PINHOLED PIPES & PLUMBING PROBLEMS

[@paulrossiter9567]

Nice jobs Tom yet again …thought the plastic floats were part 3 😅 👊🏻🇬🇧

[@PlumbLikeTom]

The part 3 are the ones with the standard diaphragm washers in I think, they tend to fill quicker on low pressure but are prone to water hammer on mains, thanks for the support as always Paul

[@Tony-ce2hi]

Hi Tom, great videos mate, we had a private water supply which came from the moors and was naturally acidic, this used to regularly pin hole the pipes at bends and ends of pipe into fittings and the copper tank would only last 3 to 4 years thankfully we now are on the mains supply. Cheers Tom keep posting👍

[@PlumbLikeTom]

Thanks for the support Tony, it is greatly appreciated

[@peterdawson5115]

My old gaffer used to love it when we got asked to go to sort jobs his price didn’t initially get, and others had made a mess of it, 🤪 not really, I can remember it happened quite a bit, and also what he used to say “ you should have had us in the first place “ happy days , take care Tom, keep them coming 👍🚽

[@PlumbLikeTom]

Thanks for the support as always Peter, the jobs always come back around as you say, it normally costs the customer twice

[@d4dek130]

Another great video Tom.

[@tonymurff5234]

Nice one Tom 😎👍🤜

[@PlumbLikeTom]

Thanks for the support as always Tony, it is greatly appreciated

[@chrisholt2474]

Hi Tom, a couple of nice jobs there, they appeared to go nice and easy for you. Have a great weekend and take care. 👍👍👍

[@PlumbLikeTom]

Thanks for the support as always Chris, nothing too stressful this week, hope you have a great weekend 👍

[@colin4685]

From a duty of care point of view, i would be reporting that. The more you look at a cylinder the more leaks you find 😂😂 Great video mate

[@PlumbLikeTom]

Thanks for the support Colin, I don't think you can report engineers unless you are a customer, I could be wrong though

[@colin4685]

@PlumbLikeTom probably best to inform the customer. They can make a decision from there.

[@thomascoyne157]

As usual a great video Tom , i think the fiddling fairies have been in mucking about , 🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧👍👍👍👍🎥

[@PlumbLikeTom]

Thanks for the support as always mate, the fairies are keeping me busy

[@Schinney]

As a chippy we had a cheeky young plumber years ago in Warwick, Nigel, so one time we squeaked some silicone down one of his new pipes he was gonna connect up, took him a while to work out why no war-ter (watter) was coming through 😂, soz Tom, must have done him good cos he got his own business in Southam for years and still going at it, and a great plumber like yourself, happy days m8

[@PlumbLikeTom]

Did he ever get his own back, I had an apprentice with me a few years back and I glued his lid on his flux, I don't think he ever did realise what I had done, thanks for watching as always mate I 👍

[@Charles61284]

I understand your frustration Tom, nice work as always 👍

[@PlumbLikeTom]

Thanks for the support as always Charles, have a great weekend

[@Purebeltersteve]

​@@PlumbLikeTom i feel your pain and maybe theyve contracting a commercial guy in whos pants and giving them next to no money for the jobs.

[@keithbrueton]

Yes your just our Tom the super plumber

[@PlumbLikeTom]

Thanks for the support as always Keith, it is greatly appreciated

[@paulcooper9011]

I may have an idea for the pin hole leak on the elbow. Bear with me, please. I fitted a waterfall tap which had a mesh in it to slow the flow. It used to mold/gunge up pretty regularly so I removed it fairly quickly. After removing the mesh there was an area where the plating had been eroded away by a standing wave from the water moving through the mesh. I have seen a number of plumbing vids on KZbin and my bet would be that the pipe, going into that elbow, had been cut with a cutting disc pipe cutter leaving a massive bevelled/pinched end. Therefore I think the pinhole is at the point where the water's standing wave has come off that edge/restriction. The extra focused pressure has eroded the copper very quickly.

[@PlumbLikeTom]

Thanks for the support mate, you could well be right, I never kept the pipe but I should have cut it open to see

[@lestertennysonsmith-xw2fm]

Worked as maintenance in brand new care home about 15years ago plant room ended up with about 10 pin hole leaks over a one year period, never did find out what caused it, have a good weekend mate

[@PlumbLikeTom]

I reckon some of it's down to cheap copper, thanks for watching mate, have a great weekend

[@pb9926]

Great video Tom 👍😎 I've come across thin copper pipe a few times and its a nightmare.

[@PlumbLikeTom]

This copper seemed very thin, I've know a few people say the large DIY shops sell thinner copper, I might buy a length and see if it weighs the same as Lawton tube, thanks for the support as always Pb

[@horrellsheating2854]

@@PlumbLikeTomis this the PB who has over 50k subscribers on KZbin?

