DVD-quality lessons (including tabs/sheet music) available for immediate viewing on any device.
Take your playing to the next level with the help of a local or online banjo teacher.
Weekly newsletter includes free lessons, favorite member content, banjo news and more.
Page: 1 2 Last Page (2)
I figure there is probably a plumber amongst the banjo playing community. I noticed a stream of water running across the floor in my basement late this morning. Didn’t think much about it at first. It rained last night and the old coal room always leaks a little when we get a fair amount of rain or snow. On further examination the water was around the hot water heater area. Discovered a fine mist of water spraying out of a 6” nipple on the supply side of my water heater.. Here’s my questions, I’ve installed a clamp on temporary repair sleeve on the nipple. Where it is located it’s a little difficult to tighten it. It seem s to be dripping about one drip every 30 seconds give or take a few seconds. Will that be okay for a couple of days until either I and my neighbor can fix it or I can get a plumber here? My other question am I better off leaving the water turned on and letting a couple of faucets drip or shutting the water off at the meter and draining the lines until I can get this fixed?
>. galvanized fittings very susceptible to hard water corrosives - replace vulnerable fittings with bronze marine grade fittings although, you'll almost certainly need to feret them out through a plumbing supply wholesale source since I doubt you'll find bronze fittings at your local Home Depot or Lowe's, etc.
.....and, I keep spares on hand.
That should be an easy enough fix. I’d collect the drips in a bucket, and check the water level in the bucket every now and then until you get a feeling for when it will need to be emptied.
When you get the replacement parts shut off the water and drain the pipe, take off the hose and back out the old nipple. Put the new one back together using Teflon tape, and put new Teflon tape on the brass connector too.
Not sure I’d go with bronze or just replace the galvanized with new. The pipe you’ll be screwing it into looks like older galvanized… and it still looks like it’s doing fine.
I don’t know anything about American plumbing and have never used galvanised pipe. But, my initial thoughts are pretty much the same as Rays. You should be able to keep the heating on whilst you get the parts you need and it should be a quick fix to replace the leaking part.
Top tip - I don’t know what store opening hours are like in the US but typically in the U.K. the good trade supply stores close for the weekend at 12.00 on Saturday and the crappy large general public ones shut 16.00 on Sunday. I always take these times into account if I don’t have a load of appropriate supplies at home or I’m not 100% confident i can easily make the repair - there’s nothing worse that having the water off for the day because you can’t get that one roll ,of PTFE tape or brass olive that you were sure you had in your tool box.
To the solution offered above, I would add that use liquid Teflon in addition to Teflon tape. Wrap the threads with the tape (wrap in the same direction as you tighten) then goop the liquid Teflon over the tape before putting it all back together. You'll be glad you did.
Otherwise, from what you've described, not a big deal.
Edited by - banjoy on 01/19/2025 05:58:38
Changing out what can be easily reached of the galvanized pipe is on my list of things to do. I’m not sure if the upstairs bathroom is going to be possible though. Over the last 3 years we’ve had 3 major expenses though. We had to replace both hvac systems and we’re having a new roof put on starting last week. So for now I need to repair what I have. There are a lot of things I will attempt to do my self but plumbing and electrical aren’t them. I know my limitations.
Looks like the nipples are the newest of the pipe. With the corrosion, it looks like you should replace the two nipples and the 90 degree fittings. On irrigation system I use epoxy coated fittings, but not sure they are available in small diameters and probably not needed when not covered with dirt. The nipples could have just been defective with a pin hole. Copper pipe also develops pin holes, but for vertical pipe (steel or copper) where corrosive material doesn't settle and lay on the inside of the pipe it seems unusual.
John, both nipples are only about 4 years old. That’s when a friend and I installed the hot water heater. I replaced the nipple that was leaking early this afternoon. So far so good. The nipple I took off was pretty nasty. The outside of it where the leak was had a brownish film on it a the inside in that same area had build up of I’m assuming hard water deposits. I definitely will be looking into replacing as much galvanized pipe as I can reach in the near future.
Your galvanized doesn't look old, but in my 1955 home, they surely did. I did have and fix a few leaks, but became appalled at the inside condition of the pipes and what water my family was subject to. Plenty of corrosion you may never see outside the pipes. Some looked like they were manufactured by rolling, and about to split. Mine were just 1/2 inch lines at most. So I did a conversion to pex all through, and replaced the drain lines, (some that had split) with pvc. Unless you are running high pressure, and depending on the inside condition of corrosion, you may consider changing what you can to a much easier to repair pvc product. But if it's a simple fix, just do it.
I’m not sure when galvanized went out of favor for plastic pipe. But a lot of older homes like mine, built in we believe 1936, still have most or some of it. When I switch mine to pex I’ll probably still have some galvanized I’ll need to keep. Mainly that inside walls and my 2nd story bathroom which I have no idea how the pipes run to.
quote:
Originally posted by britcarfanI’m not sure when galvanized went out of favor for plastic pipe. But a lot of older homes like mine, built in we believe 1936, still have most or some of it. When I switch mine to pex I’ll probably still have some galvanized I’ll need to keep. Mainly that inside walls and my 2nd story bathroom which I have no idea how the pipes run to.
Several years ago when we had two pin hole leaks in the copper pipes in the ceiling of our downstairs, we went ahead and replaced all of the piping in the ceiling with Pex. It is funny that all of the leaking copper pipe were in the new section of the house that was 35 years old and none in the part of the house that was 15 years older. I suspect that the copper pipe from 50 years ago is better than the newer stuff ....... like about everything else. Probably the same with galvanized pipe.
