Just when I had it all fixed

[Basil]

I spent the last two days sweating 3/4" copper pipe and numerous fittings to repair several burst water pipes out in the garage. I ended up replacing about 8 feet of pipe with about half a dozen 45 and 90 degree fittings and several straight couplings. I thought I had it all done to perfection, when tonight we heard a hissing from behind the wall near the water heater. I could see the drywall bubbling and, upon touching the area, it was clear there was a leak (pin hole) in the hot water pipe behind the wall. I doubt that was from freezing, but more likely just from normal corrosion.

Looks like I'll be removing a large section of drywall and doing more repair work tomorrow. Sigh....

 

[Gliderman8]

I had a similar problem about two years ago. The SS braided supply line to my water heater also had a pinhole leak. My water heater is in the basement. The moisture sensor on the floor at the base of the water heater shut off the main water supply and sent me an alert.

 

[bobhustead]

I know that what you did is not the part that's leaking, but for the last 20 years or so I have used nothing but PEX. Easy to work with, cuts with a PVC pipe cutter, bends quite a bit, and doen't care at all about freezing.
Bob

 

[Basil]

I had a similar problem about two years ago. The SS braided supply line to my water heater also had a pinhole leak. My water heater is in the basement. The moisture sensor on the floor at the base of the water heater shut off the main water supply and sent me an alert.

View attachment 67476

I had to replace the supply line on my water heater about 3 years ago - same thing - pinhole leak. That's what I have in the wall right now. It is a hot water line so I don't think it was due to freezing as it looks like it’s a pinhole in a small area of corrosion.

 

[Basil]

I know that what you did is not the part that's leaking, but for the last 20 years or so I have used nothing but PEX. Easy to work with, cuts with a PVC pipe cutter, bends quite a bit, and doen't care at all about freezing.
Bob

One of these day I might replace all the exposed pipe with PEX. I've heard good things about it.

 

[Gliderman8]

What about thermostatic controlled heat tape?

Edit: Just noticed your comment about the leak not being attributed to freezing.

 

[DavidApp]

On the subject of leaks the flexible supply lines to the washing machine often get overlooked.

There is a home inspector that does a weekly column in the Sunday paper. One week it was on the not relying on the lines that came with the washing machine 10 years ago but replacing them with SS braided lines. Could save you a bundle in water damage.
He had just inspected a house where the washing machine line had burst while the home owner was away on vacation doing Thousands od dollars in damage.

I went out and got new lines.

David

 

[Gliderman8]

After my mother-in-laws house suffered about $75k worth of damage from a leak while she was away, I installed wireless moisture sensors in all the wet areas of my home. When the sensor detects moisture it shuts off the main supply. It has already paid for itself.

 

[DNK]

Feel your pain
Been in the house 8 yrs. Second owner . Built in 08
Was noticing a damp smell last summer and noticed drywall muck on the floor.
Cut into it and found a drain line for a seldom used shower and a often used sink had a coupler that was never glued. Not only that it didn't even have the purple primer on it

 

[DrEntropy]

No primer, no glue... remarkable it just became noticeable.

Had the braided line on the hot water tank let go a year ago, didn't know it 'til Mitsy went into the laundry to do a load. It was a sauna in there,, drywall soaked and paint sagging off. what a mess.. Have yet to do all the remediation. Put new braided lines on the tank, will replace those with "goose-neck" copper when I do the rest of the repair work. I no longer trust the braided stainless (Made in China) stainless lines.

 

[DNK]

No primer, no glue... remarkable it just became noticeable. ....

It was a tight enough fit that it just dripped slowly.
If you look at the subfloor above you can see the black mildew

 

[Gliderman8]

No primer, no glue... remarkable it just became noticeable.

Had the braided line on the hot water tank let go a year ago, didn't know it 'til Mitsy went into the laundry to do a load. It was a sauna in there,, drywall soaked and paint sagging off. what a mess.. Have yet to do all the remediation. Put new braided lines on the tank, will replace those with "goose-neck" copper when I do the rest of the repair work. I no longer trust the braided stainless (Made in China) stainless lines.

This is your friend for situations like that:

 

[Boink]

One of these day I might replace all the exposed pipe with PEX. I've heard good things about it.

Replaced a lot of our lines with PEX (done by someone else, with all the tools needed - mostly clamps). Supposedly the stuff can freeze (and expand).

 

[glemon]

Pex can freeze and expand, but you might still get leaks at joints or broken brass unions. But it is really easy to work with. I completely redid my master bath a couple years ago, running the pex was by far the easiest part of the project.

 

[Basil]

Pex can freeze and expand, but you might still get leaks at joints or broken brass unions. But it is really easy to work with. I completely redid my master bath a couple years ago, running the pex was by far the easiest part of the project.

That's good to know since a bathroom remodel is on my bucket list.