When water freezes, it expands by about 9 percent, causing significant damage to pipes. To prevent leaky pipes and save money on repair costs, it is crucial to turn off the water supply and drain faucets when a pipe bursts. To prevent costly repairs, it is essential to know how to fix a burst water pipe and take steps to protect pipes from freezing.
Frozen pipes can quickly turn into a nightmare, causing extensive water damage and costly repairs. Common causes of burst pipes include freezing temperatures, high water pressure, clogging, tree roots, aging, corrosion, and external factors. To handle a burst water pipe or main, conduct a quick inspection, turn off the water, repair minor damage, and seek help for major issues.
Excessive water pressure can strain and weaken pipes over time, increasing the likelihood of bursts. Install a pressure valve and shut off the water. Repair the pipe, remove the water, take inventory of damage, and contact your insurance agent to prevent it from happening again.
In summary, preventing leaky pipes and preventing burst pipes is crucial for homeowners. By following these steps, you can save thousands on repair costs and prevent costly water damage.
📹 pipe bursting (how it works)
This pipe bursting method is the ideal pipe replacement technique for various pipe types including clay, steel, asbestos cement, …
Can pipes burst if too hot?
Austin, TX experiences extreme summer temperatures exceeding 100 degrees, leading to an increase in requests for pipes to be repaired. While freezing temperatures can cause pipes to burst, hot weather can also increase the risk of pipes bursting. The heat of summer causes the ground to be dryer, causing roots to seek moisture. This can accelerate the growth and movement of roots, leading to ground shifting and causing pipes to break or separate.
This phenomenon is more common in extreme heat, as roots and ground shifting can affect pipes at any time of year, but it is even more common in extreme heat. To address this issue, Austin plumbers recommend contacting a professional plumber to inspect and repair pipes during the summer months.
What makes a water pipe burst?
Freezing can cause pipes to crack or break due to the expansion of water and pressure exerted on the surrounding material. These pipes are most susceptible to freezing in unheated areas like attics, crawl spaces, and garages. Insulating pipes with pipe insulation or heat tape can help prevent freezing. Tree roots, which grow underneath pipes, can also cause pipes to rupture. To protect underground water pipes, it is crucial to plant trees and shrubs at a distance from the pipes.
Invasive tree roots are usually too strong to block pipes, and if suspected, a qualified plumber should inspect and repair the pipes. Clogs, caused by materials like food waste, hair, soap scum, and mineral deposits, obstruct pipes and limit water flow.
How likely are pipes to burst?
The risk of frozen and burst pipes is a significant concern during the winter months, particularly in the event of an unoccupied residence. Recent meteorological occurrences have demonstrated that residing in a warmer climate does not inherently eliminate this risk.
How long does it take for water pipes to burst?
Pipes burst when exposed to extremely low temperatures for 1-3 days, especially on exterior walls. Frozen pipes are likely to burst when trapped water or liquid freezes and expands, causing pressure to build within the pipe. If the temperature remains below freezing, the liquid will continue to expand, causing the pipe to rupture at its weakest point. Frozen pipes don’t always burst, but without proper attention and maintenance, the risk increases.
To protect pipes from freezing, drain exterior lines before extremely cold weather arrives, including hoses, sprinkler lines, and pool plumbing. This will prevent water buildup, freezing, and potential pipe rupture. However, there are no guarantees that frozen pipes won’t burst during cold weather.
What causes a burst water main?
Water mains burst due to a combination of ageing and corrosion. Ageing pipes, made from materials like iron or steel, become more brittle and susceptible to cracking under pressure. Chemicals in the soil or water also contribute to the pipes’ failure, gradually corroding them over time. Changes in ground temperature can also contribute to the weakening of pipes. In colder climates, freezing water can expand and rupture pipes, while rising temperatures can cause thawing and weakening. Therefore, addressing these factors can help prevent water main bursts.
Why do pipes burst in a house?
Cold temperatures, aging, clogs, and high water pressure are common causes of pipe bursts. Cold weather freezes water inside pipes, causing a buildup of ice that restricts water flow and increases pressure. Older pipes, like galvanized iron or steel, can deteriorate over time due to rust, corrosion, or wear and tear, weakening their structural integrity. Clogs or blockages in pipes can cause a buildup of water pressure, leading to pipe bursts. High water pressure can be caused by faulty pressure regulators, sudden changes in water flow, or municipal water supply issues.
To prevent bursting, install a pressure-reducing valve. Poor installation or improper maintenance can also increase the likelihood of bursting. Poorly secured pipes or those experiencing excessive ground movement are especially vulnerable. Understanding the causes of burst pipes is crucial to minimize the risk of such incidents. Proper installation practices, such as insufficient pipe support, improper joint connections, and using low-quality materials, can also weaken pipes over time.
How common are burst pipes?
Burst pipes are a common plumbing issue that homeowners face, often resulting from structural damage. Common causes include frozen water in pipes, which can block water flow due to freezing temperatures below -4 degrees Celsius. This pressure causes the pipes to rip apart, causing water to leak upstream.
