You WON'T believe what caused this WATER LEAK

[@Iceaxehikes]

As a plumber myself I can say a few things that my tribe could have done better. Where is the sleeve to protect the copper pipe from the concrete? Why was the pipe brought up near the face of the wall. There should have been a nail plate, installed by my tribe member, over any area reasonably expected to get trim. As for the wood butcher tribe; they hit our pipes all the time, the smelly bunch of drunks. Carry on.

[@jaisvikt]

Would that sleeve for the pipe be a kind of wrap? Agreed, shelf life for that pipe in concrete was greatly shortened by knuckle draggers.

[@Iceaxehikes]

jaisvikt normal would be for the water pipe to be sheathed in foam insulation (looks like a pool noodle) and further sleeved in a continuous plastic tubing material from where the pipe enters the form or slab until it exits without a joint or break in the plastic sleeve below the level of concrete to be poured. Water pipe, even insulated and sleeved, is NEVER to be secured to rebar or any reinforcement or concrete forms themselves. The plumber puts in his own stakes or wooden jigs to secure the pipe in position before the concrete is poured. Waste pipe is wrapped in foam (handicap wrap) anywhere it is within concrete. This is how it is done properly and passes California bay area code. Edited for typos clarity.

[@jaisvikt]

Thx

[@codywingard9695]

Matthew Edwards also who taught this hack how to sodder so ugly

[@joaquinlopez997]

Perfect

[@genesmith4022]

As a plumber myself, when you started cutting into the vanity, I cringed. I would have removed the vanity. This would dry the area faster and better and cost less.

[@VegetaIsBetterThanGoku]

Agreed, cant do a nice repair on that either, gonna have to be replaced regardless. Taking the vanity out takes actually less effort than cutting it and all it takes is some caulking to make it brand new. And yeah its a much faster and more thorough drying process.

[@Yahgiggle]

Totally agree, when he even cut that first hole I was like WTF that's amateur man only remove once you can prove you have pin pointed the area, he was just guessing without thinking first. He did guess right with the nail in the pipe so I will give him thumbs up on that.

[@samueltaylor4989]

That’s why a plumber shouldn’t do any work other than plumbing. WAY more work than necessary to remove vanity, granite counter top AND put it back with caulking, painting and making it not look like patchwork. Holes inside vanity VERY easy to fix and you will NEVER see it.

[@Mote78]

You guys are saying quite the opposite. I’m only a DYI’er but while I like the idea of pulling out the vanity to gain better access and help ensure thorough drying, that would be a much larger job and put the bathroom virtually out of commission for a week or more because of drying. I had this happen in the kitchen and I removed the floor and back wall of two cabinets and removed the Sheetrock and insulation. Let it dry for 2 weeks then repaired. The kitchen was always functional and no one would know of the repair unless I emptied the cabinets and showed them. Plus, I would have needed a strong helper or two to pull the granite off and then later again to return it. That would have been a bigger nightmare.

[@duradim1]

I got two more cents. I think Matt cut the first hole because that allowed access behind the tub which also was against the outside wall where the leak was draining to. But the origin of the leak was perpendicular to that spot. Cutting a hole into the bottom of the vanity was useless but cutting a hole into the back of it is a toss up. Remember, we have hindsight to criticize how he did it. Myself though, I think removing the vanity would had been my first choice, but the leak was really behind the toilet. So my work would have been wasted? The fact is finding leaks can be tricky, messy and expensive. That is a cost that should be passed on to the customer because contractors don't have crystal balls, well at least ones that work, and you got to start somewhere.

[@billybeemus3929]

When I moved into my new to me house, I replaced all the trim and floor boards. Fifteen years later, the carpet in our family room was slightly damp in one small area and would not dry out. Turns out I drove a nail into a pipe that was running along the drywall. Not in the middle of the wall or anything, right along the drywall in a notch in the stud. No plates or anything to protect it. It took that full 15 years for the leak to develop.

[@geneticdisorder1900]

Billy Beemus ,,,, well Bub you should have used stainless nails !!! I told a few carpenters the same thing, DAM YOU JIMMY !!!! Use stainless nails when you shoot into my water lines !!! Lol. It’s been a year since your post, hope all is well in your house !

[@davecase4238]

Has an infrared moisture meter, but not a $20 scope.

[@nholt]

lol

[@TheFrizbaloid]

Has infrared moisture meter. Finds wet spot by noticing wet grout and separated baseboard. Excellent buy.