1964 rental house we own started getting pin holes in copper pipe. I went in and replaced 98% of it with cpvc…lick it and stick it. Remainder needed some different fittings I did not have on hand. Works just fine, easy install…but, now the remaining couple of short pipes and fittings I did not replace are getting pin holes. Oh well.
quote:
Originally posted by Wet SpanielAre galvanised pipes a historical/legacy plumbing solution in the US or are they still regularly installed today?
Copper was the predominant pipe material before plastics took over. I would get rid of it, not the least because it would be hard to find replacements.
Thank you kindly.
quote:
Originally posted by Corwynquote:
Originally posted by Wet SpanielAre galvanised pipes a historical/legacy plumbing solution in the US or are they still regularly installed today?
Copper was the predominant pipe material before plastics took over. I would get rid of it, not the least because it would be hard to find replacements.
Thank you kindly.
Thank you - it's interesting seeing how different systems/materials are used in different places. In the U.K. copper has been the plumbing pipe of choice and and still is the number 1 option.
I used cpvc in the milk room and parlour of a dairy barn ... the joints started separating after 3 or 4 years. Thankfully it was all surface mounted.
A strange one for me was a 1/2" copper pipe riser freezing/splitting one winter [there was visible thinning/corrosion of the tubing along the split]. The system had been drained with the drain on the pressure tank in the basement, as well as all taps on the main and second floor left open. A contractor told me that there'd been a lot of substandard stuff installed around that time, and when I took it apart I slit the risers open and both of them had mucho pitting/corrosion on the inside. I still haven't figured out how the water stayed in the vertical riser rather than the horizontal runs.
quote:
Originally posted by Wet Spanielquote:
Originally posted by Corwynquote:
Originally posted by Wet SpanielAre galvanised pipes a historical/legacy plumbing solution in the US or are they still regularly installed today?
Copper was the predominant pipe material before plastics took over. I would get rid of it, not the least because it would be hard to find replacements.
Thank you kindly.
Thank you - it's interesting seeing how different systems/materials are used in different places. In the U.K. copper has been the plumbing pipe of choice and and still is the number 1 option.
Jonty ..... no one has ever accused the UK of being up to date on building materials. Y'all are probably still using real stone.
quote:
Originally posted by BanjoLinkquote:
Originally posted by Wet Spanielquote:
Originally posted by Corwynquote:
Originally posted by Wet SpanielAre galvanised pipes a historical/legacy plumbing solution in the US or are they still regularly installed today?
Copper was the predominant pipe material before plastics took over. I would get rid of it, not the least because it would be hard to find replacements.
Thank you kindly.
Thank you - it's interesting seeing how different systems/materials are used in different places. In the U.K. copper has been the plumbing pipe of choice and and still is the number 1 option.
Jonty ..... no one has ever accused the UK of being up to date on building materials. Y'all are probably still using real stone.
Well, how very dare you !!
I've seen two,references to pin holes in copper piping - I've never heard of that before.... I can only assume that our pipe spec is for thicker walled pipes.
I'm renovating a small house currently and have decided to re-plumb the house with copper. I have only had copper in every house I've owned or lived in, and it has never ever been an issue. There are two thicknesses of copper here, Type-L and Type-M, I believe. I'm using the thicker walled pipe Type-L.
I have never ever heard of pitting in copper pipe so I googled it. The issues that cause pitting are easily fixed with whole-house filters of one type or another. Around here, chlorine would be the main cause, I believe, and that can be filtered out. But it's never been an issue for me. Another cause of pitting is incorrect installation, usually a plumber who does not clean the pipes and prep correctly before soldering the pipes.
My brother, among his many skills, is a master plumber and can do copper (he's a whiz at sweating pipes) or Pex, and both he and I agree that copper is the way to go. We'll be doing the work once the weather warms up. All materials on-hand.
And besides, copper is a necessary nutrient for the human body. I don't think cross-linked polyethylene is needed by the body LOL.
Regarding your galvanized pipes, from the photos they appear to be in great shape. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Fix what needs to be fixed and be happy :)
quote:
Originally posted by Wet Spanielquote:
Originally posted by BanjoLinkquote:
Originally posted by Wet Spanielquote:
Originally posted by Corwynquote:
Originally posted by Wet SpanielAre galvanised pipes a historical/legacy plumbing solution in the US or are they still regularly installed today?
Copper was the predominant pipe material before plastics took over. I would get rid of it, not the least because it would be hard to find replacements.
Thank you kindly.
Thank you - it's interesting seeing how different systems/materials are used in different places. In the U.K. copper has been the plumbing pipe of choice and and still is the number 1 option.
Jonty ..... no one has ever accused the UK of being up to date on building materials. Y'all are probably still using real stone.
Well, how very dare you !!
I've seen two,references to pin holes in copper piping - I've never heard of that before.... I can only assume that our pipe spec is for thicker walled pipes.
Yeah ..... and y'all probably use real copper too!
Owen: "I used cpvc in the milk room and parlour of a dairy barn ... the joints started separating after 3 or 4 years."
Steve: "Put cpvc in our cabin I built 22 years ago. Never been an issue."
A retraction ??? .... I've been doing some reading and it looks like I may well have used polybutylene pipe https://urbanpiping.com/blog/poly-b-lawsuits/#:~:text=In%20the%201980s%2C%20polybutylene%20pipes,the%20rapidly%20growing%20housing%20industry.
I hope nobody made any life-changing decisions based on my post(s).
Page: 1 2 Last Page (2)