Copper Pipe Splitting???

[Kym]

I have had copper pipes (3/4" type M) in the attached garage, split over the winter, but I am 100% sure it is not from water (I blow out all pipes every fall, very diligent). The copper pipe comes from within the house, some of it then traverses along a house wall and then to an exterior wall.

This all very odd, as last year I replaced one split pipe with a sharkbite and this year, that sharkbite has 2 small cracks in it. This year, in addition to the sharkbite having cracks, a second section of copper pipe had a split, as well as an elbow connector with a split. See photos attached of the specific pieces.

Further support for not being water is the elbow, for example, connects through an exterior wall to an exterior tap, which was left open all winter.

Can anyone explain this splitting, other than by water? The garage does get cold over the winter, but never below -25C. After 20+ years in service, makes little to no sense and defects in a sharbite and copper pipes in the same year defies believability.

Thanks in advance, Kym.

 

[Twowaxhack]

Looks like freeze damage.

This one specifically.

 

[havasu]

I agree. Water was left in the pipe when it froze. I can think of no other explanation.

 

[Kym]

I agree. Water was left in the pipe when it froze. I can think of no other explanation.

I concur that it certainly looks like freezing, I am struggling as to how that might be possible. I guess my blowing out of the pipes is not as good as I thought?

Question though - the elbow is at the end of a vertical pipe, that then goes outside to a tap, that was left open. Any explaination as to how the elbow would retain water to freeze?

 

[Twowaxhack]

If it wasn’t leaking when you “ drained it “ then it leaks when you fill it back up and it was subjected to freezing weather and at least one split looks like textbook freeze damage…….hmmmmm what do you think ?

 

[Kym]

I think it looks like freeze damage, but was hoping for any alternate theory.

Again, my pipe blow out must not have been as robust as I thought for the last 2 winters. Something to look out for this fall.

Thanks.

 

[CT18]

Or you have a valve that is slowly letting water back into the system. It could also be where trapped water in the system settles after you blow the lines out.

 

[arctic bill]

that is a freeze out.

 

[Kym]

Or you have a valve that is slowly letting water back into the system. It could also be where trapped water in the system settles after you blow the lines out.

Those ideas are things I will check for this fall. Thanks for the feedback, gives me something to work with!!