Copper to PEX - Experience, recommendstions, cost, etc?

[Anonymous]

lol. Joint compound. lol. I call it mud.

My guess is the poster meant to say flux, not joint compound or solder. My understanding is flux of the time period contained acids or other compounds and if not cleaned properly, it would corrode/erode over time and leak. Typically the pin hole leaks often found these days. The flux at the joint would transfer by the plumber, helper, or otherwise, to other areas on the copper and it wasn’t cleaned.

This thought is ignorant of other factors such as copper thickness, water quality, pressure, or otherwise, that could also affect the lifespan of the copper.


For the poster who mentioned replacing copper with pex - any comments to experiences,
Recommendations, or
Costs?

[Anonymous]

If you do a Google search for pinhole leaks you'll see nobody really knows what causes them.

[Anonymous]

Precisely why pp stated

This thought is ignorant of other factors such as copper thickness, water quality, pressure, or otherwise, that could also affect the lifespan of the copper.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The copper pipes are leaking because the joint compound they used in the 1960s and 70s corrode copper over time, even if the plumber accidentally touched the middle of the pipe with the substance.

They don't use that kind of joint compound any more.

Replace your copper pipes with copper.

Don't take plumbing advice from anyone who talks about the "joint compound" in copper pipes.

Sorry.

Used the wrong term. Whatever it is, 3 different plumbers have mentioned that there was some type of goo or material used in construction in the late 60s/early 70s that create oxidation and pinhole leaks in the pipes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:lol. Joint compound. lol. I call it mud.

My guess is the poster meant to say flux, not joint compound or solder. My understanding is flux of the time period contained acids or other compounds and if not cleaned properly, it would corrode/erode over time and leak. Typically the pin hole leaks often found these days. The flux at the joint would transfer by the plumber, helper, or otherwise, to other areas on the copper and it wasn’t cleaned.

This thought is ignorant of other factors such as copper thickness, water quality, pressure, or otherwise, that could also affect the lifespan of the copper.


For the poster who mentioned replacing copper with pex - any comments to experiences,
Recommendations, or
Costs?

"... My guess is the poster meant to say flux, not joint compound or solder. My understanding is flux of the time period contained acids or other compounds and if not cleaned properly, it would corrode/erode over time and leak. Typically the pin hole leaks often found these days. The flux at the joint would transfer by the plumber, helper, or otherwise, to other areas on the copper and it wasn’t cleaned. ..."

YES! Thank you!

This is EXACTLY as the plumbers described it!

3 different plumbers over a ten year span.

Flux.

I will never forget that word.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:lol. Joint compound. lol. I call it mud.

My guess is the poster meant to say flux, not joint compound or solder. My understanding is flux of the time period contained acids or other compounds and if not cleaned properly, it would corrode/erode over time and leak. Typically the pin hole leaks often found these days. The flux at the joint would transfer by the plumber, helper, or otherwise, to other areas on the copper and it wasn’t cleaned.

This thought is ignorant of other factors such as copper thickness, water quality, pressure, or otherwise, that could also affect the lifespan of the copper.


For the poster who mentioned replacing copper with pex - any comments to experiences,
Recommendations, or
Costs?

"... My guess is the poster meant to say flux, not joint compound or solder. My understanding is flux of the time period contained acids or other compounds and if not cleaned properly, it would corrode/erode over time and leak. Typically the pin hole leaks often found these days. The flux at the joint would transfer by the plumber, helper, or otherwise, to other areas on the copper and it wasn’t cleaned. ..."

YES! Thank you!

This is EXACTLY as the plumbers described it!

3 different plumbers over a ten year span.

Flux.

I will never forget that word.

And if you read up you'll find that it's a topic of great dispute what causes pinholes. Tens of millions of houses were built with copper pipe and acid flux. Only a small number developed problems.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:lol. Joint compound. lol. I call it mud.

My guess is the poster meant to say flux, not joint compound or solder. My understanding is flux of the time period contained acids or other compounds and if not cleaned properly, it would corrode/erode over time and leak. Typically the pin hole leaks often found these days. The flux at the joint would transfer by the plumber, helper, or otherwise, to other areas on the copper and it wasn’t cleaned.

This thought is ignorant of other factors such as copper thickness, water quality, pressure, or otherwise, that could also affect the lifespan of the copper.


For the poster who mentioned replacing copper with pex - any comments to experiences,
Recommendations, or
Costs?

"... My guess is the poster meant to say flux, not joint compound or solder. My understanding is flux of the time period contained acids or other compounds and if not cleaned properly, it would corrode/erode over time and leak. Typically the pin hole leaks often found these days. The flux at the joint would transfer by the plumber, helper, or otherwise, to other areas on the copper and it wasn’t cleaned. ..."

YES! Thank you!

This is EXACTLY as the plumbers described it!

3 different plumbers over a ten year span.

Flux.

I will never forget that word.

It comes from the Latin word for flow. It's applied to copper so that the solder, which is what joins the pipe to the fittings, doesn't bead up when applied.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:lol. Joint compound. lol. I call it mud.

My guess is the poster meant to say flux, not joint compound or solder. My understanding is flux of the time period contained acids or other compounds and if not cleaned properly, it would corrode/erode over time and leak. Typically the pin hole leaks often found these days. The flux at the joint would transfer by the plumber, helper, or otherwise, to other areas on the copper and it wasn’t cleaned.

