WHx
New Member
Hello Experts,
I had a pinhole in my water supply line gushing today. I fixed the section, but there is still a slow trickle down the pipe comming from further up the wall. The copper pipe is cheap Type M and my neighbors have been fighting issues with it for a few years now - I have been lucky so far. Our plan is about 34 years old and clearly the pipes are failing pre-maturely. One of my neighbors had his replaced (with copper no less), the other has fixed about half a dozend leaks so far. Clearly, long (medium) term I need a plan on how to replace the piping and what to replace it with. Short term, I need to fix the trickle (or do I?). Hence, multiple questions below.
I am also planning a remodel of my master bath room which sits (almost) above where the water trickles down the vertical pipe. The project was planned to start in 2-3 weeks and includes tearing down the flooring to the floor boards, replacing a dual vanity with a single, and converting a tub/shower combo with a shower.
Ok, here are the questions:
1) Since I will have access to the flooring boards above the leaks, would you try to fix the slow trickle leak through the floor? Replacing a cut out in the floor seems easier than in the ceiling. (Actually, the pipe is in the wall behind a kitchen cupboard and there is a bulkhead above the cabinet). At least, if it does not look nice, it will be covered by the flooring.
2) Should I start tearing into the floor (it's tiled with additional plywood underneath) right a way or do you think I could live with the trickle for a couple weeks without too much risk? The vertical pipe that the trickle runs down surfaces in my loundry room which does not have a finished ceiling.
3) With my bathroom re-model and access to the flooring, what other things should I take care off considering that other sections of the copper pipe will fail in the future? Replace lines to the vanity with PEX?
I believe the supply lines to my kitchen counter are also running across there. Should I replace those as well?
Or should I just try to fish PEX through openings and let them lay there until they are needed?
4) Is PEX the way to go for an entire piping replacement? Any recommendations on timing for the replacement? Compared to the neighbor who already replaced his pipes, our pipes look considerably better. (Neighbor had thick green copper oxide crust every 8-12" ) I see some greenish spots (not crusty) every few yards.
Thanks for your thoughts!
I had a pinhole in my water supply line gushing today. I fixed the section, but there is still a slow trickle down the pipe comming from further up the wall. The copper pipe is cheap Type M and my neighbors have been fighting issues with it for a few years now - I have been lucky so far. Our plan is about 34 years old and clearly the pipes are failing pre-maturely. One of my neighbors had his replaced (with copper no less), the other has fixed about half a dozend leaks so far. Clearly, long (medium) term I need a plan on how to replace the piping and what to replace it with. Short term, I need to fix the trickle (or do I?). Hence, multiple questions below.
I am also planning a remodel of my master bath room which sits (almost) above where the water trickles down the vertical pipe. The project was planned to start in 2-3 weeks and includes tearing down the flooring to the floor boards, replacing a dual vanity with a single, and converting a tub/shower combo with a shower.
Ok, here are the questions:
1) Since I will have access to the flooring boards above the leaks, would you try to fix the slow trickle leak through the floor? Replacing a cut out in the floor seems easier than in the ceiling. (Actually, the pipe is in the wall behind a kitchen cupboard and there is a bulkhead above the cabinet). At least, if it does not look nice, it will be covered by the flooring.
2) Should I start tearing into the floor (it's tiled with additional plywood underneath) right a way or do you think I could live with the trickle for a couple weeks without too much risk? The vertical pipe that the trickle runs down surfaces in my loundry room which does not have a finished ceiling.
3) With my bathroom re-model and access to the flooring, what other things should I take care off considering that other sections of the copper pipe will fail in the future? Replace lines to the vanity with PEX?
I believe the supply lines to my kitchen counter are also running across there. Should I replace those as well?
Or should I just try to fish PEX through openings and let them lay there until they are needed?
4) Is PEX the way to go for an entire piping replacement? Any recommendations on timing for the replacement? Compared to the neighbor who already replaced his pipes, our pipes look considerably better. (Neighbor had thick green copper oxide crust every 8-12" ) I see some greenish spots (not crusty) every few yards.
Thanks for your thoughts!