Repairs to badly corroded copper found under concrete slabs can be very challenging.
A large percentage of underground copper pipe failures are on hot water lines.
This line here was badly deteriorated on the outside of the pipe.
Others had previously made a repair, buried it and replaced the concrete.
I clean the pipe with a wire brush in a drill. but it doesn't always clean it off well enough to accept solder.
Yeah yeah! I know ! Copper joint under slab should be brazed. That pipe it to far gone to be brazed. Objective is to restore water.
I then heat the pipe until it glows, then wire brush it again.
Next step "Tin" the joint. pre-solder and wipe the pipe.
Check it with a mirror. look for any areas that did not take the solder.
If you have voids, the solder won't bond when you make the joint.
Clean the voids and re-TIN the joint. A new fitting on this badly deteriorated
pipe will fit loose. Careful when soldering. The joint gap will be more than normal. Use a minimum amount of heat to make the solder flow.
A large percentage of underground copper pipe failures are on hot water lines.
This line here was badly deteriorated on the outside of the pipe.
Others had previously made a repair, buried it and replaced the concrete.
I clean the pipe with a wire brush in a drill. but it doesn't always clean it off well enough to accept solder.
Yeah yeah! I know ! Copper joint under slab should be brazed. That pipe it to far gone to be brazed. Objective is to restore water.
I then heat the pipe until it glows, then wire brush it again.
Next step "Tin" the joint. pre-solder and wipe the pipe.
Check it with a mirror. look for any areas that did not take the solder.
If you have voids, the solder won't bond when you make the joint.
Clean the voids and re-TIN the joint. A new fitting on this badly deteriorated
pipe will fit loose. Careful when soldering. The joint gap will be more than normal. Use a minimum amount of heat to make the solder flow.