A copper pipe pinhole leak is a common plumbing issue in most homes. Pinhole leaks mainly occur in copper pipes. These are stubborn and difficult to resolve kind of issues. Therefore, it is better to replace the portion of the pipe that contains pinhole leaks.
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Microscopic cracks originate the pinhole leaks in the copper pipes. These cracks occur due to the corrosion inside the pipe that grows further to damage the pipe’s exterior. When the pinhole leak occurs, water drips out of the copper pipe. Since these leaks are tiny and go unnoticed, they are hard to identify.
Copper Pipe Pinhole Leak Causes
There are many reasons for pinhole leaks; we will discuss a few in this section.
Chemical Damage
The water we use does not have an ideal PH, and we hardly pay attention to this issue daily. We ignore it because it has little to no effect on health. But it certainly affects the copper pipes. The PH value affects the sulfate content of water and hence causes the pitting of copper pipe.
Because this effect will eat away the protective oxide layer, once this oxide layer gets damaged, small pieces of the copper pipe become highly vulnerable to rusting. Consequently, rusting occurs soon after the protective layer damage, and pinhole leaks follow.
Mechanical Damage
It is a common practice that the water travels in the pipe without any specific conditioning. Resultantly, sediments and heavy metals travel with the water inside the lines. This contaminated water will damage the interior of the water pipe and the oxide coating. High water pressure is another issue that can cause the wear of the copper pipe.
Quality of Pipe and Installation
If your copper pipe’s quality is not up to the mark, it has a substandard protective layer. In this case, the pipe will not be resistant to corrosion as it should be. Therefore, it is highly likely that the pipe wear causes pinhole leaks soon after installation. In addition to that, poor and unprofessional installation can also damage the protective coating and damage the copper pipe.
Non-uniformities in the Plumbing Structure
If you are using multiple pipe sections made up of various metals, it is highly likely that the two metals will react in a solvent like water. This reaction will damage both the metals and pipe sections. Therefore, we should use uniform material in our plumbing structure.
Indications of a Copper Pipe Pinhole Leak
Pinhole leaks are hard to identify because they leak very little water. Therefore, we describe some of the indications of a pinhole leak.
- High water bill
- Decreased water pressure
- Dripping sound
- Mould growth
- Water damage
- Condensation on the pipe
- Copper pipe decolourization
Copper Pinhole Leak Repair
There is no permanent repairing solution once the pipe starts getting rusty and aggravates pinholes. However, we can apply other copper pinhole leak quick-fix methods. Here are some of the repair methods that are worth reading.
Sweating Pipe Replacement
When the copper pipe starts sweating, there is no permanent solution to this issue but the replacement of the sweating pipe. The first step is to cut the sweating pipe section using a tube cutter. Measure the length of the pipe that needs to be replaced. Deburr and smoothen the cut edges and the new pipe edges.
Slide the sweat coupling replacement pipe over each end of the remaining pipes. Ensure ½” of the replacement pipe fits over the old section on either side. Finally, solder the new joint by holding the torch to one side and the tip of the solder wire to the other until enough of the wire melts into the opening to fill it.
Applying Epoxy Putty
Epoxy putty is applied to the damaged pipe section to fix the leakage. You should make the epoxy in the right combination and use it on the concerned corner. However, the epoxy repair is unsuccessful when the water pressure is too high. Therefore, it is necessary to turn off the water supply and drain the water inside the pipe before you start the repair.
Repair Tape
Using epoxy is a good solution, but it is not successful in handling high water pressure. Therefore, we should learn about an alternate solution as well. Pipe repair tapes are a suitable replacement for the epoxy method.
These tapes are made from self-fusing silicone and, when stretched and wrapped around a pinhole, will form a solid rubber band over the leak area for a pressure-resistant repair. Repair tapes are best among the temporary solutions, but the permanent solution to pinhole leaks is replacing the damaged pipe section.
Conclusion
Copper pipe pinhole leaks are common in old plumbing structures. When the copper pipes age, wear and tear of the pipes increase, and the protective coating of the inner side damages, pinhole leaks are likely to happen. These leaks are difficult to deal with, but it is essential to review the pinhole leaks‘ causes, indications, and fixing techniques.