Possible plumbing leak in 19 year old house...

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I was at my parents house this evening, and it seems like they may be dealing with their second pipe leak in our family home, which is only 19 years old. It's a slab foundation with copper plumbing. All we know is their water bill is crazy high, and I checked the water meter this evening and the leak indicator was spinning (all water shut off inside home). I just find this a bit excessive for it being such a young home. Is this normal?
 
What is leaking? I've had 4 pin hole leaks in my copper water pipes in my 16 year old house. Copper pipe ain't what it used to be.

It's not normal but it's not uncommon.
 
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Originally Posted by Leo99
What is leaking? I've had 4 pin hole leaks in my copper water pipes in my 16 year old house. Copper pipe ain't what it used to be.


The first leak was about 2 years ago, and was a copper pipe slab leak. Not sure what this current one is, I think they are going to have to hire someone to try to track it down. Hopefully it won't cost too much.
 
Originally Posted by John_K
Our 1960 slab house has original plumbing and no leaks.


What kind of pipe to you have? Any issues with your drains?
 
My 1920s home was transitioned from galvanized to copper at some point before the early 1950s.

All good, no leaks. Knock on wood.

But we'd also be more likely to know given construction.
 
Craftsmanship ain't what it used to be.

I may depend on who did the plumbing work. Different situation but Parents had leaks in a prefab house. Could see the meter spinning with all faucets off. I found the leak after crawling under their house and cutting through the sagging insulation. Both of the faucets in bathrooms were finger tight where the supply line connected to the faucet. At about the 20 year mark they started leaking. All I needed to do is tighten the fittings to solve the problem.
 
What is the pH of your water? Does it leave blue stains (which indicates corrosion of copper).

We built 15 years ago and found out that all well water in this area is acidic (low pH). Put in a limestone granule neutralization system and all is well now.
 
There are 2 thicknesses of copper pipe. L and M. The thin wall is L and should never be buried in a wall or a slab.
 
Originally Posted by andyd
There are 2 thicknesses of copper pipe. L and M. The thin wall is L and should never be buried in a wall or a slab.


This !!!

Since this is the second experience of the situation in just a few years, it's likely a material based issue.
 
No leaks here thank God, in a house build in the 1930's. They started cheaping out on copper pipes many years ago. I'd be willing to bet that is the case here.
 
If it's under the slab, it will be hard to track down. The old 1950s era home, we just sold, had a leak under the slab at one point. The previous owner killed the lines before the slab and rerouted everything to the attic. I hate to say it but, a replumb may be the best way to go. Copper and concrete do not work well together and there will be more leaks down the road.
 
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They make different copper pipes. You are supposed to use the thicker type L for underground, slabs etc. I bet you have type M or ???l under the sab. It is less expensive and the builder will be long gone before it fails.

Also if they use calcium chloride in your cement to make it set up faster, I have heard that it makes the concrete more corrosive. I may have to research that.

The reinforcing grid in you slab should be grounded, if stray ground currents are not properly controlled, then electrolysis can erode the pipe too. I put in an outside freezeproof water hydrant and electrolysis ate a hole in the pipe in less than 10 years. It was the same day ad Dad passed away. I was out there digging a hole, bet Dad was looking down and smiling. He did teach me well. When I put it back, I connected copper ground wire to the pipe, ran it another couple of feet away and put in a magnesium anode (chunk of a scrapped lawnboy mower deck) That was a $780 dollar water bill and a lot of mudding around.

One of the contractors that built in my current neighborhood even used schedule 40 plastic pipe for the water service entrance, now they are breaking and the homeowner is shelling out a thousand or more to dig up and replace properly with schedule 80 bedded in river gravel (we have rocky Ozark soil). That had to save the contractor all of $100 including the gravel.

Rod
 
Originally Posted by andyd
There are 2 thicknesses of copper pipe. L and M. The thin wall is L and should never be buried in a wall or a slab.


There are four thicknesses of copper tubing.

DWV is the thinnest, only used for unpressurized applications (hence Drain, Waste, Vent), marked with yellow or orange print.
Type M is the next thickest, typically marked with red printing.
Type L is the next thickest, with blue printing.
Type K is the thickest and thus best for deep burial and marked with green printing.

The price differential on L vs M is why most builders will use M where they should have used L!

For a nominal 1/2" pipe (actual OD 5/8"), here are the inside diameters -
Type M: 0.569" (0.028" wall)
Type L: 0.545" (0.040" wall)
Type K: 0.528" (0.0485" wall)

So you can see the walls go up by about 0.010" with each grade.
 
I would wonder if it would be cheaper to condemn the pipe in the slab and run new pipe? If you are in a non freezing area could the pipe run outside the house?
 
Originally Posted by Leo99
What is leaking? I've had 4 pin hole leaks in my copper water pipes in my 16 year old house. Copper pipe ain't what it used to be.

It's not normal but it's not uncommon.



A 16 year old house was built with copper pipes???
 
Thanks for the feedback. Most of it sounds negative, hoping its an easy fix for them.
 
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