Aged pipes, whether metallic or plastic, are designed to last for a limited period of time, depending on weather elements and regular service. Engineers estimate that pipes can last up to 20 years, but beyond this, they become structurally degraded, making them insufficient to withstand significant water pressure. Metallic pipes can be subjected to corrosion over time, while plastic pipes can become brittle, breaking at the slightest pressure. Pipe corrosion is common in copper-based water supply pipes. Therefore, it is crucial for homeowners to address burst pipes promptly to prevent major repairs.
Is it obvious when a pipe bursts?
Burst pipes can cause unusual sounds, colors, and smells, which can indicate water infiltration and damage to the plumbing system. Water sounds, such as gurgling or bubbling, may indicate corroded pipes, while brownish water coloring may indicate corroded pipes. Foul smells, like sewage-like smells, may indicate a water mainline issue. Consistent water quality is crucial, and it’s essential to call an expert if unusual changes occur.
Another sign of a burst pipe is a decrease in water pressure, which may be due to water flow being diverted away from appliances or showers. In severe cases, the water may be completely without flowing, indicating a burst pipe. It’s crucial to address these signs to ensure the safety of your home.
Where do water pipes usually burst?
It is acknowledged that specific areas of a residential property, including basements, garages, crawl spaces, and external walls, are more prone to the occurrence of pipe bursts. Periodic inspections can facilitate the early detection of problems, allowing for prompt intervention and prevention of further deterioration. In the event of damage, it is imperative to contact a specialist in the repair or replacement of water leaks. It is also noteworthy that pipe bursts can occur at any time of year in homes with defective pipe materials.
At what temperature do pipes burst?
A survey of 71 plumbers in the southern United States revealed that instances of pipe bursts typically occur when temperatures drop into the teens, while instances of pipe freezing can occur when temperatures remain above 20 degrees Fahrenheit.
📹 NEVER SOLDER PIPE AGAIN – 3 Ways for EASY DIY Plumbing
Plumbing has never been EASIER with 3 EASY instant ways to work with copper pipe, replace valves & make repairs with NO …
Assuming all codes have been followed in the past, the proximately of gas, water or other piping should be 12″ away. In 13 years of bursting I have run into 2 incidents that have been in the street (public works) area with storm drains. They were either resting against the lower lateral to the city connection or running halfway through, in the last incidence I’ve had. You have to be careful with bursting that is less than 18″ in depth under concrete to prevent cracking someones hard scape.
Pipe bursting is so much more effective, better quality material and takes so much less time. You cannot beat this method. Pipe lining is much more temporary, subject to damage from sewer equipment and is a temporary (though expensive) solution to your private sewer problems. Another downfall is you can only line to the joint before city connection leaving that last joint vulnerable in the street. Cities use this method without this type of problem, that’s why it makes more sense for city use.
In my experience plumbing, I’ve been called many times to repair a leak to find a failed shark bite. Rubber degrades over time, but there are plenty of examples of 100+ year old soldered copper pipes still holding strong. There’s almost always a way to mitigate the heat from a torch in tight spaces to allow a proper solder joint, and it should almost always be prefered when it comes to plumbing in my opinion.
I normally solder my copper lines but as a homeowner, and not a professional, I don’t have to do it very often. About 6 or 7 years ago I had to add an on/off valve to my domestic hot water system. I cut the pipe where I needed the valve and, no matter what I did (turned off the water supply, opened all the faucets) I still had water pouring slowly out of the pipe. I bought a Shark Bite ball valve. Easy as heck to install and after all these years, not a drop of leakage.
I’m no expert plumber, nor am I claiming to know more than them, but I think a lot of people are missing the point of this article. He is not saying these will or should replace professionally soldered pipe connections. These are for homeowners and quick DIY fixes to plumbing problems or for other things like that. Most regular people are not going to be able to go out, buy a torch, buy flux, buy solder, clean the pipe, and properly solder the pipe without any problems when they can get a quick fitting that simply snaps on. Solder is of course the best option, but for the average user it isn’t feasible in the short term. That is what this article is meant to show. But what do I know.
Looks great as a temporary fix for someone with no soldering experience however I would question the long term viability of using a process with O rings . How long would it be before they go brittle and fail? Personally I’ll be sticking to the tried and tested method for now. Thank you however for sharing your article .
I have been using shark bites in various applications for 10+ years. Most important thing is ensuring a square cut on the copper or PEX. Only failure I have ever seen (in neighbors home) was due to a pipe not cut square, resulting in disproportionately distributed pressure on the fitting. They are even approved for burying in concrete. Not sure I would do that, but contractors do it regularly here…
Some plumbing supply stores allow you to rent propress tools as well (don’t have to be a plumber). I rented a Milwaukee M18 press tool to replace my well pressure tank and it only cost me $50. They charge your card the price of the tool though ($3500) and when you return the tool they refund all but $50. Great option for DIYers.