[@JohnDoe-us1ek]

And he actually thought there was suspect moisture in the fucking bathtub lmaoo

[@KennethYimHomes]

It’s an infrared temperature meter not moisture

[@jeremyflavin7304]

Nice how you dropped the hammer on the tiled floor. In someone's home, I always use clean canvas drop sheets to work on. You should also consider using them

[@mattyjbsr7150]

Exactly my thought also! I’m cringing

[@qball3834]

I was going to comment the same thing. Threw the hammer on a tile floor like a noob.

[@KennethYimHomes]

Dropped? Threw!

[@CraigKratovil]

Logic said the problem was in the larger bath considering it was newer, and the green moss on exterior wall indicated exactly where leak was.

[@chriscain7463]

Nice cabinets buddy.... I'm a saw loads of holes in it!

[@tripjet999]

What language you speekee?

[@Llaveocculto]

All in the name of building science!

[@Phantoma3]

7:02 Throws the hammer down onto the tiles like a noob.

[@I_leave_mean_comments]

That really irked me too.

[@gantmj]

You won't believe what caused this water leak! It was a guy with a plunge-cut saw, who even knew that the pipe was there before cutting...

[@wyler87]

Whoever did the soldering job sucks this is why you pay Professional plumbers not handymen

[@googleplex7097]

So it could look nice and pretty where no one will ever see it? Foh

[@fhuber7507]

@@googleplex7097 Good joints look good... This plumbing work screams lawsuit.

[@googleplex7097]

F Huber anybody can connect copper lol u plumbing guys are something else

[@akwekful]

I like when he talks about a few lessons to be learnt there’s no mention of his own mistakes

[@briancnc]

Your cameraman could use a haircut.

[@nicholashartzler2205]

its the mic lol

[@briancnc]

I know, I have to give Matt a hard time when I can, he makes such good videos! This was a brutal mistake on the carpenters. Always laughed at guys in the field using 3"+ nails for a 3/4" baseboard.

[@gateway8833]

Nicholas Hartzler Really, thats hilarious, I was thinking the camera guy had one of thoes '60 Bushy Bon hair doos.

[@CheekyMonkey888]

camera person is a wearwolf identifying transgender lesbian don t discriminate

[@Rhaspun]

That’s the new fuzzy lens shade.

[@TeamRiceUSA]

I very much like the video. I have chased simular problems, I used a borescope camera and 1/4" hole to inspect inside walls. The cameras I got was less than $20 at Amazon. Paul Rice Lake Charles, LA.

[@edskryp9432]

Matt, the same happened at my son's place. He had water on his basement bathroom floor and thought it was from showering. We installed new flooring upstairs and when we removed a baseboard and water started shooting out of a plastic water line. Yes someone had put a trim nail into the water pipe.

[@jbolin2786]

Nice find guys, that was a tough one. I find and fix leaks like that for a living so it was sad to hear the leak detector you guys called couldn't find it. Tell your buddy those soft copper pipes going through his slab will cause some headaches in the future

[@Jesse-gv9tf]

Thank you for showing the entire trial and error. You did an excellent job.

[@SpinyNormanDinsdale]

That's a great comment. A lot of DIY or Construction Pro KZbinrs videos edit everything to make the worker seem infallible, but the reality of most projects in other peoples homes is that there are a lot of trial and error situations, even with high quality equipment that can detect moisture in this case!

[@davidpaepke7397]

Unless for some MAJOR reason they couldn't, I would have disconnected the plumbing from the vanity and pulled out the vanity rather then cutting holes in it. It's just disconnecting the water lines and the sink drain. Not hard to do.

[@artisannasitra6725]

@David Paepke "FAIL" !

[@Sfk887]

I had that exact thing happen one time when my guys went and put stucco on a third floor exterior wall. Like 2 weeks later the customer called said it's pouring water down stairs.. a trim nail was stuck in it. Since water is low pressure, when the copper expands and contracts with temperature it began to leak..

[@1stFlyingeagle]

Don't let people rip holes like this in your home. We now use inspection cams. One small round hole is much easier to fix then mudding and tapping a cut out. And if the cam does not pan out which sometimes happens. Then cut out a section.

[@duuoffdacasa]

Facts Bro There Going leave It SO you Can Fix

[@CaptainCocaine]

august They don't need to dry out the first hole dudebro cut.

[@scottheller1663]

I wanna watch you fix a leak through a half inch hole.

[@walterbrunswick]

@@scottheller1663 Right? Some of these commenters have no clue.

