Crawlspace Plumbing need advice ...

Specific Inspection Topics Plumbing Inspections
1

Ran water for 10 minutes …this is what the copper water supply line looked like under the master bath …

Is the corrosion a cause for concern?
No active water leaks …

David

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x296/dawlita/DSCN2098.jpg

2

Not a concern for me I see it all the time usually caused by the flux during the soldering process the plumber did not wipe the fitting after he soldered.

3

Thanks for the reply.

4

If you see something like that during an inspection and you can tell it is just a surface corrosion, could you tell the client to just have it lightly wire brushed off so it don’t look like an issue, or is that asking for trouble

5

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/asktoh/question/0,,1212564,00.html

6

Usually at the fittings it’s just failure to wipe off the excess acid flux after sweating the pipe leave a green patina on the surface. I don’t know why we see the green area in the middle of the length of pipe, possibly a coupling or could be due to a leak.

The picture is far too small to be able to provide you any useful insights.

7

From link:

"Generally, leaks in copper pipe can be traced back to a problem with the way the pipes were installed or to the water itself. For instance, flux—the acidic paste used in soldering—react with copper if the pipes stand idle for a long period after installation. This kind of trouble typically crops up near fittings and in cold-water pipes because hot water is better at washing flux away. Also, if a pipe wasn’t reamed after being cut, the burr on the inside will cause turbulence—tiny swirls of water so vigorous that they actually wear away the metal. Too much velocity, either from undersized pipes or excessive water pressure, can have the same effect.

Then there’s the water itself. Anything abrasive, such as bits of rust or any other contaminant, will scour the inside of the pipe and exacerbate the effects of turbulence and velocity. So-called “aggressive,” or acidic, water with a pH of 6.8 or less will eat through copper. Water loaded with dissolved minerals can generate copper-dissolving electrical charges. "

8

Thanks for the link …

9

Thanks Greg

10

Thanks Chuck