Just used Sharkbites to fix my main water line. Had what was about to become a pinhole leak due to too much flux being used during the house constrution 26 years ago. The flux had settled in the pipe and was causing a small drip. Turned the water off, cut out the bad part of the line and reconnected with two couplers, a slip fit and and some new copper pipe. I used them on my old house when I replace the water heater. I love them because you can connect copper, to PEX or CPVC or any combo of the three.
October 25, 2023. Just installed the LifeSource Water Conditioning system with a descaler to the whole house. The installer used the propress cordless tool. Pressed 90, 45, 1-inch, 34-inch, and 1.2-inch sizes. He also installed a new city water shutoff valve. He installed two water bibs for use on the outside of my home. One for the spa and the other for daily watering. Completed the whole installation in under three hours. The last hour was to run the system to flush out the old scale and other pollutants.
I am a plumber. Pro Press is an amazing time saver and in instances when you can’t stop the water say in an appartment (even a slow drip from the upper floors will indeed disperse too much heat to make it impossible to solder) but it will never beat a brazed or soldered joint. If you know what you are doing, the pipe will burst before a soldered joint fails.
Thanks for the informative article. The only downside of Pro Press fittings is that I see no way to remove them. Shark Bite has the downside of swiveling, more apparent when it’s a valve. In tight areas where an open flame is an issue, an electric pipe soldering tool does the job. Though I prefer soldering, I have used PEX pipe, push type fittings and even cpvc for certain applications. If done properly, all these systems work well.
I carry Sharkbite Max PTC to FNPT ball valves and PTC end caps for emergencies, running water, full pressure installations, crawl spaces, temporary use, mock ups, freeze calls and more I carry the FMPT ball valves so that I can transition to a variety of brass, copper and PEX fittings, and they eliminate one PTC connection once I stop the flow of water
I love shark bites and have had a lot of quick success with them. Will only use them in areas that are visibly accessible and never behind a wall or ceiling, so that if they start to leak after a few decades it is easy to see and redo. Was not aware of the manual clamp option, if I ever need to do a fix that would be behind a wall would probably spring for that tool. Thanks.
I have had a similar experience with using push fittings for copper pipe. I have not used solder for many years. When installing new water lines or replacing damaged copper pipes I have made the switch to Pex B tubing. I use the rings with a hand crimping tool. However, I plan on upgrading to a battery powered crimping tool before a project this spring which will involve a significant amount of crimping, including in some tight spaces.
As a retired Plumber in Australia, why don’t you use more flared compression fittings? Especially in areas where there is the risk of fire when soldering. The crimp style fittings are good but require a fair bit of space in and around the copper tube to engage the crimping tool. Just interested to know your thoughts and reasoning. As we say here “good on ya mate” 😁👍
I have been perusal and learning how to do my own minor plumbing, I have been using compression fittings since I can’t afford the fancy tool you showed for crimping and at times you can’t get the tool in where you need it. I’m surprised you never mention the compression fitting route as an alternative. I also have use shark bites in more than one occasion. Thank you for the article..
My company switched to propress for all our jobs to save time. The fittings work just as well as solder most of the time. But the fittings are more expensive than regular. As for sharkbites, I have used them for temp fixes, but ive also been on a job where a 15 yr old hotel had joints burst monthly due to over use of sharkbites to save time. The design may have gotten better since then, but realize that water will push even soldered joints off after 70-100 years. All you do with sharkbites is halve that number. This doesn’t sound like a problem until you realize you might be paying off your house that you do the work in for 30+ years or if you plan to live in the house well into your older years.
I like the looks of the pro press, and will look for more info. My first exposure to shark bites was when an HVAC contractor installed a floor heat system (hot water) and used shark bite fittings for all the copper plumbing around the boiler and distribution pumps. But….they lasted maybe 3 years before the contractor had to come back and replace a bunch of the plumbing. Not sure what went wrong, maybe it was the exposure to hot then cold then hot water repeatedly. But I won’t allow any more shark bites in my home.
Installed shark bites on copper for my water softener. Almost 20 years ago and those suckers show no signs of leaking. Recently used 2 old ones to transition to PEX lines on a new water softener, just made sure the O ring looked good and lubed it up with proper grease. I wouldn’t use them more than this one time, but once again the fitting works great from the copper to PEX. Old school keeps me cautious of using them in hidden places to be honest, but again almost 20 years and no signs of leaking.
All leaks that I have seen in the last years happened with the various solderless connections. Not one on a soldered connection. Solderless is just fast and cheap for the contractor. Reasons for the leaks were various. If you rely on a rubber seal, your connection will eventually leak. Sooner or later! Rubber gets brittle over time and is easily damaged by wrong handling and some tiny carelessness by the tradesmen, who make their money by being fast. A tiny damage on the o ring that you won’t notice – a small chip from the reamer or an incomplete deburring = leak. And even if everything is done perfectly, you won’t have the longevity of a proper soldered connection, because you rely on a rubber ring with plasticizers…
I have used Sharkbites in a number of areas in my house and here are my observations: 1)It is critical to clean up the pipe end first, you never want to nick up the o-ring when installing 2) Use a good sharp pipe cutter as you want a perfectly round non deformed pipe end to insert 3) For copper pipe the plex insert in the fitting can be removed as it is not needed and reduces flow rate 4) Sharkbites spin on the pipe which can cause some issues on certain fixtures like shut offs 5) Sharkbites cause pipe to flex as not totally solid, you should support long pipe runs or they will sag 6) Multiple Sharkbite fittings close together are not structurally sound and will need support 7) Sharkbite fittings should not be removed more than a few times as it increases wear and risk to o-rings 8) Always mark the installation depth to make sure the pipe ends are fully installed I would think most short term leaks come from deformed pipes, nicked up o-rings, or being removed too many times. The o-rings are pre-lubricated but that will wear off after being removed a couple of times. I have never had an issue with them but all of mine are less than 10 years old.
