Repair Copper Pipe Pinhole Leak With Sharkbite (Save $$ Thousands by DIY)

Products used down below! Here in this video, I show you how to save thousands on repairing a pinhole leak that's connected to the service line of the home right to the water meter. That's right, this plumbing job would cost over $1500 to repair. This quote is comparable to a similar job that was done before for another leak. I show you how to fix it for under $100 and a day's worth of work. It's really is as simple as digging a little hole and patching the pipe. If this video helped you out, please feel free to subscribe to scratch my back too. Thanks for stopping by!
By no means is this video sponsored by Sharkbite or any other company used to fix this copper pipe.
Product list below may or may not have affiliate links to the items used in the video that only serve its purpose of helping me out a little monetarily.
Sharkbite 3/4 inch Slip Joint:
amzn.to/2IJI7p6
Sharkbite Underground Wrap:
amzn.to/36ETG9r
Ridgid Close Quarters Tubing Cutter, 1/4-inch to 1-1/8-inch Tube Cutter: amzn.to/2HcSEJi
Razor-Back Drain Spade/ Sharp Shooter:
www.homedepot.com/p/Razor-Bac...

[@jiggs49us]

Sharkbites rule and properly installed last a good long time. I've got some in service from when they first became available over 15 years ago and they are still working fine. I even have them installed on hydronic copper heat runs - from the same time period - and they are still working great. You have to follow good plumbing practices when applying these types of push to connect fittings. The only people who don't like Sharkbite plumbing fittings are plumbers and HVAC types who want to charge you $200 an hour to fix a leak when you can do it yourself for $25.

[@appleztooranges]

Sharkbite! Plumbers hate it homeowners love it

[@jdcisneros9023]

It’ll leak again be sure of that😏

[@appleztooranges]

@@jdcisneros9023 I’m waiting

[@jdcisneros9023]

@@appleztooranges hit me up when it does

[@appleztooranges]

@@jdcisneros9023 my plumber said i saved a ton after he responded a month later.

[@ernestleo6284]

Excellent I found as you did you need to lightly tap the remover tool to move the slip connector or remove a valve/fitting. I purchased a metal remover tool making it much easier to install slip connectors or remove valves or other sharkbite type fittings.

[@dkroen17]

Cool video. Thanks!

[@usnchief1339]

Great job! I'm dealing with the exact same issue. The only problem is that my service line is an unrolled copper line so it's not perfectly round. I will have to figure out how to reshape it. Thanks!

[@That7Days79]

👍Interesting Video... -Singapore

[@felixlaboy1453]

Thank you for the amazing video.

[@myaudlife4399]

Thank you for watching!

[@felixlaboy1453]

@@myaudlife4399 your welcome

[@TheHighKirk]

You can also use the tang of a "rat tail" file to de-burr the inside and outside of a pipe or tube.

[@snakemadness1439]

They definitely have a better shark tool now but I'm sure u know that by now lol at least u figured it out . Nice quick repair. Shark bates are the best invention when a person suks at soldering like me lol .

[@craigweaver7214]

Thank you!!!

[@myaudlife4399]

Not a problem! Glad i could help

[@paulkremastiotis6296]

Thank you 🇦🇺

[@myaudlife4399]

Not a problem!

[@gjurczyc]

I have used SharkBite for years no issues. removed galvanized to Copper they have never leaked. If they leak you did not seat them correctly

[@tennis2469]

that slipping tool is got to be the hardest to work with. It is not slipping as Sharkbite claim it to be. They need to make it better where it's easier to push, cus its hard as hell.

[@myaudlife4399]

Very true but I'm totally comfortable with it due to the nature of the application. Highly pressurized water pipes should be tight!

[@vart7767]

TRUE! REAL PAIN IN TIGHT AREA OR AWKWARD TO REACH

[@myaudlife4399]

@@vart7767 you may have to dig a wider hole like I did! A little more work but then you don’t have to budge so much

[@JackJohnson-wg1ye]

Good video. Where did you get that special wrench to use on the shut off at the meter? Thanks in advance!

[@myaudlife4399]

Unfortunately it was one that came with the house and even I can’t find where they sell them. They sell different types at your local improvement store or online. Just search “water meter key”

[@maxilocity]

You can get it at home depot

[@hectoralvarado6209]

Brought to you by Hanes boxers, rugged resistant and strong as a 🐋 shark bite

[@vart7767]

SHARKBITE CAN BE A PAIN TO INSTALL AND TAKE OFF

[@austinallen5243]

Not as much of a pain as soldering, or paying someone else to fix the problem

[@mts7274]

So does this particular Sharkbite adapter only need to seat perfectly at one end? I see that there is clearly only one notch there.

[@myaudlife4399]

Right so it’s slides and stops at one notch but moves very freely at the other. All you have to ensure is that it’s seated very well with the shorter notch and the other one is dependent on the pipe size you have

[@fernandoak6069]

Anybody knows the water meter shut off tool he uses in the video? Brand, model or even a link to buy it? Thanks

[@myaudlife4399]

Hey man, thanks for watching. With the way that our water meter is setup, you can simply use a crescent wrench to hold the nub and twist it to turn it on and off.

[@Blap552]

The pinhole I need to fix is about 3/4" from the shoulder of the T elbow,that is Not enough length is it? Also,this is my upstairs neighbors' kitchen supply line and she refuses to shut it off so can I do it with the water on?

[@myaudlife4399]

I highly advise against doing it with the water on as the pressure from the water is no joke. I personally haven’t done it before like that but to turn off the water is simply only 15 minutes so I highly suggest taking that route if you can. For a temporary fix you might be able to get some garden hose with a metal screw clamp and tighten it down over that pinhole. Not sure about the longevity of it but it definitely has been done. Hope that helps, thanks for watching!

