Texas plumbing questions. How to repair plumbing leaks

[Master Plumber Mark]

I expect some of the stuff I buy from my plumbing supply could be made in China, Mark.

Thanks for your help.

I think most of the stuff you get from Fergusons or other places are higher quality copper fittings
like Cerro ... the junk stuff you might find at HD and Lowes...


I bought out a ton of plumbing supplies about 7 years ago when Sears Hardware closed in our town...
I got first dibs on 2 stores and I bought the whole plumbing departments out.... basically for pennies on the dollar...
I filled up 2 box trucks with everything worth while to grab....I was like a kid in a candy store

I ended up with thousands of copper fittings for a penny each...... I still have a lot of good fittings to use if I get
the chance to before I die... they arenow just sitting in the office collecting dust

I have noticed that some of the 1/2 copper
elbows seemed lighter and not as beefey as others....

We have burned through lots of the materials and they have come in very handy many times.
We still have lots of chrome 1/2 and 3/4 angle stops to find homes for...
Tons of cheap end gate valves in 3/4 and one inch which I will probably never use
and eventually I will just scrap them out.....

My motto is ...if someone offers you something you use every day for basically nothing
and it never spoils or grows old.... you buy it all up if you can ...

 

[Kelly]

Good buy! Now that I don't build or remodel any longer, I can't take advantage of such deals any longer, but I still wish you lived next door.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[hirsh_plumbing]

Texas plumbing questions. How to repair plumbing leaks.
Where is a main shutoff?
Questions about my well
Water heater questions

Can I use Sharkbites to repair leaks, and is PEX a good repair pipe?
What kind of pipe cutter is good for cutting out sections of pipe has split.

You can check the links here and fee free to ask your questions on the forums here. We like to help homeowners with their plumbing questions and hope to get you all back on line with your water issues.
Terry Love

For plumbing leaks, turn off the water first. Main shutoffs are often outside near the meter or inside where the water line enters. Consult professionals for well and water heater issues. SharkBites are easy for quick repairs, and PEX is a good repair pipe. Use specific pipe cutters for different pipe materials. The image shows a spigot cover for freeze protection.

 

[palmplumb]

Texas plumbing questions. How to repair plumbing leaks.
Where is a main shutoff?
Questions about my well
Water heater questions

Can I use Sharkbites to repair leaks, and is PEX a good repair pipe?
What kind of pipe cutter is good for cutting out sections of pipe has split.

You can check the links here and fee free to ask your questions on the forums here. We like to help homeowners with their plumbing questions and hope to get you all back on line with your water issues.
Terry Love

Hi Terry and everyone,

Thanks for keeping this forum active — it’s a great resource for homeowners dealing with plumbing issues.

To answer a couple of questions from above:

• SharkBite fittings can work well for temporary or even permanent repairs, especially in tight spots. Just be sure the pipe is cut clean and deburred, and that you push it in all the way until it seats properly. They're code-approved in many areas, but for long-term peace of mind, soldered joints or crimped PEX are generally more reliable.
• PEX is a great option for repairs — flexible, resistant to freeze damage, and easy to work with. Just make sure you use the right fittings (crimp, clamp, or expansion depending on the system).
• For cutting pipe, a rotary tubing cutter works well for copper or PEX. For tight spaces or tough angles, a mini cutter or even a good-quality plastic pipe cutter (for PEX or PVC) can be very handy.

If anyone has specific questions about well pumps, water pressure issues, or Florida-related plumbing palm coast, I’m happy to share what we’ve handled out here in Palm Coast, FL. We deal with plenty of high groundwater, corrosion, and sump-related issues.

Happy to help!

 

[Jack Thomas]

Texas plumbing questions. How to repair plumbing leaks.
Where is a main shutoff?
Questions about my well
Water heater questions

Can I use Sharkbites to repair leaks, and is PEX a good repair pipe?
What kind of pipe cutter is good for cutting out sections of pipe has split.

You can check the links here and fee free to ask your questions on the forums here. We like to help homeowners with their plumbing questions and hope to get you all back on line with your water issues.
Terry Love

PEX and SharkBites out here saving my butt again. Pretty sure I’m one more pipe burst away from becoming a full-time plumber

 

[Slomoola]

Amazing how guys that run copper never wipe the flux and excess solder off immediately after sweating fittings on. Such a sloppy look. Leads to corrosion at the joints and poor work.

 

[Fitter30]

Amazing how guys that run copper never wipe the flux and excess solder off immediately after sweating fittings on. Such a sloppy look. Leads to corrosion at the joints and poor work.

There are industries standards and industries practices. Standards is how job is supposed to be installed. Solder, capped and wiped. No different than plumb, level and square. Practices what happens when there might good intentions but from lack of education on how it should be done or out of site out of mind.

 

[Master Plumber Mark]

Amazing how guys that run copper never wipe the flux and excess solder off immediately after sweating fittings on. Such a sloppy look. Leads to corrosion at the joints and poor work.

And I get laughed at for soldering stuff together these days by younger guys who only know how to use a pro-press tool
and have never learned how to solder in the first place....

Or they only know how to crimp pex stuff together and it absolutely looks like dog shit...

Or sharkbites are all they know how to use...... jesus christ what is the world coming too??

Yes, It is always better to wipe your joints and not do a sloppy assed job
but sometimes you can wipe things off and sometimes you cannot ...it all depends

 

[Slomoola]

Yes, It is always better to wipe your joints and not do a sloppy assed job
but sometimes you can wipe things off and sometimes you cannot ...it all depends

If you have room to sweat it on, you have room to wipe LOL.

 

[Master Plumber Mark]

If you have room to sweat it on, you have room to wipe LOL.

If you are standing way up on a ladder and soldering way up over your head in a rafter
on a hose bib it is not something I am going to go out of my way to attempt to do

 

[Slomoola]

Just takes a second to wipe the bonded area with a red rag.

 

[Master Plumber Mark]

Just takes a second to wipe the bonded area with a red rag.

and you risk moving the joint too much as it is setting up.....

 

[Slomoola]

and you risk moving the joint too much as it is setting up.....

By the time you turn off your blow torch, set it aside, reach for a red rag, enough heat has been pulled out of the bonded area. You gently let the rag take all the "product" away. You are not gorilla gripping the pipe with the rag forcing solder and flux away. It's a gentle wiping procedure.

 

[Master Plumber Mark]

By the time you turn off your blow torch, set it aside, reach for a red rag, enough heat has been pulled out of the bonded area. You gently let the rag take all the "product" away. You are not gorilla gripping the pipe with the rag forcing solder and flux away. It's a gentle wiping procedure.

THANK YOU for explaining to me how to do this.......

 

[Slomoola]

THANK YOU for explaining to me how to do this.......

Sorry. Just stating the obvious. My bad......

 

[FireDrifter]

SharkBites are great for quick repairs, especially if you want something easy without soldering. PEX is also reliable for most repairs. For cutting out sections, a good PEX cutter or a quality tubing cutter works best to get a clean cut.

 

[Slomoola]

SharkBites are great for quick repairs

Not at my house. Prefer more of a quality repair. Buy what you like.