[@obsoletepowercorrupts]

6:00 *TLDW* = He has a theory that there is a nail through a pipe somewhere. As he does his fault-finding he cuts holes in walls rather than using an inspection camera. 8:40 He sees 3 copper pipes potentially leaking. 10:30 You get to see it is a nail in a copper pipe causing it to constantly spray a tiny jet of water. 11:20 You see that there are actually 2 nails as another pipe has the problem too. You're welcome.

[@billsprestonesq9805]

I DON'T BELIEVE IT!!

[@obsoletepowercorrupts]

@@billsprestonesq9805 Yes! This is one of those videos that was worth making timestamps for because the uploader imparted good information and the timestamps can be a way to help people in addition to that. :) My comment has no hate in it and I do no harm. I am not appalled or afraid, boasting or envying or complaining... Just saying. Psalms23: Giving thanks and praise to the Lord and peace and love. Also, I'd say Matthew6.

[@aquarianhealer]

@9:05 he nicked a pipe with saw cutting into wall 🤦‍♀️

[@ivangladkiy2154]

Wow. Nice job finding problem.... half house has holes... why cut cabinet bottom?... crazy.

[@llVIU]

maybe he was high as fuck while doing this video

[@bgregg55]

that's a huge lesson about the length of trim fasteners. same thing happened at my brother's condo except it was pex pipe. did not leak until the trim board was removed.

[@reelshawnbradly3069]

We had that same exact thing happen in a two story home. Crazy thing is it would only become evident every other year or so. When we started remodeling and removed the baseboards in the upstairs bathroom is when the nail came out and the floodgates opened...

[@edwardlocke874]

Matt....this is a very cool video showing cause and effect of what can happen when you nail into a wall into pipes. Your channel is one of the best in YT!

[@frickfrack8685]

Do not throw a hammer on a finished tile floor

[@mandatethis8024]

YoYO Semite that was a ‘hollow tile’ test hammer throw...... highly technical move.....lol

[@coach714]

@@mandatethis8024 Where was the hammer part? I missed it

[@mandatethis8024]

Coach just before he actually discovered the source , he tosses the hammer on the tile floor

[@south02m]

@@coach714 @7:02

[@coach714]

@@south02m I just heard and saw it!! I cringed at the thought. Thanks for the time

[@shopart1488]

Perfect way to expose the leak. If I were doing it I would of done the same thing Matt. The only way to fix it properly is to open it up to air and repair it correctly a couple pieces of 1/4” plywood cut to fit and painted white they will never know you were there. It’s hard to believe some of the stupid remarks. Keep up the good work!!!

[@efraincordero864]

I learned how much a inexperienced person can cause damage to a bathroom

[@emmasigurdardottir5436]

@YoYO Semite wow that's horrible. I wonder how many times that guy did that type stuff over the years.

[@neilkynaston6091]

@YoYO Semite and there are plenty of us who go the extra mile and triple check everything. I would not continue working if I didn't have nail plates. You are probably one of those who doesn't trust contractors so you use "Handymen". A nightmare waiting to happen.

[@serge.crispino418]

@@neilkynaston6091 - there are a few handyman you tubers that should not be making videos. This guy though is a very experienced builder and friend or not has the worst possible approach to finding the leak - even worse they left the water on and pulled out the plug. Take the vanity out sooner or later so the area will dry our quicker and yes Mr. home owner that is mould which for some reason You Seppos are shit scared about.

[@PDSalling]

Slack/sloppy (built to sell, with minimum 'after-market-protection' for the consumer) UBC construction. Note: Below-grade plumbing is poorly positioned and encased in concrete, increasing the risk of damage. 2. Professional remodelers would make SURE 'fastenings' would not damage infrastructures.

[@henryt9254]

Here is a perfect example of using a sub-par contractor inevitably will cause you grief down the road. I'm not a contractor, but commonsense tells me those nails are way too long and sure enough a couple of them punctured a pipe. What were they thinking when they tack on the trim board by using 3 in nails. Just unbelievable the kind of damage an incompetent contractor can cause.

[@TheCreativeMind]

I want to see him troubleshoot electricity next.

[@windows10person30]

lol lol Yeahhhh- wonder how that would go.... *Read More*

[@CCCC-tq8yo]

Ya

[@tfl2155]

Haha. No

[@CCCC-tq8yo]

@@tfl2155 yes

[@memonavaramirez6261]

@@tfl2155 yes

[@AllenHart999]

Watching from the UK. Thanks.

