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Robert111 · Jan 28, 2011, 08:38 AM

Hello,

New member; looks like a great Forum.

Have a 35 yr old house, and it looks like it was plumbed originally using the thin wall Copper tubing called Type "M"

Every yr it seems to develop a pinhole leak, somewhere.
Driving me crazy, to say nothing of the expense.

Is this Type M still Legal ?
Used very much, anywhere ?

Are pinhole leaks in 35 yr old installations, irrespective if the type of copper pipe used, very "common" ?

Other than re-plumbing everything, any suggestiuons ?
-Ever hear anything about that internal epoxy coating treatment ?

Any thoughts on Pinhole leaks in general would be much appreciated.

Thanks,
Bob

ballengerb1 · Jan 28, 2011, 08:48 AM

Type M is Ok even today with most city and state building codes. You should get way more than 35 years service out to type M but since you are not that's amute point. No internal epoxy treatment, you can patch each leak as they happen or totally repipe. I'd get 3 bids and see what's involved, then you can decide if its something you can handle.

massplumber2008 · Jan 28, 2011, 12:00 PM

Hi Guys...

Accepted copper tubing for water distribution will depend on the state you live in, Robert111. TYPE M copper tubing is not an accepted water tubing material in my area... only used for heating and venting of waste lines. TYPE L or TYPE K are the only types of copper tubing we can use for water distribution.

Pinholes are quite common in TYPE M tubing if you have a hard water in your area and back 35 years ago they hadn't exactly perfected the copper tubing process and IMPURITIES caused exactly the issues you talk about.

In terms of the epoxy lining I don't know much about it, but it seems to me that the liner would reduce the interior pipe size in such a way that 1/2" pipes would be reduced to 3/8" and that reduction in VOLUME would probably make for a pretty miserable shower!

In my opinion, with today's newer, somewhat home-owner friendly, PEX and CPVC piping methods for water piping you could probably run all new pipes yourself and be surprised at just how cheap it really costs... ;)

Let us know if you want to discuss more, OK?

Mark