My New House & Workshop

[Rick W]

You sly devil. It just dawned on me all of this silly “leak” stuff was planned, so you don’t have to fool with lawn sprinklers. Wise beyond his years…

So here’s the big question, I hope I’m not stealing your thunder. When’s the party?

 

[Rick W]

And, afterthought, did you run underground lines for the gas grills or are you going to use propane tanks?

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Take a close look at the leaking spigots' threads for damage. Make sure its gland? is sealing too.

 

[Curious Hound]

So here’s the big question, I hope I’m not stealing your thunder. When’s the party?

September, in Kentucky.

 

[Rick W]

September, in Kentucky.

You’re going to need more PEX

 

[Jim Oaks]

And, afterthought, did you run underground lines for the gas grills or are you going to use propane tanks?

I cook on charcoal.

 

[sgtsandman]

I cook on charcoal.

As it should be!

 

[Roert42]

The dope/tape isn’t there to seal the threads. It’s to lubricate the threads, to make it easier to tighten them all the way.

Although, I’m sure it doesn’t not seal.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

The dope/tape isn’t there to seal the threads. It’s to lubricate the threads, to make it easier to tighten them all the way.

Although, I’m sure it doesn’t not seal.

And I've split fittings before... The tape definitely works as lube.

 

[franklin2]

The dope/tape isn’t there to seal the threads. It’s to lubricate the threads, to make it easier to tighten them all the way.

Although, I’m sure it doesn’t not seal.

I had a plumber tell me that too. I am sure that is a part of it, but there is a reason they put all those solids in pipe dope. Like I said before, if you have a small drip, 90% of the time you come back in the morning it has already stopped or almost stopped. Most water systems have so many minerals and dirt, that along with corrosion from the fitting it will self seal most of the time. Brass and plastic usually take longer to self seal.

 

[Jim Oaks]

I spent all day Saturday fixing a hot water line leaking under the slab in my daughters house.

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Here you can see water coming out of the pinhole leak. The eater from the hoteater tank was shutoff. This was the water left sitting in the pipes.

For some reason there was a gap in the vapor barrier and some of the pipe had cement on them.

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Bad section cut out. Now time to clean up the copper pipe.

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A coupling and slip coupling with a piece of PEX in between. I didn't have much room to work, so the PEX piece in the middle is 2.50" long (1.25" + 1.25"), just long enough to engage both Sharbites. I wanted a 0.25" inch gap in the middle but i got tiredof trying to wire wheel and sand all of the cent and crap off the pipe, and the closer it got to the edge of this hole the harder it was to work.

I spent 12-hours removing the ceramic tile, cutting, hammer and chiseling through that tough ass concrete, going to Lowes for parts, cutting the pipe, cleaning the pipe, smoothing it with 600 grip paper, getting the fittings on, and then getting the slip coupling to slide into the other joint. This copper pipe was slightly bent so the coupling didnt slide easily.

Went back over today, made sure it wasn't leaking, wrapped it with sharbite tape, filled the dirt/sand back in, put down some plastic, and then covered that with concrete.

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They have left over floor tiles. My son-in-law will reinstall the tile.

It was going to cost them thousands to have a plumber fix this. Doing it ourselves cost them about $110.

On a side note, I got electrocuted twice before realizing the cord on my drill finally worn to the point there was a small section of bare wire exposed.

I wasn't even using it. I just touched the cord while I was on the floor working. Wasn't sure what shocked me the 1st time.

I hate that feeling.

I hate plumbing. I've done to much of it lately.

 

[Rick W]

I love it, satisfaction of an impossible job. Well done.

How on earth did you ever find where it was leaking?

 

[97RangerXLT]

how did you pinpoint the leak under the slab? infrared heat detector?

AJ

 

[Jim Oaks]

My son-in-law first noticed that the floor was getting hot before realizing they had a leak. The spot under this tile was the hottest. This problem has been happening for a while. They've put off fixing it because of the cost. They were shutting the hot water tank off when they weren't using it.

I'm shocked and blessed that it was all confined to this one point.

I got worried when I saw the missing vapor barrier. First thought that was the reason it was the warmest here and the leak could have been somewhere else, but as soon I started digging you could see the water leaking.

I'm wondering if the gap in the vapor barrier allowed concrete to damage the copper pipe over time.

 

[Rick W]

Amazing. Holy cow they are blessed it went so well, and really blessed Dad knew what and how to do…

… and you are blessed with offspring who
look to you, and blessed with talent to help them, blessed with family.

And, oh yeah, you had the idea for this website, so you’re blessed with all the rest of us too!