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Author:
slab house homeowner (TX)
Five years ago, We bought a slab house in Texas which is now 12 years old. We have had 3 pinhole leaks in the copper pipes since then. These 2 recent leaks did a lot of damage. The leaks were in the cold water pipes. Our well water was tested for the first time and it was 7.1 PH. I filled the tub with water and it was blue water. I read that blue water indicates highly corroded copper pipes. It seems our copper pipe life is ended.
I read about epoxy lining the existing pipes to prevent tearing up the house but I am not confident that it would really work.
A friend told me she had heard of running smaller pipes through the existing ones...
Another friend said we should run new piping through the attic.....
We want to do it right.
Should we replace all of the water supply pipes in the whole house? If so, does that include into/under the concrete?
From what I have read, PEX will hold up better under acidic conditions than copper?
Should we install an acid neutralizer to be sure of the PH in the new piping?
Thank you for any help you can give us.
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Author:
KCRoto (MO)
pH of 7.1 is alkaline, not acidic. I would recommend running your water lines overhead and using Pex. I wouldn't trust any coating, and if the pipes are corroding, it still means that they are becoming structurally unsound; do you really want to trust epoxy to hold back 60 PSI of water pressure? I wouldn't bet my house or memories on it. Do you have a water softener? I have seen copper next to water softeners turn blue and start sweating water through tiny pinholes. If you do have one, you may be able to buy some time by adjusting it down or off while you prepare for repiping.
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Author:
North Carolina Plumber (NC)
I'd run pex in the attic. Use polymer fittings so the water doesn't damage them.
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Author:
slab house homeowner (TX)
Yes We do have a water softener. I just looked at the pipes near it and they are green /blue but no pinholes. Thanks for your input on epoxy.I agree.
Edited 1 times.
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Author:
slab house homeowner (TX)
Could you tell me how "normal" is it to repipe slab houses through the attic? I have never experienced "slab" or "pier and beam" before living in Texas because I had always lived in Maryland where all I knew were basements.
Are you saying everybody repipes through the attic? or are there pros and cons?
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Author:
packy (MA)
well, if you don't want to dynamite the slab and if you don't want to swiss cheese the walls and ceilings, what option do you have left but to run pipes thru the attic?
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