Reply With QuoteThat type of corrosion is common in Illinois. The gas from the effluent eats away the top of the pipes. I would check your horizontal drain lines. I make a lot of money doing repipes on copper dwv systems.
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How does that explain why only one small section of pipe has the holes?Originally Posted by markts30
That type of corrosion is common in Illinois. The gas from the effluent eats away the top of the pipes. I would check your horizontal drain lines. I make a lot of money doing repipes on copper dwv systems.
And to add to that note, get the benefit of all the scrap copper that comes with it.
In Latonia near the river there is a mix of commercial/industrial with a huge blend of residential all in one area.
The sewer gases are notorious for rotting out cast iron and copper DWV systems all the time. Usually catches the top of the piping as the gases will always follow the top of the pipe till it reaches the open air. Silmar plastics down in that area is probably to blame for most of it.
I've seen a great deal of people wrap that bad spot with electrical tape and hold for years without error. Not my way of doing plumbing though.
Read what the end of this sentence means.
Is it possible that that section of pipe was not sloped (i.e., horizontal)? There is a reason pipe should have a slope.
Jim DeBruycker
Important note - I'm not a pro
Retired Defense Industry Engineer; Schluter 2.5-day Workshop Completed 2013
Usually that will eat out the bottom of the pipe from what I've seen?
The condensation tends to form and collect on the horizontal pipes only...
Chances are all the horizontal piping in the home (copper waste piping I mean) has a similar problem... In the vertical piping it would tend to drain...
Then, wouldn't you expect the holes to be on the bottom of the horizontal pipes, since any droplets that would theoretically form, should pool up on the bottom, rather than the top.
It's the gas. Towns with sulphur in the water are notorious for this. Usually it's the top of the drain lines, but sometimes the vents.
I checked all the other copper piping in the house, and they all look fine. It's a small house, and all the piping is confined to one area in the basement, which is accessible near the furnace (nothing in the walls, except for the upstairs bathroom that I am remodeling).
As you guys found this interesting, here's a pic of what the inside of the pipe looked like. There was about 1/2" of powdered corrosion sitting in the bottom of the pipe... (but the bottom of the pipe didn't have -any- holes).
scrap as much copper as you can saw out and it will pay for the new plastic pipe and maybe a short vacation.
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