[@michaelstiller2282]

Send this video to DFW Crown Molding. They showcase, (on KZbin,) how to drive nails into drywall, without locating the center of studs; professionally. They are the the best at it. Truly, the person who drove that nail into that pipe is lucky it wasn't a live 220 volt electrical line.

[@buildshow]

totally true...

[@michaelstiller2282]

Matt Risinger I went to a small job, had to pull a base cap off a stair stringer. I started to smell gas. (Panic mode.) The person who installed the base cap, drove a nail right through a yellow flexible gas line. When I pulled the cap I pulled the nail out of the gas line. At the time I had no idea where the gas was coming from, and had no idea where the shut off was. Scary stuff!

[@hotrodpaully1]

Michael Stiller who in there right mind puts flexible gas line in a wall it should be straight pipe inside any wall

[@brandonbrownlee3348]

One thing you can do for the immediate purposes, and it actually will hold up possibly indefinitely, but it's not elegant, is you can just grab a piece of bicycle inner tube and a hose clamp. Cut a small chunk of inner tube to fit over the leak and most of the way around the pipe, then hose clamp that inner tube into place. That will stop your copper pipe leak easy without having to leave the water off and you can then have time to figure out what you're going to do for a real fix. Oh btw i like I like that FLIR moisture meter I might have to get one of those.

[@hanab9460]

Wow, this is unreal, thanks for posting! Never thought of this ever happening, good to know! Great Video, thanks!

[@mostlikelywedoitservices9743]

I have found many a leak with my iPhone. I bought a ridged flex cam and that is a great game changer. I can stick the lens that has lights down into the wet area or down into the drain lines. it can zoom and adjust the amount of light. Great detection work on locating the leak. Always just one step at a time.

[@davidmcbenge9370]

Like when my mom and dad had a leak in the wall. They thought that they would have to replace the whole roof. I cut through the wall and found that the water was coming through the chimney flashing and going down a timber to the wall. The flashing was a very cheap fix compared to a whole roof replace.

[@lcarliner]

In the past, when I still had a house that was undergoing remodeling that included a new master bathroom, the plumber was very meticulous in using nail shields at every point where drywall was to be installed, sufficient to protect the pip s from misplaced nails!

[@endergomez2682]

I really enjoy these informative videos. I'm no carpenter, but I've had minimal experience with just about everything, just haven't learned the advanced stuff. It's really amazing how carpenters can make some of this stuff look easy.

[@ottoroth9377]

I agree with Matt...concrete is tabu on copper pipe, when i poured a slab around soft copper on a pressure line, i placed a pvc sleeve over the pipe. Now, if i bave to build again, i will run 2inch pvc, then run pex thru the pvc..in case of an issue, can pull out the pex, and replace it.

[@MegaBait1616]

after 42 yr.'s plumbing i'ved learned to install "nail plates" every where. they make all sizes to cover waste, water, vent, Hvac piping. can't think that the carpenter is going to use 1 1/4" screws or nails. they work............

[@faithismine128]

I call them nail guards but good point.

[@trumanray2525]

yes they do.... i have a 100 pk box

[@Duetmaster2]

The carpenter put a nail through the drywall and into a pipe. A nail plate isn't going to prevent that.

[@TexasTinyHomesRock]

As a Texas home builder since 1977, I learned the hard way after a trim carpenter drove a nail into a water line similar to your friends home, but the coated nail gun nail didn't leak for the first year or so after the home was finished, sold and then occupied. The nail eventually rusted loose and the leak developed and was spraying water just like this one was. After fixing the problem, I began having my plumbers install metal protection plates (taller than the planned base boards) over vulnerable areas where water pipes are coming up out of the slab. The metal plates are thick enough to prevent nail gun nails from penetrating the plate.

[@freman]

Twice I've seen this and been like "this man needs a snake cam for his phone, save cutting giant holes in everything

[@skmc6915]

The importance of pre-planning your plumbing routing when doing additions. Access panels that are removable are a great idea as well.

[@7diaz967]

300 holes later ....yay

[@luistrejo7290]

7 Diaz he’s a idiot

[@agualotus]

Hey Matt, fun fact, here in Minnesota we are not allowed to have an exterior wall as our wet wall. (Wet wall being the term we use to describe which wall we run our plumbing)

[@obsoleteprofessor2034]

I had a dead electrical outlet on a back to back kitchen on some new construction. I had power to the plug on the opposite kitchen and I thought I had fished the wire to the wrong unit. Turned out that the stucco guys had nailed through and sheared my hot completely and the nail caught the opposite unit wire and energized it via the nail.

