In article ,
Robert Green wrote:
I noticed a small spot of water on the basement floor this morning and
looked up to see a tiny pinhole leak in the copper pipe (tube?) directly
above. It leaks a droplet every few hours, so it's something that a rag is
absorbing for now.

What's the best way to repair it? It's near a joist hanger strap and I
suspect the damage was causing by an errant hammer blow and not inherent
vice. But that's just a guess. For all I know, pinholes are about to
emerge throughout the house.

This is the first pinhole leak I've ever seen in the house. Every other
leak (and in a 70 year old house there have been a few) has been at
copper/iron union, a coupling or a valve.

--
Bobby G.



Assuming it is errant damage or defect as you describe, and not a sign
of some kind of corrosion problem, take a piece of rubber hose, such as
automotive heater hose, about an inch long, slit it lengthwise, and put
it around the pipe so it covers the pinhole. The slit should be 180
degrees away from the pinhole. Put a hose clamp over the hose & tighten.
I repaired a similar pinhole this same way over 10 years ago and it's
holding still.


--
Make it as simple as possible, but not simpler. (Albert Einstein)

Larry Wasserman - Baltimore Maryland - lwasserm(a)sdf. lonestar. org