Most new plumbing does not use copper therefore making the press useless. I used shark bites or a comparable competitor’s push fit connections to do a large remodeling project. The cost for push fit fittings have become extremely competitive and when connecting copper to plastic they are the best. Europe has been using the push fit design for over 30 years . USA has a lot of catching up to do in many areas regarding construction.
I can see the point of those quick fixes. Sometimes things need to get done in a hurry and anything will do. The trouble is, in the long run, those connectors will cost you a lot more money. I just learned how to solder, and as long as you have a basic understanding of the process, it’s not difficult. I quite enjoy it.
When using a torch to solder water pipes remember to fill a few buckets of water before shutting off the supply, just in case. BTW soldering takes skill, as a mater of fact so does any plumbing! It’s hard to do anything correctly if you are unskilled. I’m sure these non solder joints are all the rage but I’ve not seen them used in large commercial buildings yet. Are they just for home use?
I’ve worked as a plumber for 14years and the viega/ridgid/geberit preasure mashine have been used here in Sweden since ive started. It also works for compressed air systems BUT you have to swap out the rubber rings inside all the parts! For hot wather (in Sweden anyway) the soldered parts is less effective than these pressed parts and starts to leak a few years erlier! And the machines is much smaller here to!
Epdem (Ethylene Propylene) this is the best oring composition to use. This material has good Compression Set Resistance, that is the key factor to consider for home use, will the oring lose it’s compression memory over time which translates will they leak over time. These fittings more than likely use NBR NITRILE orings because there the cheapest, they have average compression set resistance. If you can swap out the orings to the Epdem grade as a home owner do it, it will put your mind at easy if that is your concern 😊
We have the manual ProPress crimping tool. Any ideas why it won’t grab the pipe? We have it lined up correctly in the die but it’s loose and won’t grab tightly to be able to complete the crimp. Got it to grab once, but then it immediately loosened and lost the grip. Tool is brand new. Thanks for any advice!
Depends on what you’re doing. They’re expensive, so I wouldn’t use them exclusively in place of soldering. That would really cut into your profits. Maybe if you’re just fixing a leak or replacing a hot water heater, but not for a whole house installation. Everyone uses pex where I’m at now anyway though.
The problem with those is that they aren’t anywhere near as solid as a proper weld. In northern climate, that could make a huge difference. We do have requirements that should keep pipes from freezing under normal conditions, but you can’t ever guaranty there won’t be a problem with heating, or power. Even in Canada, very few peoples actually know what to do under those conditions. A proper weld will have far more resistance under freezing conditions then a SharkBite or a Propress fitting.
I don’t like sharkbites. Previous homeowner remodeled the bathroom and used mostly sharkbites for the water lines. A few years later after I purchased the home, 2 of the connections started leaking where I had to cut into stucco to fix one leak and remove some tiles from the shower to fix the second leak.
Our house was built in 1979. The soldered copper pipe fittings failed after 20 years and in the straight pipes in multiple locations under the slab, causing flood damage. If it was an incompetent plumbing job, I expect it would have failed sooner. At the time of the failure, Sharkbites were just coming out, so we rigged up a temporary fix… that now is permanent, because 24 years later, it already has outlasted the original copper fittings. Copper is not eternal or infallible, and what really irritates the plumbing experts is that instead of relying on their expertise, we’re surpassing it. To rerun the copper in my house, they quoted us $6000. I fixed it with $200 worth of Sharkbites and a roll of Pex. As far as I’m concerned, Sharkbites have proved their mettle far better than professional installed copper.
The first thing you need to know is you absolutely need to install a valve that let you shut down all the water coming in to the house and a few more on strategic places in your water system in your house. Once that is done you don´t have to worry much about what to use to lengthen or repair your water pipes just use something that really works in the shop closest to where you live. Old clamping ring couplings will work just fine as long as you make sure to use the small supports you put inside of the pipe before you tighten the coupling.