[@bernie10315]

Many years ago I went on a service call, water leak. Years before a builder worker had driven a dry wall nail into the copper pipe from the faucet to the shower head. All those years the nail sealed until it rusted away and leaked whenever they took a shower.

[@dj20deep]

This guy is unreal !!! He's about as subtle as fireworks. Destroys half the bathroom to fix a leak..... SMH

[@androidlemon3438]

@@jarrodhollenbeck4284 I see what you did great job . Guess he thought you should have taken the whole thing out and charged alot more to fix all of it .

[@BratvaTV]

@@jarrodhollenbeck4284 This is a reply from an actual plumber "As a plumber myself, when you started cutting into the vanity, I cringed. I would have removed the vanity. This would dry the area faster and better and cost less."

[@yifanlin5498]

Matt is a builder, he's not a plumber. He knows how to manage a project and put different pieces of the puzzle together and maybe bring in the latest innovation to a build. This is still an interesting video.

[@Waremonger]

Awesome video Matt! It's a shame such a nice (and probably expensive) bathroom was ruined due to minor negligence.

[@paulcopeland9035]

The bathroom was ruined? What video were you watching? A good trim carpenter would consider that a minor repair.

[@NGinuity]

Same exact thing happened to me about 9 years ago. Nail drove through the wall into a pipe. Sealed until it rusted and then sprang a leak. Ruined the carpet in one room and figured out the copper pipes were not roughed up through the wall correctly in the process. I've learned that crap work like that usually isn't a loan circumstance in houses. If you find it once, beware of more.

[@ionymous6733]

Really? A nail is what you thought I woudn't believe caused a water leak? I was expecting something like a leprechaun or a tiny alien with a laser gun.

[@richennis3663]

Ah ha I found moisture tear holes here and here. Take this wall out. No nail plate at pipe.

[@alwayscrispy666]

Ion Ymous you need to learn proper literacy my friend. Dumb af

[@Christian-Rankin]

Its not that bad of a title but that was really funny anyway

[@gfunk449]

It was a Mexican with a nail gun.

[@torodaman]

@@gfunk449 why it had to be a Mexican what are you a trump lover and a racist...?

[@reallywontsufferfools1620]

AFTER YOU WRECKED HIS HOUSE YOU FOUND THE LEAK AFTER MAKING ANOTHER LEAK GOOD JOB

[@kenshmo5199]

Good cabinets buddy.. just gonna cut a hole in it even tho my moisture meter could have told us that it was showing moisture. Oh and even if I cut the hole we can't fix the issue from the hole in the bottom of your vanity. Nice vanity tho. Also love how buddy cut the wall to the bathroom.. textured drywall.. even tho he knew there wasn't moisture there. If you're going to own a flir... know how it works.

[@lmorgan2lm]

Ken Shmo hahaha I was searching the comments to see if anyone else was thinking what I was thinking, and I found it!

[@bloggerswork899]

That pissed me off and its not even my house!

Great video,reminded me of a basement remod where cheaper laborers were hanging wood wall paneling A wet rug in the bedroom made me think toilet seal leak,but no.I saw where one guy ignored the seams and studs ,and nailed into the paneling to take the bow out.Of course the supply lines to the bathroom were right behind it AND spraying into an outlet box.Lucky,it was a pinhole and the sheet rock was not soggy yet. Another one was a drip in the corner of the ceiling of the half bath on the first floor.That one was tricky ! After a day of cutting holes I found that the floor trim installer used those 3 inch finishing nails and had punctured the 4 inch PVC vent stack.After ten years the nail rusted away and condensation no longer went up,it came out that tiny hole and ran downstairs.

[@kdeltatube]

LOL, I'll give you credit for posting this comedy of error and common sense

[@CMBdecipleofChrist]

I had this problem in two places on my home from the previous Hardie install and had to have the Hardie done over again for many reasons. There were nails shot all the way down the drain of the washer that precipitated a moldy wall behind the washer, ruined floors and a few insurance claims. The PVC drain pipe was incredibly located on the 16" so no wonder! Good job Doyle Wilson! (Also, no thanks for the brick chimney that came down: two stories high on a house that has 10' ceilings, where it was only supported by the first floor and NO MASONRY ANCHORS anywhere! We were lucky it didn't come down on someones head! Every house I know of in this area (Hunter's Chase) has had to replace their chimney!) The contractors laughed at the shot up pipes in two places when they got the layers off down to the studs, then shot through the same drain pipe again as they nailed the sheathing. Luckily it was discovered and marked more carefully before the Hardie went back on!

