HPR3604: Everything You Always Wanted to Know About PEX Part 01- Let's Talk About PEX - Introduction

Summary: Everything You Always Wanted to Know About PEX Part 01- Let's Talk About PEX - Introduction Why? My story Why am I posting about plumbing on HPR? "Of interest to hackers" I find it interesting We like to learn new things We like to understand How things work How things break How to use non-standard approached to solve problems Others can learn from my experience, troubleshooting process, etc... I had fun creating the episode titles. Pinhole leaks in copper pipe Causes – Note plumbing is around 40 years old and original to house Poor quality copper Shoddy installation Failure to de-bur pipe before soldering Not properly hung from joists Pipe on pipe Pipe on steel wire Bad soldering technique Lumpy solder Flux residue Excessive flux Hard water Only some neighbors experiencing the same issue, and their houses were constructed by the same builder. Learn more about copper pipe corrosion How to Stop Copper Pipe Corrosion - This Old House YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nD5lMITzx_Y High Water Pressure Normal = 60-80 PSI Tested at 63 PSI = GOOD!! Damage Water leaks caused damage to drywall in parts of my house and to items stored in my garage. Leaks in some areas can sometimes go unidentified for long enough to do extensive damage and even lead to dangerous mold growth. Possible solutions Short term Patch Epoxy kits Can be inconsistent May not bond to corroded pipe Some require turning off water and dry pipes Water activated tape Access around pipe May not bond to corroded pipe Some require turning off water and dry pipes Solder on patch Expensive Requires clean dry pipe exterior Requires draining the pipe Might as well cut out the leaking section and replace Repair Clamps Fast Strong Can be used while pipe is under pressure Minimal clearance needed Examples https://www.grainger.com/category/plumbing/pipe-tubing-and-fittings/pipe-repair-clamps-and-couplings/pipe-repair-clamps https://www.homedepot.com/b/Plumbing-Plumbing-Accessories-Repair-Clamps/Copper/N-5yc1vZbqomZ1z0vifv https://www.homedepot.com/b/Plumbing-Plumbing-Accessories-Repair-Clamps/Multi-Purpose/N-5yc1vZbqomZ1z0vhwh Long Term Repair copper Cut out damaged section and replace using SharkBite fittings Expensive Cut out damaged section and solder in new section of pipe Expensive Time consuming Many areas of corrosion visible Whack-a-mole - Where & when will next leak occur? New copper Expensive Difficult Time consuming PVC Still difficult – rig