Inaccessible pipe leak problem.
 

We have a 1" copper pipe running between the floor joists
It has been tapped with one of those taps that drill a hole in the copper
when attached.
Later, the tap was shut off and not used anymore.
Recently the tap has started leaking.

This was done by the previous owners and we don't even know why the line was
tapped.

The problem is that the location of the tap is nearly imposssible to access
because it's right above a door frame.
Therefore the pipe cannot be cut or welded to replace the tapped segment.
Also the pipe cannot be easily removed because it's about 24' long and safe
access to one end is also impossible without destroying a wall.

What are my options to fix the leak ?

It may be that it just needs to be tightened.
A long flex screwdriver may be able to tighten it.

wrote in message
The problem is that the location of the tap is nearly imposssible to
access because it's right above a door frame.
Therefore the pipe cannot be cut or welded to replace the tapped segment.
Also the pipe cannot be easily removed because it's about 24' long and
safe access to one end is also impossible without destroying a wall.

What are my options to fix the leak ?

It can be cut, it can be soldered. You just have to know how to do it. A
plumber can do it as they run across tough situations all the time. It may
have to be shielded when the torch is used, it may have to be slowly cut
with a small saw. That is why a pro can charge a decent price. $125 just
to knock on the door is about average.

Installing a new saddle valve may cure the problem if the seal is gone.

What makes this so impossible to get at to cut it out and solder a
coupling in? Somebody had to get to it to put the saddle valve in to
begin with, didn't they?

Edwin Pawlowski wrote:
wrote in message

The problem is that the location of the tap is nearly imposssible to
access because it's right above a door frame.
Therefore the pipe cannot be cut or welded to replace the tapped segment.
Also the pipe cannot be easily removed because it's about 24' long and
safe access to one end is also impossible without destroying a wall.

What are my options to fix the leak ?


It can be cut, it can be soldered. You just have to know how to do it. A
plumber can do it as they run across tough situations all the time. It may
have to be shielded when the torch is used, it may have to be slowly cut
with a small saw. That is why a pro can charge a decent price. $125 just
to knock on the door is about average.

Installing a new saddle valve may cure the problem if the seal is gone.



And it dose not need to be cut. The valve can be removed and the hole
sealed with silver braze. If you can see the leak an oxy/acet torch with
a small tip can get in there to fix it. You might have better luck
calling a company that dose refrigeration and plumbing, most straight
plumbing companies have no experince with silver braze and will want to
rip your wall out and put in a coupling.
Dave

"Dave Morrison" wrote in message
...
Edwin Pawlowski wrote:
wrote in message

The problem is that the location of the tap is nearly imposssible to
access because it's right above a door frame.
Therefore the pipe cannot be cut or welded to replace the tapped segment.
Also the pipe cannot be easily removed because it's about 24' long and
safe access to one end is also impossible without destroying a wall.

What are my options to fix the leak ?


It can be cut, it can be soldered. You just have to know how to do it.
A plumber can do it as they run across tough situations all the time. It
may have to be shielded when the torch is used, it may have to be slowly
cut with a small saw. That is why a pro can charge a decent price. $125
just to knock on the door is about average.

Installing a new saddle valve may cure the problem if the seal is gone.

And it dose not need to be cut. The valve can be removed and the hole
sealed with silver braze. If you can see the leak an oxy/acet torch with a
small tip can get in there to fix it. You might have better luck calling a
company that dose refrigeration and plumbing, most straight plumbing
companies have no experince with silver braze and will want to rip your
wall out and put in a coupling.
Dave


For the people suggesting cutting and soldering or brazing.
There is NO WAY to get at the spot to do ANY OF THAT without taking out
walls and conduits.
That's why I'm trying to find ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS.

"For the people suggesting cutting and soldering or brazing.
There is NO WAY to get at the spot to do ANY OF THAT without taking
out
walls and conduits.
That's why I'm trying to find ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS. "

Maybe you should post a picture, cause it's pretty hard to suggest how
to fix something in a critical location within unknown
dimensions/access, that you can't see. Have you considered just
cutting the pipe off on either side some distance from the leaking
inaccessable spot and re-routing a new section around it?

wrote in message

For the people suggesting cutting and soldering or brazing.
There is NO WAY to get at the spot to do ANY OF THAT without taking out
walls and conduits.
That's why I'm trying to find ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS.

Can you touch it? If so, it can be cut and soldered. Not everyone can do
it, but a good plumber can. Pre-tinning it can even be done with one hand.

Another saddle valve may be an alternative, other alternatives are running
a section of PEX, butt that depends on what is accessible.

The request for a picture is very reasonable one. Those of use w/o
benefit of seeing the installation can only imagine it.

I've done this before with success but it's not a great fix.

Cut a !" copper coupling in half (both ways) to create a copper arc.

Flux pipe to be repaired & solder copper arc onto pipe.

btw it's still working after 25 year, haven't gotten back to it :)

cheers
Bob