[@faithismine128]

Whoever installed that tankless water heater needs a damn level.

[@tomelliott9453]

I spit up my coffee laughing. "Is that water from the outside? No no someone had a shower."

[@bradleyakulov3618]

On a site I was working, I heard a brad nail went through some copper wiring... I could definitely smell it when I got there.

[@samsno3667]

Nice video. And yes ... I believe it. What an awkward place to fix the leak; can't be easy going under that vanity especially with that cross bar to service that leak. The first leak you didn't show but just the repair patch (would have loved to see what and how it was leaking) but for sure the camera video captured the nail that punctured the pipe.

[@ernestbywater411]

I think you should invest in a cheap endoscope for checking inside cavities.

[@gustavolomeli1087]

Great Video, this is the third video I see of yours and you now have a new subscriber. We had a pin hole leak in our kitchen that occurred on its own. After the leak was fixed, my brother and I put up the new drywall, my brother put a drywall screw through the newly repaired 1/2" copper pipe. Remember to put those steel plates when applicable to prevent punctures similar to what happened to me.

[@ave.construction5514]

Too many expensive tools not enough common sense.

[@bicolouredprawn]

"All the gear, no idea" as we say in England!

[@zachhawes1369]

What would you have done differently? Explain. As a plumber myself, I’d like to know.

[@Stoneforth]

@@zachhawes1369 probably check around all water sources in the vacinity before cutting inspection holes

[@lucus17]

AVE. Construction FARKEN Oaf son Can’t believe I gave this douche “benefit of the doubt”

[@alinili5569]

Stoneforth He could removed the socket and look inside instead of cutting big inspection hole

[@pedromeza2398]

Matt, I really appreciate this video, because this issue is my greatest fear anytime I do work on any wall that is near waterlines.

[@20pump]

"I'll use my Festool Plunge Saw to cut another hole here", Looking for some sponsorship are we? Jeez. I've been a plumber for 40 years and have diagnosed many leaks, but never have I destroyed someones house like that.

[@llVIU]

maybe we can have a small tv show like this. Destroy a house to fix an issue. Sounds fun.

[@brettbarker9394]

Also the sad thing is he's making money. Destroys his "buddies" house. Easy leak to detect and nope destroys the place and the amount of times he says let's use my iPhone. Trying to aim for sponsorships indeed. I once fixed my uncles house, he had a leak and we fixed it without tearing apart his house, shocking I know.

[@andremiszczenko3843]

IR is only a temperature imaging tool. If you want to guage moisture content youre going to need a scan and invasive thermohygrometer. You want to also know what your dry standard is and what your moisture content is of the materials that can be salvaged to help minimize cost to your respective client.

[@jamesbaucom9295]

As I see your thought process. Its elimination- keep eliminating pieces of the house and eventually you'll find what you're looking for

[@wooskee]

Excellent job.

[@picklerix6162]

I've chased down pinholes leaks before but I can't figure out why he cut a hole in the bottom of the cabinet? There are no pipes there. I would made my first cut in the back of the cabinet with a drill bit to allow an inspection camera because that's where the pipes reside.

[@robertjackson4121]

A 2 x 6 plumbing wall. So take out cabinet and power fan to dry and moisture meter. How do you kill mould? So you will never have freezing of exterior hot water plumbing ? No inspection doors for plumbing? I would mount sink unit on wall three sides then make rolling modular cabinets and green board taped behind that makes easy access . exterior clean out sink toilet and shower. I have always advocated floor drain in tile and concrete slab on grade.

[@johnbecich9540]

Low tech, old-fashioned (?) trouble shooting method: I would have drained the fresh water system. Connected an air compressor, and run the pressure up to roughly 60 psi, nothing excessive. Then used a $50 video camera and a $10 microphone and an old surveillance DVR ($100?) to find the hissing of air hissing out of a hole behind a wall. Highly accurate, because that hiss is high frequency sound and can be triangulated to point of origin. This minimizes damage incurred during trouble shoot.

[@txgrizz6176]

Hello Brian, I have some questions. So my neighbor's house is leaking from the floor, and the speculation was if we use our washing machine and sink in the kitchen on our end, it caused some leaking on their part. It's weird because the leaking is coming from their floor. We also have no issue of leaking. We share a common wall but we can't even hear what they are saying, so I assume it's a thick wall, thus isn't caused by us right?

[@zacharysyoung]

Oh, please don't do click-bait titles. I almost dismissed this video out of hand because the title looked just like it would on another schlocky channel. Your content is great, and speaks for itself!!

