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Video: Ride along with me on a slab leak.

8066 Views 43 Replies 21 Participants Last post by  plumjoe, 
Protech
Because you ARE actually that bored :)


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Phat Cat
What's your opinion on E-Pipe in a case like that to avoid future leaks?
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Redwood
Why do you switch to threaded adapters instead of going straight from copper to PEX?
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SewerRatz
So you are saying the reason you guys in Florida have so many copper pipe failures is due to internal flux corrosion. In other words the plumbers that built the homes have poor soldering skills.
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GREENPLUM
" I heard something on the Golden Girls the other day , Oh H E double hockey sticks "

What a sweet women


ill finish the vid later PT, no time now, gotta fly
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Associated Plum
The leak was above the slab. Why did the floor have to be broken?
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A
I think he wanted to get past where the flux would have run down to....

Not sure though....
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Protech
Truthfully? I let my stock run out on pex by sweat adapters :laughing:.

I know, I slacked :sweatdrop:

Redwood said:
Why do you switch to threaded adapters instead of going straight from copper to PEX?
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Protech
I don't know if you watched the second video or not but...

The leak was about an inch above slab line. Since we know it was causing by flux running down the pipe (like it always is), we know that there is a bunch of flux on the inside of that leak. Why would I cut into the middle of an already damaged section of pipe? The homeowner already had a flood and is having to replace flooring and wall board. He would be pissed if he got a leak an inch away from where I patched the pipe 6 months later and re-flooded his house in the same spot. I know this because it happens every day here. You have to look at the whole picture. That is what separates a professional service tech from a "repair man".

What I did wasn't even a real fix. He is STILL going to get repeated leaks because that flux is at every manifold in the house. At least the next one won't be right where I repaired it though. The real fix is to repipe the house. He didn't want to do that and unlike some contractors in southern California :whistling2:, I'm not going to make a homeowner do something they don't want to do, even if they are stupid for not doing it. IT'S THEIR HOUSE NOT MINE.

Associated Plum said:
The leak was above the slab. Why did the floor have to be broken?
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Protech
PlumbCrazy said:
What's your opinion on E-Pipe in a case like that to avoid future leaks?
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The first problem with epoxy lining is that it costs as much or more than a pex repipe in most cases.

The second problem is that it can actually cause leaks during the pipe cleaning process before the epoxy is injected.

The 3rd problem is that the epoxy will de-laminate from the pipe if someone unwittingly solders onto it later on. This could potentially turn into a nightmare scenario where you have trapped pieces of epoxy under the slab that are virtually un-locatable in soft copper systems.

Also, I'm not convinced that the epoxy won't start flaking off in areas of the system where the pipes were not cleaned properly. There is no way to know for sure that the pipes have all been cleaned properly as you cannot inspect them like you can with drain pipes.

In a nut shell, it's a very expensive gamble.
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Richard Hilliard
It is a very good practice here in Florida to remove and repalce at least 18 inches of compromised copper tubing with any copper leak. Bellow slab or above ground.

Good job Pro
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Widdershins
Protech said:
The first problem with epoxy lining is that it costs as much or more than a pex repipe in most cases.

The second problem is that it can actually cause leaks during the pipe cleaning process before the epoxy is injected.

The 3rd problem is that the epoxy will de-laminate from the pipe if someone unwittingly solders onto it later on. This could potentially turn into a nightmare scenario where you have trapped pieces of epoxy under the slab that are virtually un-locatable in soft copper systems.
Click to expand...
A 4th problem is it limits your remodel path.

The epoxy doesn't always adhere to the tubing like it is suppose to.

I've seen instances when fittings are cut in after the fact where the water travels behind the lining and migrates to the pinhole leaks that were supposedly repaired during the lining process.
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Phat Cat
Thank you PT for the thorough response. Some of the objections are the same ones that I have with the system. Nice to add a few more to the arsenal when a customer brings it up because they heard a commercial advertising the great benefits.
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HOMER
Nice video....

quick questions ,

what is your local code for sweating copper under the slab ?

does it have to be silver brazed ?

also, do the pex and or adapters require sleeving before being reburied..?
thanks..
and again
nice video
:thumbup:
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Protech
HOMER said:
Nice video....

quick questions ,

what is your local code for sweating copper under the slab ?

does it have to be silver brazed ?

also, do the pex and or adapters require sleeving before being reburied..?
thanks..
and again
nice video
:thumbup:
Click to expand...
Soft solder is fine. Pex must be sleeved through concrete.
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U
Towards the end of the video I hear the homeowner say a number, I assume it was the cost of the job. What pray tell was the ball park on that work? I know this is an old video but it got me curious.
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Redwood
Protech said:
Truthfully? I let my stock run out on pex by sweat adapters :laughing:.

I know, I slacked :sweatdrop:
Click to expand...
Shiot happens :laughing:

I was just scratching my head wondering if there was a reason...
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vinpadalino
Looks good to me. I would of done same thing!
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futz
Protech said:
The first problem with epoxy lining is that it costs as much or more than a pex repipe in most cases.

The second problem is that it can actually cause leaks during the pipe cleaning process before the epoxy is injected.

The 3rd problem is that the epoxy will de-laminate from the pipe if someone unwittingly solders onto it later on. This could potentially turn into a nightmare scenario where you have trapped pieces of epoxy under the slab that are virtually un-locatable in soft copper systems.

Also, I'm not convinced that the epoxy won't start flaking off in areas of the system where the pipes were not cleaned properly. There is no way to know for sure that the pipes have all been cleaned properly as you cannot inspect them like you can with drain pipes.

In a nut shell, it's a very expensive gamble.
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One of my customers got a leaking 1/2" underground copper kitchen line epoxy lined (by someone else - I was too busy to look at it). After the repair the flow on the repaired line was so pathetic that they ended up taking the floor out and replacing both lines all the way to the sink.
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Master Mark
Protech...realty tv show

Protech said:
Because you ARE actually that bored :)

‪slab leak in lakeland florida‬‏ - YouTube

‪slab leak in lakeland florida‬‏ - YouTube
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Its gotta happen some day....

A REALITY SHOW ABOUT PLUMBERS

they already have a bunch of drunk losers hauling junk and trash on TV in New York City....

they got two Pawn shop shows going on..

got a couple of abandoned storage unit war shows going....

they got a bunch of slutty rich *****es in new jersey having cat fights with each other:laughing::laughing:


So PROTECH who is gonna be the first reality star for
our action packed professioin???:laughing::laughing::yes::yes:

I am thinking of DUNBAR... cause he is on the mend and he already has a few u-tube videos....

Now we got to think of a few good catchey names

Sewer Stars.

Texas Turd Herders....??

Rambo Rooters??

toilet avengers??
PLUMBERS OF NEW YORK CITY??
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