Burst 'house' pipe?

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Jamesecolli

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"A pipe burst in my condo. A plumber said it's because the builder used "house pipes" instead of "industrial pipes". Is this common?"
 
Ahhh, I already had it fixed, I just want to make sure the guy wasn't trying to get over on me. He mentioned something about an M type line or an L type, I'm not sure. Sorry for the vagueness.
 
he talking about the different thinkness of copper type m was against mass code in 1986 for potable water type l is most common...there is a type k that was used a lot around this area a long time ago....its also used in a roll rather than stick whe installing a water service
type m is mostly used for heating systems so m is thinnest type l is a little bigger in wall thickness...then type being the thickest there is also dwv....a thin wall copper used only in waste and venting more in venting in my area......
 
Geofd said:
he talking about the different thinkness of copper type m was against mass code in 1986 for potable water type l is most common...there is a type k that was used a lot around this area a long time ago....its also used in a roll rather than stick whe installing a water service
type m is mostly used for heating systems so m is thinnest type l is a little bigger in wall thickness...then type being the thickest there is also dwv....a thin wall copper used only in waste and venting more in venting in my area......
Click to expand...
 
That makes sense, so basically its just about the thickness levels. Are they both made of copper though?
 
Yes. The wall thickness of copper varies. Generally types M, L and K are used for water distribution systems.

Type M copper has a pressure rating of over 400PSI....there's no way that type of pressure is coming into your house.

What happened, exactly?
 
Doesn’t matter L or M. If you have well water in some places (I live on Cape Cod ) and the groundwater literally eats through copper pipes in a couple years. The telltale sign is green stains under faucets. That’s actually the Copper pipes being eroded from the inside. I replaced ALL the copper piping in my home twice. ( some pipes three times) until I completely gutted all copper and switched to PEX. I bought the expansion tool on eBay. It’s quick, easy, and error free. My neighbors have a plumber come to their home at least once a year to ‘fix those leaks’ in the copper pipes. Again. And again. And again.
 
cappy208 said:
Doesn’t matter L or M. If you have well water in some places (I live on Cape Cod ) and the groundwater literally eats through copper pipes in a couple years. The telltale sign is green stains under faucets. That’s actually the Copper pipes being eroded from the inside. I replaced ALL the copper piping in my home twice. ( some pipes three times) until I completely gutted all copper and switched to PEX. I bought the expansion tool on eBay. It’s quick, easy, and error free. My neighbors have a plumber come to their home at least once a year to ‘fix those leaks’ in the copper pipes. Again. And again. And again.
Click to expand...
Separate subject but good information!
My adjacent town (Middleton, MA) is 90% well water. I wonder if they have a similar problem. I'm curious now and will check it out.
 
It’s related because some localities have VERY acidic water. Usually town water supplies have it filtered or treated. If a location has really acidic water that isn’t treated it doesn’t matter which gauge of copper (L or M) is used. The acid WILL eat through the copper (eventually). Some places have either L or M installed and it lasts indefinitely because their water is not acidic. Maybe have your water tested for Ph?

This is why there is no ‘one fix for all’ regarding home repair. What works in one part of the country may not be appropriate in others.
 
I have a cousin that has a " machine " to correct the ph , in his well house .

If I had the acidic water , I think I also would be changing the coper out & installing PEX .

2-1/ - 3 years ago we replaced the 3/4" copper water main , alley meter to under the house ( pier & beam ) . We used 1" white PEX form Home Depot , I think .

The ditch cost much more than the material .

Wyr
God bless
 
Acidic water can be treated with a neutralizing filter. This is a mineral based material that dissolves and brings the pH to 7.0 or higher. Cheaper than replacing all the copper in the house. Of course if your pipes are already weak from corrosion, it will only put off the inevitable.
 
chiraldude said:
Acidic water can be treated with a neutralizing filter. This is a mineral based material that dissolves and brings the pH to 7.0 or higher. Cheaper than replacing all the copper in the house. Of course if your pipes are already weak from corrosion, it will only put off the inevitable.
Click to expand...
I can’t believe in the long run that adding the initial expense of a treatment system PLUS the cost of operating and maintaining it would be more economical than removing and replacing the copper with PEX. Although the average homeowner must pay the plumber to install.
 
I would say you are correct if pulling the PEX is diy. But if you have a large old house full of copper it could be a big job. A whole house acid filter is about $1000 and costs around $100 per year for replacement media. (depending on pH and water usage) The filter housing is probably good for 20+ years.
 
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