[@timfischer]

You won't believe... although it was the first thing he guessed when they narrowed it down to the vanity and toilet area. Still clickbait.

[@mattlane2282]

I can't believe all the huge holes being cut when a little drill and a scope would have done the job.

[@F3mal3Titan]

I would have been livid if I saw you cutting through the vanity! but also glad you found the issue.

[@realmearthheaven1257]

He must have just got that moisture sensor 😂

[@geladio]

Many negative comments of this video. I personally found it was helpful to me. I own many rentals, i do my own renos and maintenance and i appreciate this type of videos. Everyone does things differently.

[@virgil3241]

It was helpful to an extent, but some of the replies that arent mean are as well helpful,. as in these days with a snake cam, you can do a lot less damage to find the issue. And as well, he hasnt answered how that are would even be dried up and repaired after the fact. You cant just fix the leak and then cover it up, after leaking that long, how much water damage and rot occured. Never showed the dry out process or replacement if needed.

[@LisaMB2forU]

Had ground in front corner of house start to be damp and then mid hot August the corner of house in front of kitchen was like swamp land when usually is hard as concrete during hot dry SC summers. Plumber wanted to cut hole in slab floor of kitchen and do a scope camera to see if it was a broken pipe in the slab. $2000 for just a look at the issue this way not including fixing it or even still trying to find it if this found nothing. I was like hell no the kitchen pipers come up right under kitchen sink in ext wall so I said cut the drywall out there and take a look at the pipes in wall but plumber was like the copper pipes don't just start leaking behind drywall for no reason. Well I cut the drywal and low and behold there was a nail from where the external siding was put on house 11 years earlier. The siding contractor drove the nail dead center into cold water pipe and the nail self sealed its own hole until ground vibrations broke it loose. I fixed it for $20 and the plumber wanted $2500 just to look for the issue.

[@synewparadigm]

"Never trust the expert"

[@mltnetwork]

Great information and troubleshooting techniques...thanks!!

[@jesseback3536]

He tossed his hammer on the tile ... Dude.

[@jdrissel]

If you like that flir unit but don't have the budget for it, look at the FlirOne or FlirOne Pro. It actually does a bit more but it leverages your phone for display, storage and processing. I have a FLIR One Pro. There are a few thermal videos on my channel, but they are hardly unique or professional.

[@Vics251]

He’s pretty neat, the plumbers I’ve known in the past would have used a Mel hammer to smash holes everywhere ! ⚒

[@rich1879]

DUDE, you are AWSOME, and that's from a retired old grouchy professional.

[@MUSICMAN0055]

scope is a great tool , less wall damage

[@thomasblue6064]

Good job Matt, and welcome to a repair plumbers world. Shalom

[@johnjuhasz9125]

Tankless water heater on the OUTSIDE of the house ??? must be somewhere you don’t have to worry about freezing.

[@jimh2061]

Good find! I had a similar situation but it was a pinhole leak. Makes a real mess. I usually go directly where the copper lines are in the walls and evaluate how bad the area is. I cut a hole where it's the most saturated.

[@treystills]

Would love to see more of these forensic videos! Thanks Matt

[@bushpilotx22]

I appreciate your videos, but could you tell me , why did you cut the cabinets and interior walls instead of making a hole in the exterior wall , which would have been less disruptive and easier to access?

[@firebirdude2]

Dude. They make super cheap, but decent, gooseneck cameras with lights now. Start with the tiny 1" hole and go from there.

[@dansanger5340]

It's easy to do. When installing cabinets, I almost put a screw through a pipe I had installed just a few days earlier. Fortunately, I had also installed a metal guard when I installed the pipe, so the screw stopped as soon as it hit the guard. I couldn't believe I had already forgotten where the pipe was. As for cleanup, I would also throw a portable ozone generator in the wall for a few hours before closing up, just to make sure you kill as many microbes as possible and prevent mysterious smells later on.

[@billderinbaja3883]

Matt, instead of cutting an 8"x16" hole in drywall to inspect, just drill a 1/2" hole and use this inspection camera: www.homedepot.com/p/Milwaukee-M12-12-Volt-Lithium-Ion-Cordless-M-Spector-360-Degree-Digital-Inspection-Camera-Kit-with-One-1-5-Ah-Battery-and-Tool-Bag-2313-21/202932657 ... makes it quick and easy to inspect multiple areas, and patches are super quick

[@SuperMouseDV]

question can the Flir that you used to see moisture.. Can that be used to find underground pipes ??

