Copper pipe question

[djryval]

I have a 3 month old new house and noticed a small seep under the sink at the fitting where the shutoff valve is installed. It has already started to rust the copper pipe just a little where the pipe meets the hex fitting. Since I've caught this at such an early stage, when I have the leak fixed this week will I have to worry about the rust continuing to grow on the pipe or should it be ok?

[jimbo]

Copper does not rust. It can corrode slightly, mostly just gets an oxidized coating.

If what you see is whitish, it is just mineral deposit buildup from the dripping water. If it is bluish/greenish it is most likely just reaction from soldering flux left on a soldered joint.


Neither of these is a big problem. If you fix whatever is leaking, clean the pipe and you will be fine.

[djryval]

Thanks. It is brownish in color, and could also be coming from the escutcheon because there is only about an inch of copper tubing coming up from the bottom of the cabinet before the shutoff valve is installed. The escutcheon sits very close to the seep (it's rusted to the pipe because I can't move it) and the valve is installed vertically so the seep is running downward. The seep is coming from the hex nut that connects the copper tube to the shutoff valve. It's seeping around the bottom of the nut, but hopefully it won't be hard to fix because there isn't much pipe to work with.

[construct30]

Thanks. It is brownish in color, and could also be coming from the escutcheon because there is only about an inch of copper tubing coming up from the bottom of the cabinet before the shutoff valve is installed. The escutcheon sits very close to the seep (it's rusted to the pipe because I can't move it) and the valve is installed vertically so the seep is running downward.

Cut the escutcheon off there, it is a cheap metal one, use a plastic one, the rusty metal is not real good for the copper pipe. It would take a long time, but it could damage it.

[hj]

Tighten the nut and forget it.

[djryval]

thanks. the plumber came out this morning and tightened everything up (still under warranty). he left the escutcheon, but as long as it's dry it should be fine i think.