I was a plumber for residential construction for over a decade before I changed my career, and I’ve worked and restored old cars my whole life and one thing is forsure if the car is ten years or older you can bet you’re going to be replacing most of the rubber parts in that car, especially o-rings. I’ve installed countless copper pipe water systems in houses. I’ve never been called back for rework, for my own work that is. It’s really not that much extra work to do it right the first time. And yes I’ve installed countless PEX water systems as well but I’ve gone to alot of service calls for a water leak only to find someone, either the homeowner or a tradesmen from years ago drove a nail or some hardware into the pipe only for the pipe to make a seal around it until years later when the nail, staple or screw rusts and then causes thousands of dollars in water damage. My point is sometimes it’s not worth reinventing the wheel. solder copper pipe is the best in my opinion
For copper tube joints I prefer soldering, period. In close quarters I use a piece of fire proof welding curtain wetted, to protect the surrounding areas. For faucets and valves I use compression fitting joints, because the new “lead-free” soft solders have a melting temperature that is close to the temperature limits of the plastics used in the valves.
Propress has its place, I work in a hospital and we can’t just shut off water to areas with patients in it, when valves fail to hold we have to shut down the building for a quick solder job and then are required to flush the system. Propress is quick and it’ll last longer than our pipes last. Place falls apart quick when you use chlorine to clean the water over legionella concerns. I’ve seen solder joints fail next to propress fittings and both are installed at the same time.
This is the solution to a non existant problem. I’m just a homeowner, but I have managed to sweat dozens of connections both for water and compressed air for my garage shop, and I have never had a leak, iver 40 years and counting. The small amount of time saved is peobably offset by the extra cost of the sharkbite components.
Its a great idea. Same idea used on the big blue water pipes underground. All winter long they dig up the roads to repair them. I am not sure why because I am not an engineer. But lets image that copper on both side of the “O” ring corrode. Then the furnace breaks down, the pipes shrink do to the cold and that pulls the “O” ring over the corrosion. It might not keep the seal unless you compensate by using a method to prevent it. Easy enough I guess but they don’t do it because it does not happen much. I would suggest if the insurance company won’t compensate you for letting the basement fill up with water because you used these connectors….it could be expensive for the plumber who put them in to take them all out and pay for the new carpets. Make sure these connectors are guaranteed before you put them in and keep the guarantee in your safe deposit box.
I’ve used several sharkbite fittings (including valves) in my parents house because I just couldn’t/wouldn’t solder there (didn’t know about this manual propress/don’t have a propress at the time). My worry is that even though I deburred the pipe well (i even cleaned it with grit cloth but I heard thats not good afterwards), they might pop off when nobody is around.
I was hesitant to use a shark bite. I had a leak in vertical pipes and I was not able to get all the water out and I was struggling to sweat the pipe. My friend who is very good at plumbing and has worked in the plumbing business for decades told me to just use a shark bite. I gave in and used one. That was two years ago and all is still good. So easy. For the average homeowner it’s a good way to go. I will still sweat pipes when I can but I will not hesitate to use a shark bite ever again. The pro press is a little pricey and that tool looks like it could be difficult in tight areas.
Shark bites are great in a pinch, but always have a plumber come and fix the pipe properly. I have seen to many flooded houses due to shark bite fittings. If you read down on the comments a lot of people say to use them in the open. There is a good reason. Solder and pro press is the way to go for copper.
Im a plasterer and old degaded rubber seals on shark bite fittings keep me in plenty of work repairing ceilings over bathrooms. I expect press fit will keep future plasterers in work too. Nearly always hidden under the floors that have been tiled so inaccessable. I would much prefer a soldered joint in my own home
A lot of pro’s hate PEX because it cuts down labor hours. I know because my Dad was a Union Master Plumber. However, Ryobi has a $100 crimper that makes it easier than the Pro-Press system, like a lot easier physically, needs less space, easily removeable without damaging the PEX/Pipe, and cost about the same or cheaper for brass fittings. I’m not a plumber, however all the studies I’ve read indicate Pex is much better protection against freeze expansion than copper for us NE’ers, can be bent easily with a $3 form or even without if you go with a wider sweep, etc. Wish I’d had the Ryobi before I had to spend on Sharkbites fittings several times.
I don’t know about quality of joints but I’ve never seen a crimped joint that looks good. Then again I think my pipe work is art. One time I quite unnecessarily put a combination of 15 pulled bends and sets some of which were oblique on a 3m length of 15mm ( ½” to you Americans) just because I could and it popped into the clips first time. I went out side then lit up a cigarette and I don’t even smoke.
Since push fittings were used successfully for quite some time in the naval industry with good success, the problem in residential use is likely improper installation by a homeowner (or plumber who might’ve been in a hurry). Also, I’ve used the Tectite brand, which is warranted for 50 years, as opposed to 25 for Sharkbite.
As a plumber of 40 years I’m still using copper and soldered joints, I remember the acorn plastic pipes coming out and I said it will leak after 10 years and it does,I remember a customer having every pipe in a new house in plastic, I told her it will being replaced in 10 years and it exactly was and destroyed the house,
Solder was never difficult. Grandfather was a plumber starting bringing me on his jobs when I was 5. Correctly installed solder never fails . If a incorrectly solder joint ever fails in the future, you can just reheat it re-clean it, and re-solder it. For the price of 1 inch length of solder . That’s all !. If they press fit joint fails in the future, you’re cutting out a section of copper, and having to reinstall two press fit joints & copper pipe to replace that section.
