Unsoldering water pipe near gas line

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Marty K

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I would like to replace an outside water faucet. The water line that comes into my basement is copper pipe with soldered joints.

I have never worked with pipes and solder, but it doesn't look too terribly complicated. I've seen my father do it (40 years ago) and I've worked with solder on circuit boards. So, I'm planning to give it a a try.

The water pipe runs just above my gas meter, and there are gas pipes that run parallel to the water pipe. The joint that I want to disconnect is about a half inch from the gas line. If I disconnect a joint further upsteam, I can get a couple of inches of separation from the gas line.

Also, there is the wooden ceiling, which is also just a couple of inches away from the joint.

How do I heat it up without blowing things up, or burning the house down?

Thanks!
 

Jadnashua

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You can buy or make a heat shield to help prevent charring the wood or overheating things. Some just cut up a large tin-can, you can buy similar things, and at least one company makes a spray. You probably do want to have some water or a fire extinguisher available. A spray bottle with water in it and wetting down the wood in the area some can help. You might want to check the nearby connections on the gas line with some soapy water and look for bubbles, but if there was a big leak, you'd probably (or at least should) be able to smell it.

The major key to soldering is proper cleaning of the fittings and the pipe, then flux. The big difference in flux between electronic soldering is that that often uses a resin based flux, and today's plumbing codes require a water-based flux which is much easier to burn, which can contaminate the connection, leading to a leak. Unless you do this regularly, I find that buying a plumbing flux with powdered solder in it (tinning flux) helps...once you see the flux's solder melt, you know you've heated things enough, then you add the additional solder to complete the joint. The other big difference between plumbing and electronic soldering is that for plumbing, the solder does not contain lead, and has a higher melting point, which is why it's easier to burn out the flux. You heat the fitting more than the pipe, and once hot enough, remove the flame, and apply the solder...done right, it will suck into the fitting, attracted to the hotter surface. You want to try to heat the fitting all the way around, and not just on one side. Don't' let it move until it resolidifies, and practice a bit where you've got some room on some extra fittings you bought (probably the least expensive fitting to practice on is a coupling - i.e. a straight connection rather than an elbow).
 
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