[@jbird68]

Put some flex-seal tape around the pipe. Fix her right up. LOL

[@cliffleon46]

As a homeowner - easy repairs man - I bought a stethoscope from Walgreens and I can find most any pressure leak in minutes. No not near as fancy as FLIR but it only cost $9.95. Of course, I can't non-pressure leaks!

[@paulhughes3961]

I'm a retired painting and drywall contractor, and I have seen this several times in house's. It's nothing more than a carpenter that either doesn't know what he's doing or is very careless.

[@johnbecich9540]

Two guys (a plumber and a carpenter) are sitting at a banquet-style table having a picnic meal together, sitting next to one another on the same side of the table... let's say on a bench. The plumber puts a glass full of beer on the table, equidistant from each of the men. They eat, they drink, they talk with their hands. The carpenter whacks the beer glass (which is half full by now) and knocks it towards his friend the plumber, spilling beer all over the plumber's shirt and pants. Who's fault was it that there was an accident? They carpenter who hit the glass of beer, or the plumber who set up the problem in the first place... an accident waiting to happen?

[@eyeswideopen2536]

@@johnbecich9540 the carpenter for not looking

[@emmarobbieus9107]

Can you have an electric outlet that close to the gas meter? In Texas, 3 feet away is code.

[@fotinigavrilis537]

Emma Robbie Us yeah I thought the same.... too close

[@PlumbingExplained]

Cuts a hole see’s wetness immediately says “we found the source of the leak”

[@DriveCarToBar]

I did some shiplap in a small bathroom downstairs and knew that there were pipes and 240v power in the wall behind. Instead of trim nails and traditional boards on the wall, I got a couple pieces of 1/8" hardboard (masonite) and glued all my boards to that, with kind of a herringbone pattern. Then I could just carry the entire panel in, find my studs and use wood screws to hold everything up. No danger of hitting pipes or giving myself a serious shock. Goes a lot faster assembling the panels in the shop, vs. trying to cut and piece things in-place if you're going to do a more complex pattern. You can finish or paint the boards all at once. Then you drill and countersink your holes, and fill it in with a little caulk after mounting. Dab of touch-up paint and you're done.

[@joeredhawk]

Matt, will you be doing a follow up video on patching all the holes you made, the repair to the pipe, and repair to the vanity?

[@buildshow]

nope... just did the investigation on this one. The remodeling contractor who did the job is coming back to do those repairs on his dime.

[@robertroy8803]

Good to know at least they're going to fix it. Then again, it's hard to argue this isn't their fault! I'd hate to go up against your video in court.

[@troyjones4665]

WHOEVER SOLDERED THOSE COPPER PIPES DIDN'T CLEAN THE ACID FLUX OFF THE PIPES AND PROBABLY DIDN'T FLUSH THE INSIDES OF PIPES NAIL PLATES SHOULD HAVE BEEN INSTALLED CHECK IF PIPES ARE INSULATED FROM CONCRETE CONTACT

[@cjhardknocks7040]

another tip....Do not use caulking around the base of the toilet! If the seal starts to leak, you're going to see it instead of the water being trapped in the floor boards and starting to leak elsewhere or rotting your floor. Especially in apartment buildings!

[@timjohanson588]

CJ Hardknocks when it comes to getting a final walk through, inspectors won't sign off until you've sealed that. Which is surprising given how trigger happy apartment guys are with their caulk guns... 😂!

[@cerberusairforce]

maintenance tech here. you can caulk around the toilet. just not completely around. leave the back side uncaulked so when there is a leak, itl be detected, but doesnt leave an unfinished look.

[@SadUncleTed]

@@cerberusairforce came here to leave the same comment

[@cerberusairforce]

@@SadUncleTed what you mean? nobody on this thread said anything remotely close to what i said.

[@SadUncleTed]

@@cerberusairforce sorry, half-sentence. I came here to say what you said, but you beat me to it!

[@LarsonFamilyFarm-LLC]

Few year back, re-roofing.... a roofing nail hit my low-pressure A/C line and bled out. Can't braze up near roof sheathing....found a red-liquid-1/2 twist product that does a/c line- high pressure...worked like a charm....no leaks all these years. Again, i "finessed" and pulled the a/c lines away from the roofing and re-insulated.....careless home-builders. Oh, and then these was the washing machine drain line....the drain line's clean-out cap was conveniently removed by the drywall-er since the cap's turn nut was in the way...nice! Had mold on my drywall.Drywall was essentially capping off a 3" drain line!!!!...for about 7 years before we found it.