This thought is ignorant of other factors such as copper thickness, water quality, pressure, or otherwise, that could also affect the lifespan of the copper.


For the poster who mentioned replacing copper with pex - any comments to experiences,
Recommendations, or
Costs?

"... My guess is the poster meant to say flux, not joint compound or solder. My understanding is flux of the time period contained acids or other compounds and if not cleaned properly, it would corrode/erode over time and leak. Typically the pin hole leaks often found these days. The flux at the joint would transfer by the plumber, helper, or otherwise, to other areas on the copper and it wasn’t cleaned. ..."

YES! Thank you!

This is EXACTLY as the plumbers described it!

3 different plumbers over a ten year span.

Flux.

I will never forget that word.

And if you read up you'll find that it's a topic of great dispute what causes pinholes. Tens of millions of houses were built with copper pipe and acid flux. Only a small number developed problems.

Thank you.

The first plumber who mentioned it pointed out the discoloration around the corrosion as the sign that "flux" was the issue. They look like finger smudges. Same size, spacing and shape, with the rest of the pipe just looking like normal copper pipes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:lol. Joint compound. lol. I call it mud.

My guess is the poster meant to say flux, not joint compound or solder. My understanding is flux of the time period contained acids or other compounds and if not cleaned properly, it would corrode/erode over time and leak. Typically the pin hole leaks often found these days. The flux at the joint would transfer by the plumber, helper, or otherwise, to other areas on the copper and it wasn’t cleaned.

This thought is ignorant of other factors such as copper thickness, water quality, pressure, or otherwise, that could also affect the lifespan of the copper.


For the poster who mentioned replacing copper with pex - any comments to experiences,
Recommendations, or
Costs?

I say mudding when I'm actually mudding but if I'm buying it, its joint compound.

The flux would burn off with the soldering and that would only be an issue at the connections. Pin hole leaks can happen anywhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:lol. Joint compound. lol. I call it mud.

My guess is the poster meant to say flux, not joint compound or solder. My understanding is flux of the time period contained acids or other compounds and if not cleaned properly, it would corrode/erode over time and leak. Typically the pin hole leaks often found these days. The flux at the joint would transfer by the plumber, helper, or otherwise, to other areas on the copper and it wasn’t cleaned.

This thought is ignorant of other factors such as copper thickness, water quality, pressure, or otherwise, that could also affect the lifespan of the copper.


For the poster who mentioned replacing copper with pex - any comments to experiences,
Recommendations, or
Costs?

"... My guess is the poster meant to say flux, not joint compound or solder. My understanding is flux of the time period contained acids or other compounds and if not cleaned properly, it would corrode/erode over time and leak. Typically the pin hole leaks often found these days. The flux at the joint would transfer by the plumber, helper, or otherwise, to other areas on the copper and it wasn’t cleaned. ..."

YES! Thank you!

This is EXACTLY as the plumbers described it!

3 different plumbers over a ten year span.

Flux.

I will never forget that word.

And if you read up you'll find that it's a topic of great dispute what causes pinholes. Tens of millions of houses were built with copper pipe and acid flux. Only a small number developed problems.

Thank you.

The first plumber who mentioned it pointed out the discoloration around the corrosion as the sign that "flux" was the issue. They look like finger smudges. Same size, spacing and shape, with the rest of the pipe just looking like normal copper pipes.

Don't hire that plumber. We and many of our neighbors have pin hole leaks with our 50's homes.

[Anonymous]

Homes that get their water from WSSC have an elevated risk of pinhole leaks. WSSC has researched the issue but hasn't been able to figure out why.

They have discovered that cold water pipes are more prone to the leaks than hot water pipes, and horizontal pipes are more prone than vertical ones. Which wouldn't be consistent with flux being the issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The copper pipes are leaking because the joint compound they used in the 1960s and 70s corrode copper over time, even if the plumber accidentally touched the middle of the pipe with the substance.

They don't use that kind of joint compound any more.

Replace your copper pipes with copper.

Joint compound?? Huh? Copper pipes are soldered. You know, with solder.

[Anonymous]

PEX is the way to go these days. Easy to run and less flow reduction. They will install a manifold with a line for each terminating point so any single faucet or appliance can be shut off separately. Never heard of algae in PEX and the municipal water around here is so high in chlorine, that would be highly unlikely even in sunlight. Galvanized pipe gave way to copper, then CPVC or plastic pipe. The first flexible lines were polybutylene piping and that has been recalled because chlorine eats it up. CPVC is giving way to PEX. No one wants to torch and sweat copper pipe anymore and copper is expensive as hell. That said, nothing wrong with it at all. Consult with plumbers and get some cost estimates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The copper pipes are leaking because the joint compound they used in the 1960s and 70s corrode copper over time, even if the plumber accidentally touched the middle of the pipe with the substance.

They don't use that kind of joint compound any more.

Replace your copper pipes with copper.

Don't take plumbing advice from anyone who talks about the "joint compound" in copper pipes.

ha! +1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The copper pipes are leaking because the joint compound they used in the 1960s and 70s corrode copper over time, even if the plumber accidentally touched the middle of the pipe with the substance.

They don't use that kind of joint compound any more.

Replace your copper pipes with copper.

Joint compound?? Huh? Copper pipes are soldered. You know, with solder.

I used the wrong term.

Someone corrected it a few posts back.