Home Page link

Follow on to a recent thread about replacing galvanized pipe.

Home| Search | About
Login Password
Register Now! Lost Password?

Home Repair - - If it ain't broken, don't fix it. Otherwise look here. 

Bookmark this page:  YahooMyWeb Yahoo!  Google Google  Windows Live Favorites Windows Live  del.icio.us del.icio.us  digg digg  Add to Netscape Netscape
Subject Author Date
Follow on to a recent thread about replacing galvanized pipe. terry 12-21-2006
If you were  Registered and logged in, you could reply and use other advanced thread options
Posted by terry on December 21, 2006, 6:45 pm


Ref; a recent thread advocating the advantages of PEX in relation to
replacing galvanized.

In our case not galvanized pipe. But copper.

Some homes in this area (municipal water supply) of similar age to this
house (36 years) have experienced pinhole leaks in their (generally
half inch) copper plumbing, within the house.

We have not had any problems with such pin holing, although even glass
lined hot water tanks here traditionally do suffer from corrosion and
leakage. We have replaced at least three in some 30+ years and
suppliers will not warranty them for more than three years!

When we refurbished the bathroom within last couple of years we took
the precaution then of replacing any copper that was within a wall.
However all other plumbing is accessible from our unfinished basement.

Just had the thought that our very deeply buried cold water pipe in
from the street is three quarter inch copper! Municipal stop-cock some
six to eight feet down at the street, with the actual connection to the
main at least another six feet below that and our own residential shut
off a couple of feet above basement floor.

We guess we'd never know if the underground developed pinholes or
something more serious until flow seriously decreased or failed?.

BTW. Our water is presently unmetered; whether that will change in
future (climate warming, water shortages, additional growth in the
area) etc. is unknown. And if it did become so the meter due to the
depth of the service pipe would presumably be in the house.

But just to pose the question; suppose it did leak, underground? Is
there any way we could push PEX or some other 'liner' through the three
quarter copper out to the street as a replacement?

Just thinking out loud! Any comment or criticism welcomed.

Seasons greetings to all.


Special 468x60
Posted by Joe on December 21, 2006, 6:55 pm



terry wrote:
<snip>
pinhole leaks in their (generally
> half inch) copper plumbing, within the house.
<snip>
> But just to pose the question; suppose it did leak, underground? Is
> there any way we could push PEX or some other 'liner' through the three
> quarter copper out to the street as a replacement?
>
> Just thinking out loud! Any comment or criticism welcomed.
>
> Seasons greetings to all.

If you check the ID of typical 3/4" copper and the OD of any Pex tubing
that might fit inside you will see that the PEX suffers a serious
downgrade in ID size from the copper, hence your water flow will be
sharply reduced. If this is not a problem, then it could be done, but
for most people the slow showers, and dribbly outside hoses would be
too much of an aggravation. YMMV

Joe


Posted by Grandpa on December 21, 2006, 6:59 pm


terry wrote:
> Ref; a recent thread advocating the advantages of PEX in relation to
> replacing galvanized.
> [...]
> But just to pose the question; suppose it did leak, underground? Is
> there any way we could push PEX or some other 'liner' through the three
> quarter copper out to the street as a replacement?
>
> Just thinking out loud! Any comment or criticism welcomed.
>

Half-inch PEX is 5/8" OD. You can do the math, but you won't like the
flow rate.
--
Grandpa

Posted by Speedy Jim on December 21, 2006, 7:16 pm


terry wrote:
> Ref; a recent thread advocating the advantages of PEX in relation to
> replacing galvanized.
>
> In our case not galvanized pipe. But copper.
>
> Some homes in this area (municipal water supply) of similar age to this
> house (36 years) have experienced pinhole leaks in their (generally
> half inch) copper plumbing, within the house.
>
> We have not had any problems with such pin holing, although even glass
> lined hot water tanks here traditionally do suffer from corrosion and
> leakage. We have replaced at least three in some 30+ years and
> suppliers will not warranty them for more than three years!
>
> When we refurbished the bathroom within last couple of years we took
> the precaution then of replacing any copper that was within a wall.
> However all other plumbing is accessible from our unfinished basement.
>
> Just had the thought that our very deeply buried cold water pipe in
> from the street is three quarter inch copper! Municipal stop-cock some
> six to eight feet down at the street, with the actual connection to the
> main at least another six feet below that and our own residential shut
> off a couple of feet above basement floor.

Rest easy. Buried water service lines are routinely laid
using the heavier Type K copper tube. Interior piping
is done with lighter Type L or <gasp> paper-thin Type M.

You should be able to find a printed marking on the
existing interior pipe giving the Type.

Jim

Posted by Mark on December 21, 2006, 11:28 pm


I'd heard that the pin-hole leaks in copper pipe was caused by too much flux
being allowed to remain on the pipe after sweating. Don't know how much
truth there is to that.


> Ref; a recent thread advocating the advantages of PEX in relation to
> replacing galvanized.
>
> In our case not galvanized pipe. But copper.
>
> Some homes in this area (municipal water supply) of similar age to this
> house (36 years) have experienced pinhole leaks in their (generally
> half inch) copper plumbing, within the house.
>
> We have not had any problems with such pin holing, although even glass
> lined hot water tanks here traditionally do suffer from corrosion and
> leakage. We have replaced at least three in some 30+ years and
> suppliers will not warranty them for more than three years!
>
> When we refurbished the bathroom within last couple of years we took
> the precaution then of replacing any copper that was within a wall.
> However all other plumbing is accessible from our unfinished basement.
>
> Just had the thought that our very deeply buried cold water pipe in
> from the street is three quarter inch copper! Municipal stop-cock some
> six to eight feet down at the street, with the actual connection to the
> main at least another six feet below that and our own residential shut
> off a couple of feet above basement floor.
>
> We guess we'd never know if the underground developed pinholes or
> something more serious until flow seriously decreased or failed?.
>
> BTW. Our water is presently unmetered; whether that will change in
> future (climate warming, water shortages, additional growth in the
> area) etc. is unknown. And if it did become so the meter due to the
> depth of the service pipe would presumably be in the house.
>
> But just to pose the question; suppose it did leak, underground? Is
> there any way we could push PEX or some other 'liner' through the three
> quarter copper out to the street as a replacement?
>
> Just thinking out loud! Any comment or criticism welcomed.
>
> Seasons greetings to all.
>



Similar ThreadsPosted
Teflon Pipe Tape or TFE Paste Thread Compound with Teflon for Galvanized to ABS Threads?? November 5, 2005, 12:44 pm
Replacing galvanized water pipe with copper June 18, 2007, 11:46 pm
Thread 3/4 black pipe in place April 10, 2006, 6:21 pm
galvanized pipe for gas November 16, 2005, 9:30 pm
Galvanized pipe, not sure what to do? October 10, 2006, 12:06 pm
PEX to Galvanized Pipe November 10, 2006, 8:34 am
Galvanized Pipe December 21, 2006, 11:20 am
Black pipe or galvanized? July 1, 2005, 12:17 pm
rethreading Galvanized pipe December 22, 2006, 8:57 am
how to make new galvanized pipe look old February 15, 2007, 3:22 pm

Contact Us | Privacy Policy

XML SitemapXML Sitemap