Sharkbites are great for one-offs or emergencies. If you have a real project, then consider PEX and a Ryobi $110 ring clamper or the manual Pro Press if staying with copper pipe. Otherwise, Sharksbites will promptly take a bite out of your wallet. They do generally resist freeze expansion much better than sweated fittings. So if you ever have your outside hose faucet pipe freeze and brake, use a sharkbite.
Sharkbites only leak when you don’t push the pipe into coupler fully. The depth of their deburring tool is the correct insertion. When repairing a burst pipe, for example, you can tap the Sharkbite to initially slide it on, but inserting the other end of the pipe into the coupler can be a challenge, if you don’t have any leverage to force it to completely seat. That is the hardest and most frustrating part of the entire installation. I try to clamp on a pair of website-lock pliers and tap the pipe into place, but you have to be careful not to squeeze too hard and deform the soft copper pipe.
I could be wrong but I would venture to say that Sharkbites would likely fail faster on hot pipes as well as pipes that are more exposed to outside weather. Ultimately it’s whatever factors that would affect the longevity of rubber. Rubber is not permanent, it’s just a matter of asking the question is 5/10/15 year good enough. Ultimately you gotta compare to what it’s replacing. Soldering is cheap and permanent, the only downside is the skill required, but nothing should stop you from buying $10 worth of pipes and practice for a few hours.
I know that pros like to use ProPress because it’s a lot faster than sweating copper and there is no learning curve, but at the end of the day, it still relies on an O-ring and is only a little better than a Sharkbite (the ProPress compresses the O ring more than a Shark does). I still now and will always sweat copper and use the Sharks for temp or exposed repairs when convenient.
As a professional plumber, I’ve used copper lock & It has drawbacks over soldering – 1. It congeals very fast, not good if you’re using tight fittings and want to give the fitting the recommended 1/4 turn or the pipe jams sliding into the hub. 2. no applicator / brush, applying copper lock to vertical piping or fitting hubs wastes a lot of it and creates a huge mess, it’s thin red fluid and stains badly when using your fingers to apply/spread. 3. Loose fittings can be a problem, I have had leaks and had to reapply excessively. These problems would be mitigated if set time were longer than 30 seconds, fluid were thicker, and, there were a way to apply it in hard to reach or overhead positions. Without question, copperlock is better than sharkbites for fire-hazard situations inside old walls.
As a plumber in New Zealand we have just used a similar product on a 50mm ringmain and found it great. Pipework in walls 15mm or 20mm should be gas welded using a silver brazing rod. I don’t know why English and American plumbers still solder. Solder is a lead alloy and still leaches lead into the potable water supply, it also has a low melting point, a joint gas welded with a silver alloy brazing rod will never leakand is more immune to cracking from expansion and vibration..PS sharkbite fittings are crap.
Pro press is the best but it can get spendy esp with the tools/fittings. Sharkbite I would only trust temporary. But forsure always keep a sharkbite ball valve so if you cut into a live line you can leave the valve open put it on close the valve and shut the water off with little mess. I would rather solder and know it will hold until the copper gives. Also you don’t need the tool for sharkbite to remove them you can use a crescent wrench/flat head screwdriver/chisel/shovel in a pinch.
Well, in my experience rubber deteriorates. And especially if it’s buried in a wall, it will cause damage long before you know it’s leaking. Is there any data on how long the o-rings are guaranteed to last? I bet they are so confident in the o-rings, they guarantee those fittings for 100 years, right? and they cover the cost of damage and repair? No? Huh.
Rubber gaskets are quick and easy to install, but they will start leaking eventually, it’s only a matter of time, especially if you have many of them in the house. Soldering copper pipes is good, but it can be dangerous and doesn’t hold up to freezing temps. PEX plumbing is a great alternative to indoor plumbing that solves many of these issues
Torches around close fitting household structures can be dangerous. Solder joints unless done well can leak and cause a great deal of frustration to a homeowner attempting emergency repair as the professional plumber is booked four weeks out. Your home is without water for daily use. I think I’ll repair with shark bite type fittings for easy, sure, and economical fix. Job done.
I’m not a plumber by trade, but I do a lot of plumbing work and I’ve seen shark bites leak many times. I’ve made quite a bit of money repairing leaking shark bites (always by soldering if copper) … and the damages caused by said leaks. I’ve seen numerous instances where a frozen pipe has caused a shark bite further down the line completely fail from overpressure. I would never use a shark bite in my own home. I have numerous shark bites in my plumbing box b/c they’re great for quickly making temporary repairs until you can get back and properly sweat the connections, and they’re reusable. If you know how to sweat copper, you don’t end up with leaks, let alone “a lot of leaks”. I’ve re-plumbed entire houses without a single leak. In all my years of sweating copper, I can count on one hand the number of leaks I’ve had. For tight spaces I will sometimes “cheat” and use the Rapid-Fire pre-soldered fittings.