[@SteveHit1]

Great video Tom, with interesting jobs. Always annoying when you lose out to a company who you know are useless and will do a poor job. (They are often very good at bull shitting, of course.) Obviously you knew when to stop when trying to turn off that stopcock- I remember stupidly heaving on one - then the spindle snapped! 😱

[@PlumbLikeTom]

Thanks for the support as always Steve, if they don't move easily I just switch them off outside now, I'm lucky around here as every property has new shut offs outside

[@rich12349876]

I’ve seen some badly corroded copper in my time but not eaten from the inside so thin ~ think there are some areas into US that get that from their water though. I’ve not used my bungs on a vent since I discovered the blue caps from a Macalpine washing machine outlet fit crusty 22 nicely and go on with one hand nice and secure! Cheers Rich

[@PlumbLikeTom]

I need to try them on a vent, to be honest those bung kits are about £30 so not cheap, thanks for watching Rich

[@Tom_Plumb_PHS]

Now that's a tip Rich. I'm going to try this on some scrap 22 tomorrow 😁

[@johnwaby4321]

That was some very strang leaks you had there Tom.. Yes I know what you mean having to take all these exams Because we have to .so we can do are job .. Then you get these people with no qualifications and get the jobs .may be not correctly. .it is anoyoing. At least you are busy Tom 👍👍👍

[@PlumbLikeTom]

Thanks for the support John, I am flat out at the minute but it is nice to win jobs

[@peteb3365]

i'd say that leak was due to thin copper and acidic water, possibly even bit cavitation corrosion caused by burred over cuts, especially prevalent on bends. was on job in eskdale youth hostel in lakes, spring water from hill conaining fine sand had worn away copper pipes from inside. you could crush them with your fingers!

[@peteb3365]

they no got filters and setaling tanks i believe!

[@PlumbLikeTom]

That's interesting to know Pete, I hadn't thought of cavitation as a possible cause, thanks for watching as always mate 👍

[@peteb3365]

@@PlumbLikeTom you get a swirling action caused when the pipe is crushed in by the cutter. i think it was caused by more than one thing, another is a dodgy installer with no brain using cheap pipe! 🤣

[@peteb3365]

didn't mention the soap box derby? how many plaster casts is your brother in ? 😝

[@H4zuZazu]

I can confirm that with the cavitation my plumber coworkers got that a couple of times, reason was a lack of deburring. I found a simple tool to simulate cavitation, the cavitation can even run up against the flow i figured out. even a small nick can cause a massive washout other time.

[@johnridley1038]

Tom, I've done 2 jobs in the last 3 years where i had pinhole copper pipes, always near a joint, both of those had stainless steel cylinders, I'm not sure if it was something to do with the SS cylinders, But it was always just near a elbow, and on the outside just after the fitting, maybe there is some cavitation going on somewhere?

[@PlumbLikeTom]

Thanks for the support John, I guess the stainless could be causing electrolysis between the metals , I'm not an expert though

[@walterskelton411]

I've come across that thinning when copper used on fresh well water feeds.

[@PlumbLikeTom]

Is that to do with the PH of the water, this was on the mains, thanks for watching Walter

[@walterskelton411]

@@PlumbLikeTom The only one that I know the PH of was only very slightly acidic. I replaced all the fresh water piped with pex etc. The worst pipe was the one feeding the ball valve in the attic domestic storage tank. It was like tinfoil.

[@mikebarron4929]

Could be soft water tom it's a big thing in my area ne Scotland very low ph on private water supplies ,we fit a lot of ph correction units to add alkaline to water to save rotting copper pipes but presuming your pipe was on mains water so mystery

[@PlumbLikeTom]

Thanks for the support mate, if I go back I will certainly check the ph levels, this was on a mains supply so it should be right but it does make you wonder

[@philhermetic]

Table Z hard drawn thin wall pipe used to fail like that after about 10 years, pinholes all over, especially if no inhibitor was used, and system was only used sporadically, like a chapel, heating only on once a week! can be caused by wirewool, flux residue in the pipes. Phil "Phil Whitley, My week this week" on KZbin

[@PlumbLikeTom]

Thanks for the support Phil, it is greatly appreciated

[@dennisphoenix1]

The leak on the elbow could be caused by the micro bubbles created when the water is heated , in an unvented it has nowhere to go like a vented cylinder does with the vent pipe set up . As regards the lost job it is annoying when you have spent time on quoting the job to be pennies in difference. When you quote in future put it in writing that you have the relevant qualifications and can show certificates etc and the liability insurance etc for that level of work eg £2 million etc.

