NO water in the pipe. Assemble the joint then apply heat to the fitting, not the pipe. When the fitting and pipe is hot enough to melt the solder, remove the heat and move the solder around the seam of the joint. Do not apply heat to the solder, let the hot joint do the melting. Let the joint set without moving for a few minutes, then wipe with a damp rag to remove excess flux. As Jim points out in his answer, this may not be a long term fix. You need to determine what caused the leak.
 

SteveW

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I have a pin hole leak on my supply line that goes toward my furnance. It's in an accessable area, but I'm pretty much a novice at the soldering pipe thing. I've done it but, not without solder burns on my arm. So, my question is..should I attempt to solder the pipe or just cut it and use some compression fittings??
any suggestions
Thanks
Barry

I am confused - what supply line are you talking about - gas?
 

Barry J

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It's a water supply line.... Is it that the pipes are just getting old (buildt in 1973) Or does it have to be another malfunction for copper pipes to fail??? The pipe I'm taking about, is a pipe that I already had to have a section replaced on it. The furnance guy came 2 months ago and cleaned my furnance and changed the first half of that pipe with compression fittings and he used 1/2' Type L copper tubing and said it was better pipe. That 1st half was leaking, also...now the second part is??
any suggestions
 

Redwood

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Yes, sweat in another new section and get your water tested. To determine the treatment needed.
Aggressive water conditions are eating your pipes and the true extent of the work needed is yet to be determined. You may be on the verge of a whole house repipe.
 

Barry J

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so skip the compression fittings, won't the compression fittings be easier???
 

Redwood

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You could trie it but I'm suspecting thinned out pipes, so getting a cut where the pipe is okay is going to be the hard part. Frequently when making repairs of this nature I have to make multiple cuts just to find a spot where the pipe is good enough. On marginal thickness pipes compression joints may be more difficult to get a seal.
 

hj

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leak

Is this a heating pipe, or the water supply line to the boiler? Sweating a piece in would be the proper way, but if you are going to burn your arms you might also burn the house down, so compression should work just as good.
 

Barry J

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I was going to undo the compression joint on one end (where furnance-man did it), and go about 10-12 inches from the present leak and put another compression joint, that would give me about 6 feet of new tubing. I just don't want to go thru the trouble of making sure the pipe is dry, then soldering, when there may be and easier solution. I'm trying to do this stuff in between my work days (Respiratory Therapist). And like I said I'm not an expert. I'm going to try to download some pictures of where my leak is and where the next soldered joint is after the leak...like I said the other side of the leak is about 5 feet and into a compression joint that the furnance guy did.
 

Barry J

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okay I think I upload them right let's see if it works..the "next joint" is the one with the upward T-fitting. The "leak area" picture has my hose and clamp fix-it...also noticed a very small leak to the right of that fix. It's so small that all it causes is a very small water bubble that does not drip down. I'll have to take that section also.
 

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hj

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fitting

IF they are really compression fittings, then NO because the rings are compressed and you probably won't even be able to remove them. What is the white and green stuff on the valves?
 

Barry J

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wrapped around the pipes or on the valve itself???
If you're talking about the "wrap", it's some sort of tape/insulation combo.
If you're talking about the vavle, it's probably from the water
 

Barry J

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while you're asking about the wrap... I posted this other question on another post maybe you could answer it for me>>>>>>"I was checking out some of my plumbing in the cellar, and the previous owner has some of the cold water supply line all tightly wrapped up with tape and some sort of insulation. Now when I squeeze that pipe, water comes out, now is that from condensation, from it being a very cold pipe and my cellar being heated, or do i have a leak??? I really don't want to start ripping out the tape/insulation combo if i don't have to, there is quite a bit of it." Any suggestions
Barry
 

Redwood

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Barry I just connected the two posts...
I'll slide a tall stack of chips onto you have another leak amd consider it to be a very good bet with a high likelyhood of paying well.

Peel off the insulation and find your leak!
 
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