Tony Hwang wrote:

PVR wrote:

I am totally finishing my basement (seven rooms) including installing
a bathroom. I want to be able to say I did it all myself. I have
installed about 50' of half inch copper with seven stopvalves and
about 25 joints (straight, T's and L bends). I used presoldered
joints. With some trepidation I opened the hot and cold stopvalves and
found that just one of the L joints had a very slight leak. The whole
system is not an artistic success but it is functional (except for the
leak). The L joint is about 2" from one wall and 3" from another (it
is in a corner) so that seeing behind the joint is not easy.

How should I deal with this? I know I have to drain the water from
that part of the system. Do I need to remove the L joint and replace
it? Would it be possible to apply flux to the two pipes and then add
extra solder?

Would appreciate any suggestions.

Peter.

Hi,
Looking behind the joint is easy with dentist mirror. IMO, best thing to
do is to remove the joint and redo it with new one. And if this is your
first time at it, even if there is no leak now.... Good luck.
Hi,
Actually plumbers use high compressed air for checking leak when they
finish a project. Clos all the valves, faucets, then pressurize the
eintire run, then leave it couple days. If there is pressure drop,
they have to find the leak before they can commission the system.
Real SMALL leak can take a day to produce a drop of water.