[@PlumbLikeTom]

Thanks for the support Dennis, I have now started putting that on the bottom of my boiler quotes, I just hope for the customer sake they have done a competent job and have at least had it signed off by a qualified engineer

[@FogKnitter]

Burs or too much solder in a fitting can cause turbulence inside a pipe, and where this turbulence hits copper wall can cause pin holes... maybe a cause

[@PlumbLikeTom]

You could well be right, thanks for the support, it is greatly appreciated

[@PaulSC1985]

2 things bout losing a job to a company that doesn't have your qualifications the standard and quality of work wont match yours and you could make money fixing there mistakes thus word of mouth will get ye more work best of luck keep up the good work

[@PlumbLikeTom]

Thanks for the support Paul, the jobs always come back around as you say, it just ends up costing the customer again

[@livingformessiah586]

I’ve seen copper thin because of turbulence from copper not being reamed as well as electrolysis

[@PlumbLikeTom]

Thanks for the support mate, it is greatly appreciated

[@JR-1983]

Same in the flooring trade Tom people using sub standard cheap materials and undercutting you. I always use the manafacures recommended plys/glues etc and if it fails then the supplier reps will happily work with you if you use cheap stuff they laugh and walk away.

[@PlumbLikeTom]

Thanks for the support as always mate, there will always be someone who can do the job cheaper, like you say it's normally down to cheaper materials and or cutting corners

[@martinwright7093]

Nicely done, Tom. Why didn’t they wait to paint the wall before getting you back to fit the rad? I remember once not having access to the header tank so thought I’d do it live, then couldn’t get the insert in the end of the pipe….

[@PlumbLikeTom]

Thanks for watching Martin, I was working for a builder on the rad job so I was just doing what I was told, often the clients do the decorating themselves and the builders want the jobs finishing so they can get paid so they push like mad to get us finished as just putting a rad on the wall holds up a lot of money for them

[@martinwright7093]

Oh yes, that makes sense.

[@alimack5489]

I’d Riddor them mate to be fair. We’re all paying to play by the rules. Happens time and time again I’m not commercial but I’ve seen countless unvented installs that I’ve lost when you turn up and it’s speed fit central and the customer wants you to fix it 🤷‍♂️. Cheers Tom

[@PlumbLikeTom]

It is very annoying, the work always seems to come back around and it normally ends up costing the end user more having to put defects right, thanks for watching Ali

[@SuperWayneyb]

@@PlumbLikeTom Some still chance doing commercial and then get a mate to sign it off maddening but true.

[@jeffm2787]

Some will tell you the pin-holes are from not deburring the inside of the pipes. Turbulences caused right at the joints. IDK.

[@PlumbLikeTom]

I know turbulence can be an issue but most plumbers don't debur, it could well have caused it though, thanks for the support as always mate

[@samharrison3994]

thinning of copper happens when the water has a low ph and tds

[@PlumbLikeTom]

Thanks for the support Sam, I guess there's not much that can be done to sort the ph if it's on mains water

[@kevinisaac9139]

In the 70s there was a copper shortage I have had it before cheap Italian tube you couldn’t even bend it

[@PlumbLikeTom]

I know the stuff you mean, yorkshire thin-walled with the red band on it also couldn't be bent, the pipe on this job was more modern but was paper thin, thanks for watching as always Kevin

[@riptiz]

Tbh the Europeans still use crap steel pipe in industrial pipework now. I’ve been asked to supply several times on jobs in this country by European engineers and told them we can’t get that crap over here.

[@SeanRidley-g7z]

You can't beat a bead of silicone on your syphon, bottom entry ball valve. I don't see the problem. Saves any call backs.

[@PlumbLikeTom]

I do agree, it certainly saves a call back, thanks for watching mate 👍

[@JSSHandP]

May be worth informing gas safe. Personally I don’t understand why people ever risk doing gas work unqualified. I assume they have dom tickets but commercial is a different ball game!

[@PlumbLikeTom]

Thanks for the support as always mate, they had a domestic ticket but not commercial, I don't think gas safe would be interested, it would have to be reported by the customer I think

[@SuperWayneyb]

🤘😎🤘🫖☕️🍪🎥👍👍

[@PlumbLikeTom]

Thanks for the support as always Wayne, have a great weekend

[@Pippy626]

What’s worse is when they win it and try to sub you for something super small to use your license

[@PlumbLikeTom]

I won't sign anyone else's work off, even mates as it to much risk on me, I do get enquires where people have had boilers put in and just "need them signing off". I won't touch them, thanks for watching mate

[@burntre1]

I won’t do it either, regardless of how much money is offered, it’s not the fear of something going wrong, you’re shooting yourself in the foot regarding winning jobs in the long term.

[@bernherts]

70's heap copper was liake that, but if thia 12 years old ... where didntheyngetnthat crap stuff?

[@PlumbLikeTom]

Thanks for the support as always mate, some one told me the big diy shops sell thinner pipe, I need to buy a length and compare the weight