[@Blap552]

@@myaudlife4399 OK Thanks, and yes I do have the Ace hdwre clamp on there and it is holding! I also bought a 6" piece of thick hose,2 hose clamps and a stick of that putty/glue gunk that supposedly hardens after you work it in there. 🙄🙂 Thanks for your really fast response sir! Appreciate it!

[@myaudlife4399]

@@Blap552 np! Give me a sub if you can, thanks! 😁

[@origtex]

10:22 could not believe my eyes!! there are "teeth" inside the sharkbite and a washer. Using the provided Sharkbite orange tool is one thing, but using a hammer and wrench isn't a good idea.

[@myaudlife4399]

You’d be surprised, out in the field nowadays with plumbers as plumbers, we do indeed actually just use a crescent wrench and wring it off. Another approach is using a pro press to attach pex in place

[@bhadz100]

How did you find out you have a leak?

[@myaudlife4399]

There was a big squishy pool of water that was accumulating in that area. Fortunately it was in a good spot for me to address it.

[@Goldarr1900]

There was an arrow pointing in one direction.. you didn’t explain that part, or probably I missed it. Does it matter where the arrow points?

[@myaudlife4399]

I can’t recall it exactly but what’s important to note is that there’s an end called the “slip end.” It’s the part that allows you to slide it freely within that section of pipe so that you can slip the other end on and make a connection. The non slip end section will stop at the notch when you fully connect it.

[@Goldarr1900]

@@myaudlife4399 So this product is ahead of me. Thanks for the feedback 👍

[@jl-dc6dt]

I see a lots of people talking about plumber hates shark bites .But hear me out for this kind of under ground installation without any pipe protection 😅.I can even reach you hot to solder or braze for free because it just hurt my eyes.🤦‍♂️,I don’t know much about the residential side, but I do love my job and I will count on my work to last till the building to be demolished

[@myoz6804]

😆

[@maianhnguyen37]

What if I put it backwards

[@myaudlife4399]

You should remove it with the release tool and orient it the other way

[@VanNguyen-cp8oj]

You use the wrong way to insert with the hammet

[@sobrevivendonagringa9578]

I can do this with gas pipe?

[@myaudlife4399]

I am not an expert nor a certified master plumber but upon reading with sharkbites guidelines, they do not recommended using their fittings for gas line installs. Hope this helps

[@Paine137]

Yikes.

[@xbrizzcakez]

NO!, Sharkbite are only designed for potable water and radiant heat installations.

[@jdcisneros9023]

🤣

[@vart7767]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

[@kevin072991]

That isn’t properly sealing because after hammering back the other way it wasn’t set in all the way on either side 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@kenhoover3942]

Notice on the shark bite sleave a mark 1" inside on the end that was connected last. It is not in the middle of the shark bite connection. The stopping point is 1" inside the second connection not at the middle. The other end also is in at least 1". It is set to the limit on the second connection and has about 1" gap inside the connection. It is correct, although at first it doesn't look like it.

[@xbrizzcakez]

Sharkbite does not recommend sanding pipes before installation.

[@myaudlife4399]

Looks like you’re right! Good correction. Well, if there’s very large sharp burrs that could fail the o rings then that would have to be addressed first with the de burring tool that I have

[@xbrizzcakez]

@@myaudlife4399 De-burring, reaming, checking for sharp edges absolutely, I think the thought about sanding is technically putting a profile, although minuscule on the pipe which could cause leaks. I am a Sharkbite user as well. I can sweat copper when needed and use Sharkbite fittings when convenient. I take a lot of care when installing them and have had no failures/leaks.

[@ericmartin6657]

Why don't you turn the water off while you do it then drain all that water out of the hole?

[@myaudlife4399]

The water was off. If you've ever done this before, you'd know that water will typically continue to trickle from the house as gravity is still dispersing it from other fixtures in the home. Thanks for watching!

[@pjplumber2146]

Not in dirt. Shark bite doesn’t like dirt. Even wrapped. Don’t use in dirt.

[@myaudlife4399]

This wrap is made by Sharkbite and is called Silicone Wrap. It's made specifically for this application. I wouldn't share this if it wasn't so.

[@pjplumber2146]

@@myaudlife4399 I know they claim that. I can read and know everything about shark bite. In 2 years you’ll remember this. The wrap doesn’t protect anything.

[@pjplumber2146]

@@myaudlife4399 besides. You should have a crumpet or expander. $5 vs a single sheen bite $19 and the wrap the doesn’t work for long. $15. Then you look bad in 4 years when the fitting explodes. I preach shark bite. And truly don’t like arguing with a fellow lover. But I learned this lesson 15 years ago. After they came out 21 years ago. To much relies on the quality of the wrap. I don’t understand it but the dirt eats the brass. And it’s not a drip. It’s an emergency call. Dig down 3’ at 1am 4 times free and you’ll feel me.

[@myaudlife4399]

@@pjplumber2146 only time will tell, technology is always innovating so I’m for the chance. By no means is this an old fashion repair so there’s many ways to approach this. I’ve just choose to take this alternative. If there’s too many issues with sharkbite then they should be going out of business but I don’t see that anytime soon

[@sarge1231]

This is a temporary repair.....for permanent repairs, there is no great solution short of using a torch.

[@myaudlife4399]

I ended up having to replace my whole water line main bc the copper was eroding everywhere and leaking

[@ericmartin6657]

You should have drained all the water out! You're getting water all on the tape because you're being too lazy to get all the water out! That's stupid!

[@myaudlife4399]

The pipe was repaired. What’s unfortunate is that due to the deterioration of the pipe over time, I had more than 2 more pinhole leaks in other locations so I ended up digging out the whole main line and replacing it with PEX. All is well now, thanks for watching!