Repair help for hole in copper drain caused by screw

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mikeyjjohn55

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Dumb mistake by me again. I screwed up literally. Advice appreciated!
When installing drywall with screws I accidentally pierced a 1 1/4" copper drainpipe in the wall. The hole is about the size of a pencil lead. Is there a simple permanent repair? Is it possible to just solder over the hole? Would a clamp or marine epoxy work? Maybe the best solution is to cut the pipe and solder a sleeve in place but that also be the most work. What would you do? Thanks, Michael J
 
The way I would think about it is what is temporary and what is permanent. A clamp or epoxy will fail. No doubt in my mind.

A proper copper joint will not.
 
Thanks Cam, I agree that a coupling would be best but since this is a horizontal pipe that's fit into a 1 1/2 X 1 1/2 inch notch in a vertical 2 x4 I was hoping there might be a simple fix.
 
Depending on your soldering skills and how tight of a of a spot it is you could get away with a zip coupling to properly go from copper to pvc/abs. Personally I've never saw a fernco or zip coupling leak that was properly installed, I've came across some pretty old ones. But totally depends on what you want to do. I personally never solder old copper drain lines and convert to pvc or abs instead.
 
stevemachine said:
Depending on your soldering skills and how tight of a of a spot it is you could get away with a zip coupling to properly go from copper to pvc/abs. Personally I've never saw a fernco or zip coupling leak that was properly installed, I've came across some pretty old ones. But totally depends on what you want to do. I personally never solder old copper drain lines and convert to pvc or abs instead.

Sorry, what's a zip coupling? Maybe I use different terminology or I might learn something...
 
You know what , I just went back and read the original post . For some reason I was thinking copper water not dwv. Sorry , put a fernco around it and call it a day.
 
If I could get some flex in the line to make it possible, I would cut out a thin slice and install a no hub coupling. If not, I would split a fernco rubber coupling, put the split on the far side from the screwhole, and stack up hose clamps the entire length of the coupling. It will never leak that way.
 
Sorry, what's a zip coupling? Maybe I use different terminology or I might learn something...

A zip coupling I believe is what you guys would call a no hub coupling i believe. They make them to go from 1 1/2 or 1 1/4 copper to 1 1/2 cast (pvc/abs) up here its just a company that makes them. Or a fernco works, I've used both but I prefer the zip coupling because it's designed for copper to cast and it's a little more secure.

http://www.rollee.com/component/virtuemart/?page=shop.browse&category_id=6
 
A zip coupling I believe is what you guys would call a no hub coupling i believe. They make them to go from 1 1/2 or 1 1/4 copper to 1 1/2 cast (pvc/abs) up here its just a company that makes them. Or a fernco works, I've used both but I prefer the zip coupling because it's designed for copper to cast and it's a little more secure.

http://www.rollee.com/component/virtuemart/?page=shop.browse&category_id=6
Those appear to be much the same as a Fernco ProFlex coupling. A no hub coupling is a lighter duty of the same style, and is not intended to be used when outer diameter size changes.
 
Ah ok gotcha. We would call a no hub coupling a mechanical joint or MJ up here. I've used the fernco pro flex coupling before for sure
 
Thanks for the advice and replies! I went ahead and sawed through the pipe at the hole and sweated a coupling ($7.95) on. It was a 1 1/2" pipe in a 2 X 4 wall and so to make it easier (and safer) I cut an 8x12" hole on the opposite side of the wall. It worked well sweating half from each side of the wall but I have a question. With a pipe this size, should I have applied heat from one side only (as with 1/2 inch copper) or was my way correct. Or should I have gotten help and had 2 torches going at once from each side of the wall. Or is there another way I don't know of. Thanks again, Michael J
 
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