In alt.home.repair, on Sun, 30 May 2021 05:13:06 -0700 (PDT), Marilyn
Manson wrote:

On Sunday, May 30, 2021 at 1:13:13 AM UTC-4, micky wrote:
In alt.home.repair, on Sat, 29 May 2021 17:18:19 -0700 (PDT), Marilyn
Manson wrote:

On Saturday, May 29, 2021 at 8:02:39 PM UTC-4, micky wrote:
In alt.home.repair, on Sat, 29 May 2021 15:38:56 -0700 (PDT), Marilyn
Manson wrote:

On Saturday, May 29, 2021 at 6:31:22 PM UTC-4, Rick Green wrote:
Well, I did the humidifier in the basement with plastic tubing (poly-something) and in 5 years or so it sprang a leak and sprayed water all over the place. No sharp bends and no one touched it. Replaced it with copper and 15 years later, no problem. Saddle valve was never a problem. Plus I was a party one night when our hostess's fridge icemaker tube started leaking from the kitchen into the basement. So now you know two people.
--

So, I go down the basement to grab something out of storage. Why am I feeling a cool mist?
Maybe someone installed a spa in your basement?

Wouldn't a spa release warm mist?
You're the one who signed a contract with a low-budget spa.

I look up to see the 25 YO plastic tube to the ice maker right above my head. Directly to the left of
that is the copper pipe to the water heater. The copper pipe has a pinhole in it, from which
water is spraying.
Interesting use of present tense. Did this really happen?

Yes

Does my intact plastic tube and leaking copper pipe cancel out 1 the 2 plastic tube leaks
that you describe?
Yes, I think so. This is a real problem. What is one to do?

1 - Turn off the water
2 - Cut out the bad section
3 - Sweat in a new section
4 - Turn the water back on
I meant what is one to do *in advance* so this won't happen? 3/8"
copper pipe. Galvanized pipe. Pec for refrigerators?

Nothing. Stuff happens. Metal fails.

With all the multi-bazillion miles of copper pipe installed around
the world, the rare leak is not only not a reason to change anything,
it's not even a reason to *consider* changing anything.

so you too are saying that copper is better than plastic. Your tale of
the water mist confused me. When my plastic tube leaked it was more
than a mist.


(you have to bend copper properly, not too tightly. Wrap it around a
coke bottle. That's good becaue a real coke bottle has many diameters.
With plastic you can't bend it sharply either, but seems fine today
might still spring a leak in 4 years.