I’m a pipefitter to trade with 14 years experience. To describe crimp fittings, such as Mapress, Chibro or the Propress fitting (They’re all basically the same) you showed in this article as “Solid” is very misleading. A soldered joint is strong because that capillary attraction form the seal also holds such a join together. It’s structural, like a weld. This crimped type of fitting does hold a pipe together, but it is not structural. That limited hold is mere consequence of the fitting doing the only thing it’s designed to do, produce a seal. This means that a pipe with crimped fittings will need additional brackets to keep it held together, especially is one uses such fittings to replace soldered joints. Not doing so risks a catastrophic failure. Bring that bulky (And expensive, even the hand tool isn’t cheap) tool to do the crimp in the scenario and what you can end up with is a piping solution that is lot more work and cost than it first appears. Then, there’s longevity. Those o-seals have nothing on soldered joints for how long they last. Yes, soldering joints takes a little skill and can hazardous and annoying, but it’s all those things only once. Expect to go back and repair a crimp fitting serval times in the same timespan.
From Leo: Someone was talked into using those for installation work at the local university. I did not work in that department. I worked in maintenance where a couple years later, we soldered those leaky joints up and replaced all the damaged ceiling tiles. Of course it is about 4 times the work to do it after the install, having to drain the lines down, often 100’s of feet.
Copper isn’t a strong metal in compression, so a fitting based on squashing it (without an insert – which would need to be brass and thick (restrictive)) is a bad idea. O-rings can seal a Clean pipe but will not hold pipes together. Finally, if you look at 1.57sec; it appears the valve has been installed and there is no way to get that crimper in to install the outlet pipe! It also appears to be upside down. If the valve handle falls down to OPEN, it is upside down. I can’t say for sure it is. Learning to clean pipe and solder it is doesn’t take that long and is still the main method in England for potable water. Plastic pipe is now commonly used for central heat but good plumbers still use copper for drinking water due to it’s antimicrobial properties.
Yes. Shark Bites are the way to go. They cost you a bit but saves you in the end. Easy to install and works great for tight spaces. I never had one leak so I think best deal for the money without experience of soldering and sweating pipe. I would like to find cheaper as far as price but you can’t get everything you want. lol.
Love the convenience, but my copper and solder joints have held up for 60 years. Not sure a rubber O ring will last that long. And outdoors, the copper often has tiny pits in it, and any kind of bite might not hold up with water sneaking thru the pits. Solder actually holds better with a few pits to flow into.
In my opinion soldering is best way, cause it is cheaper and the result is really durable. Pressed connections relies on rubber and cyclic expansion and contraction of metal due to temperature leads to leaks (same principle in electrical wire connection, pressure connections leads to bad contact with time and that leads to overheating wires). Also, you can solder not only with flamer, but with electrical soldering tools. Moreover, you can solder pipes even with 5$ 120W classic soldering iron, so no open flame required. And also, consumables are fairly cheap too. To connect two pipes you only need one piece of pipe with greater diameter, solder and flux. And something to cut copper. For example, angle grinder with suitable disc. Also all tools for soldering, that I mentioned are universal and may be used for other job. So, actually, soldering is cheaper, has better durability, using less tools (and those tools are universal) and, because tools are universal and consumables are primitive and some of them are just pipe cuts and soldering metal, it creates much less waste (soldering is better from an environmental point of view). However, methods described in article are seems to be twice faster and do not require turning off water.
sharkbite is great if you don’t expect it to last. I’m replacing a 10 year old expensive sharkbite that I wish I had done with solder now and when they leak its not a small leak they pour so be sure to use them where you can detect a leak quickly or be caught with major damage from a leaky connection because the fitting leaked in an area that went undetected. Solder joint rarely fail but sharkbite has a life expectancy so consider that when choosing your connection of choice and consider the cost as well sharkbite is expensive
All you need is to prevent damaging stuff when sweating copper pipe in tight areas and around flammable stuff is some asbestos board. Just slip it between the object that you don’t want to burn like the wall and the torch sweat your joint and then pull it out. It’s that easy! There is no place you can fit a pro press that you can’t fit a torch. The only advantage to crappy methods like pro press and shark bite fittings is saving time. However the damn fittings cost so much more that the thing is a wash in the end. You might save 20 minutes but spend an extra $50 on fittings so there is no point, and that assumes you already have the tool.
I’ve never heard of this product until today. I am a contractor that have been working with a few subcontractors for the past 13 years. A Stone Mason, an Electrician, and a Plumber. Whenever I sign a contract, I call in the appropriate sub-trade. Let me be honest with you guys; I don’t do Plumbing, Electrical, nor Masonry. This morning around 10:00AM I called in my plumber, he gave me a list of things to pickup. On that list was a sharkbite fitting. I was like what the hell is this🤔 I decided to look it up and found this article. Let be honest again. I am not sure that I will be needing the plumber anymore…🤫 I sub the plumbing jobs because I try soldering before in the past and it wasn’t my forte, so I left it alone. Seeing that this shark bite technology does not require soldering and that’s the only thing I couldn’t do. I’m 100% sold on it.
