Bunch of random quick questions about soldering, faucets, etc

Originally Posted by amodoko

I've been scratching my head over a couple of things lately and wanted to see if anyone could help me answer some questions I've had regarding plumbing. This is a long list, and I don't expect anyone to really answer them all, but was hoping someone could help me out with a few. Feel free to answer whatever questions you feel you know a bit about and even feel like answering Thanks so much for your time I do appreciate it.

1)If a shut off valve no longer properly stops the flow of water, and you need to repair it, without removing it is it possible to take it apart while it is attached to your 1/2 copper plumbing so that you can just swap the innards out with the innards of a new one? Or do you have to remove it completely? (PS, I know it isn't hard to solder a new one in, but was just wondering)

Don't waste your time or money trying to repair a globe valve.....cut it out and sweat in a quality ball valve.

2)Is it safe to be soldering copper plumbing that is within 1 inch of your copper gas lines? Or is there potential for your torch to somehow heat the gas line too much, because it is so close to your copper plumbing, to possibly cause an explosion?

Unless you get everything so hot so that the solder on the other pipe melts and causes a leak, no, it can't explode (no Oxygen in the gas). But I keep a small sheet of metal around so that I can solder next to wood....works the same for pipes.

3)Why would this frost proof faucet crack in this location (picture below at end of post)? The crack was on the inside of the house where it was way too warm to freeze, so I would think it wasn't due to frozen pipes. Could it have been due to turbulence of water?

Turbulence? NO....I suspect a defect in your pipe or it was somehow damaged....Do you have an expansion tank installed?

4)How can a frost proof sillcock leak through the handle ONLY and not through the faucet when shut off? I would think it is leaking through the handle obviously due to the packing nut/washer in the handle not sealing properly, but if it continues to leak there after being shut off for a while... there would have to be a leak with the washer that is the actual shut off washer that is inside the house too since that is the only source of new water coming into the faucet. If that is the case, shouldn't the water follow the normal path and just pour out through the normal faucet opening since that opening is closer to the flow of water than the handle? (kind of hard to understand what I'm asking since I didn't word this perfectly, but maybe someone understands what I mean, may need to draw a diagram)

If it's not tight, then water can leak in around the stem....it happens....also a good reason to change to the 1/4 turn sillcocks.


5)When soldering, if you clean the outside of copper with sandpaper/emery cloth/wire brush, and then inside of with a wire brush, do you need to actually ream the copper or does the wire brush do enough to dull the edges of the inside of the copper?

You want to debur the inside edge of the pipe....this does two things....reduces turbulance for improved flow.....and really cuts down on the noise. I would only use sandpaper when the copper is really dirty....otherwise, the plumbing brush is fine.

6)Can you ream copper pipe by just sanding a bit to make the inside edges dull? Or do you need an actual reamer?

They sell a deburing tool at HD...costs about $4. Yellow handle....or, if you have a unibit, those work great.

7)If you solder a copper joint and it leaks, obviously the best thing to do is to take it apart and start all over again. But if you did not do that, and you just added flux to the outside of the joint, reheated the joint once you drained it of water, and then added solder to the outside of the joint where it was leaking... and tested it again with no leaks... is that joint considered fine? Or is it highly unreliable over the years?

I have had 'some' luck with that. But in most cases, I just take it apart and start over. Just because it doesn't leak now does not mean it won't leak after a few days with temp changes and mechanical shaking.

8)Is soft coiled type L copper approved for code in all areas of the US for potable household water? Or do some areas require copper plumbing to be rigid only?

That I do not know the answer to.

9)Why would a garden hose left attached to a sillcock in winter cause your internal house plumbing to freeze and crack? I understand that the hose itself may have water in it and freeze, thus causing your hose to burst, but shouldn't your sillcock and internal plumbing be fine since the sillcock is off and will shut off any frozen water from going inside your house plumbing?

Depends on the hose....I would expect the hose to exand as the water freezes.

Once again, thanks so much for your time, I just wanted to see if anyone could help me out with these. Take care

Originally Posted by amodoko

wait, ddawg, you know I mean a frost proof sillcock (I used the word faucet a few times in my earlier posts but meant sillcock, my fault) right? There are no cabinets, it just goes through a hole in the side of the house. Or maybe you mean that warming pipes under sinks by opening cabinets will help keep more of the water fluid throughout the house.