I cracked a water pipe ...

[Miggo]

I was tightening some compression fittings to the water supply lines to the kitchen sink, and I think I cracked a soldered joint in the pipe about 12 inches down under the floor in the ceiling of the basement, just after the pipe comes out of a shut off valve. It just drips and I can shut the water off so that isn't a big deal.

My question is, is there an easy way to fix this, or do I have to get someone, or try to replace the copper pieces, sweat the joints etc.? Can I replace it with PVC, or flexible PEX tubing or something that would be easier?

Thank in advance for any suggestions.

[jokerthief]

Be more careful with your bong. /images/graemlins/mad.gif

[jakethebake]

Put a bucket under it.

[steelcmg]

[ QUOTE ]
I was tightening some compression fittings to the water supply lines to the kitchen sink, and I think I cracked a soldered joint in the pipe about 12 inches down under the floor in the ceiling of the basement, just after the pipe comes out of a shut off valve. It just drips and I can shut the water off so that isn't a big deal.

My question is, is there an easy way to fix this, or do I have to get someone, or try to replace the copper pieces, sweat the joints etc.? Can I replace it with PVC, or flexible PEX tubing or something that would be easier?

Thank in advance for any suggestions.

[/ QUOTE ]
yes!

[rusellmj]

[ QUOTE ]
Can I replace it with PVC?


[/ QUOTE ]

This would be a bad idea. When it comes to plumbing and your house you should avoid bandaids. If you have access to the pipe just repair with copper. You can buy everything you'll need for less than $40. If you don't think you can do it I'd advise hiring someone.

[Miggo]

If I cracked my bong, I'd just get another one. Plus I'm more careful with my bong than with my pipes. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

The leak is right over the washtub in the basement, so I don't need a bucket, just need to fix the pipe ... the one to the kitchen faucet. /images/graemlins/frown.gif

[Slow Play Ray]

ah, the follies of over-torquing.

tighter does not necessarily = better /images/graemlins/wink.gif

[jakethebake]

[ QUOTE ]
The leak is right over the washtub in the basement, so I don't need a bucket, just need to fix the pipe...

[/ QUOTE ]

Why? Just let it drip in the washtub indefinitely. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[bosoxfan]

duct tape

[imported_The Vibesman]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Can I replace it with PVC?


[/ QUOTE ]

This would be a bad idea. When it comes to plumbing and your house you should avoid bandaids. If you have access to the pipe just repair with copper. You can buy everything you'll need for less than $40. If you don't think you can do it I'd advise hiring someone.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is true. Just cut the copper pipe below the break where it is easy to get at and solder, and solder in a new piece of pipe and joint. If you don't know what you're doing tho, you should probably just call someone.

[Miggo]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Can I replace it with PVC?


[/ QUOTE ]

This would be a bad idea. When it comes to plumbing and your house you should avoid bandaids. If you have access to the pipe just repair with copper. You can buy everything you'll need for less than $40. If you don't think you can do it I'd advise hiring someone.

[/ QUOTE ]

How hard would this be to do, sounds like it might be something I could try? The pipes are real easy to get at, it's probably a total of about 2 feet with a 90 degree elbow in the middle and a fitting on each end. Never sweated copper joints before. I'm guessing, I need a torch kit, flux, solder, and the copper. Am I drawing to an open ended straight, or do I need a 5 on the turn and another 5 on the river? Thanks for the help?

[jakethebake]

[ QUOTE ]
How hard would this be to do, sounds like it might be something I could try?

[/ QUOTE ]

This thread is starting get good. Please keep us updated.

http://www.quns.cam.ac.uk/Queens/flood/PIC00026.jpg

[Miggo]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
How hard would this be to do, sounds like it might be something I could try?

[/ QUOTE ]

This thread is starting get good. Please keep us updated.

http://www.quns.cam.ac.uk/Queens/flood/PIC00026.jpg

[/ QUOTE ]

Ok. I'm gonna try to fix it myself. Right now I think it's a +EV move to fix it myself. Won't be able to get at it until after work though. I might have to post pictures as I go. I just hope that it doesn't end with pictures of a flooded basement with a plumbers truck sitting in my driveway with the plumber on the phone picking out the color of his Porsche that I'm gonna end up helping him buy.

[touchfaith]

Call me up....I'll fix it.


http://aquinohotline.com/images/plumb-thong.jpg

[imported_The Vibesman]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Can I replace it with PVC?


[/ QUOTE ]

This would be a bad idea. When it comes to plumbing and your house you should avoid bandaids. If you have access to the pipe just repair with copper. You can buy everything you'll need for less than $40. If you don't think you can do it I'd advise hiring someone.

[/ QUOTE ]

How hard would this be to do, sounds like it might be something I could try? The pipes are real easy to get at, it's probably a total of about 2 feet with a 90 degree elbow in the middle and a fitting on each end. Never sweated copper joints before. I'm guessing, I need a torch kit, flux, solder, and the copper. Am I drawing to an open ended straight, or do I need a 5 on the turn and another 5 on the river? Thanks for the help?

[/ QUOTE ]

If the pipes are easy to get at, you should be fine. Turn off the water supply, cut off on either side of the joint, leaving yourself enough pipe to work with, and splice a new joint right in. You need a few feet of pipe (comes in different sizes, usually 3/8ths or 1/2 inch for this, I can't remember), a 90 degree elbow, two connectors (little copper sleeves to connect the str8 pipes), the torch kit, flux, solder, a tubing cutter, and sandpaper/brushes to clean the pipe. A few things:

Make sure you clean the pipes well everywhere you will solder, with sandpaper or wire brush.
Try to find a valve below the connection that you can use to empty the pipes of water. Trying to solder water-filled pipes sucks.
I'd cut everything out and put it all together before re-soldering a single joint. Once it's all together, you can solder everything at once.

[RunDownHouse]

[ QUOTE ]
Am I drawing to an open ended straight, or do I need a 5 on the turn and another 5 on the river? Thanks for the help?

[/ QUOTE ]
First cut yourself for using lame poker analogies.

[SomethingClever]

Do everything this guy said and you'll be fine.

I just did this for the first time last week and the sweating was the easy part. They even make "EZ sweat" connectors that have the soldier already inside. All you have to do is flux it, heat it, and you'll see the bead come up.

If you have any threaded connections you need to repair, either use a [censored] ton of teflon tape (we didn't use enough) or use "pipe dope," which is a goop that seals even better.

[Miggo]

[ QUOTE ]
Call me up....I'll fix it.


http://aquinohotline.com/images/plumb-thong.jpg

[/ QUOTE ]

Jeees, I'm not calling anyone now.

[MrTrik]

[ QUOTE ]
duct tape

[/ QUOTE ]

The only answer that makes sense.

[xadrez]

whoa bro, that is sooo 2:40

[rmarotti]

Measure before you go to the hardware store and you won't need to buy a cutter.