With all things, Shark bite fittings have their use. Some causes of (Shark Bite) failure 1) Over-pressure on line 2) heat/cooling variation deteriorating your seal 3) chemical irregularity in the line/water 4) poor installation 5) tension on lines (poor pipe fit) some causes of (crimp) failure 1) failure of the tool-head (overuse) 2) bad crimp alignment (poor installation) 3) re-using aged/worn pipe some causes of (solder) failure 1) poor installation (not soldered in correctly) 2) ???
Sharkbite 1″ connector is a pain to slide deep onto the pipe.Very nice if you have all this space around the joint, but if the pipe is 1 ” away from the wall, straight slide of the Sharkbite is a bit problematic. Very nice crimpers, the size and price – not so nice and I will second other comments about questionable durability of O-rings
I’m not why there is this common US aversion to push fit fittings. In the UK they are very popular even with professional plumbers. Most do exposed pipework around heaters, under sinks etc. in copper and all hidden plumbing is done with PEX & push fit fittings. All of the problems I’ve ever seen with push fit were down to incorrect installation, if the pipe end is properly prepared and seated they don’t leak. I have, however, heard multiple plumbers complaining that push fit has deskilled their trade so there are unskilled people like general builders taking their work (and probably doing poor installation also, because they don’t know what they are doing) but to be fair, that’s not really a problem with the fittings.
My question is does anyone have a link to a vid where the repair needed is in the middle of a pipe that cant really be moved apart after cutting the broken part out, cause all the things in this vid seem to be at the end or a pipe or just a general showing of how to make the connection. Could use the help.
Just $175? How many times would you use it? A blow torch, pipe cutter, solder, flux and matches are cheaper. O rings over time may crack or harden. I wouldn’t use this method and will stick with solder. I just put a new bath in my house and did several well made beautiful soldered joints on the pipework.
As with all these modern methods of joining pipework that requires very little skill, u need to look at how long the manufactuers will warrenty the joint for. Bearing in mind that is a pipe length and joint that is left alone and not messed about with or put under any stress or strain over the years. Remember the space shuttle that exploded killing everyone on board because of a faulty ‘O’ ring😮
I came across the ProPress the other day and when I saw the tool was priced for pros who will be using it all the time I thought a manual version would be way better. Lo-and-behold, one exists! However, my only qualms with it is how bulky the unit is, and how much room you’ll need to be able to get it to a pipe and be able to actuate the levers. My idea is to have something that just involves a drivescrew that you can run with a power drill attachment or something, basically duplicating the pro-priced tool but with just the jaws and a drivescrew replacing the gears that are attached to long bolt-cutter handles. Where there’s a will there’s a way. Also, what’s the life time on those O-rings in the ProPress fittings? That’s really sketchy having some kind of rubber/silicone holding the seal. I’d rather have something that’s less likely to degrade over time.
SharkBites: They only Leak due to Installer Error. Ex: If you do not properly debur the pipe a copper sliver can slice the O Ring. For those people saing ” oh but the O ring can dr out etc – Not in YOUR Lifetime – they are NOT made of Rubber, rather they are made out of a EPDM material designed for Industrial plants that can withstand high heat and other abuse. Made from Lead Free Brass and Stainless Steel. Made a “temporary” trial setup 12 years ago with several fitting and then another under sink set up 7 years ago – never a leak.
Sharkbite works. It’s not the answer. I would remove the stop valve that’s in your house. The main reason push connects leak is because of the pipe moving around or having pressure in it. The rubber is not compressed to the pipe, the pipe moving around causes the rubber to move. Good thing for copper is that it typically doesn’t move as much as other pipe because it is so rigid. I find they last longer with copper.
I had a friend try using crimp connectors. When he tried to sell his home, all the plumbing fittings that he used failed inspection. Building inspector stated that crimp connectors can’t withstand a pressure test. Sodered connections withstand 300 psi, shark bites don’t. All his connections that he installed had to be replaced. Plumbers are professionals, those that create articles are amateurs. Understand the difference
I own both a pro press, a torch, and a batterypex crimper. The reality is in the real plumbing service industry, I have no choice but to sweat pipe as much as I am able to press. Smaller confined spaces u cannot fit a press no matter how small it is. You have to be well versed on being able to switch techniques. And the truth is sharkbites are great for home owners bc there’s no prepping the pipe no tools really needed.
I did a Documentary – LA Hard Hats – Discovery website. A whole 45 story condominium’s plumbing was done with this Crimp O Ring system. There are 10 Law Firms that bought units in the building, expressly to sue the Builders for any failure. I watched as an average of 20 joints per half floor failed with these O ring joints – they were quickly fixed before buttoning up. However, the Law Firms have placed heavy bets on those O rings failing. BTW, the union plumbers Did NOT like the O Rings either. There is no “mean failure rate” for the O Ring System – it simply has not been around long enough.
Shark bites are not allowed inside of floor or wall cavities where accessibility is not an option it goes against most residential and commercial code standards in most all counties just learn how to use your torch and your solder and use a piece of sheet metal as a heat shield between your flame and sensitive objects I do it everyday