underground condensate pipe repair

elfie

was using an expansion joint that was leaking



as seen below, a newly installed radiator hose was used to fix the leak



there is a problem with pipe alignment that made use of an expansion joint a problem



do you think use of a radiator hose is a good idea?  what is the long term outlook?

gerry gill

Are you seriously

asking a bunch of pro's what the long term effect of using a radiator hose to fix a pipe is! Seriously! This must be an April fools thing..i hope..

Mark N

pipe leak

I would use "Mighty Fixit" I saw it on TV and it works fine. Now seriously replace the pipe.

elfie

radiator hose used to fix underground condensate pipe

i agree it appears ridiculous



but it was done and now i am trying to develop a supporting rationale for replacing it with something better (or maybe it can work???)



the heat rating of radiator hoses seems to be high enough to withstand the heat, but the seal on the pipes may be a problem (it is a low pressure system)



it is a serious question for a serious issue.



thanks

Jean-David Beyer

I am a homeowner, not a professional.

If that were a hot water system, I would worry about oxygen diffusing through the radiator hose and causing problems in the system, like rotting out any cast iron in there.



I know next to nothing about steam systems, but cannot believe oxygen would be helpful for them either.

icesailor

Copper Expansion or repair joints:

Did anyone ever tell you about using 4- 90 degree ells or using repair couplings?

Repair couplings have no stop and act as unions for some of us when we need to cut in fittings in straight runs or fix split pipes.

elfie

use of 90 degree ells

i like this idea



the length is about 9 inches between the two pipes



if this were done, i guess the 3 pipes used in this design would need to bend alittle, would this design allow for some flexion?

( are there flexible pipes that would give alittle when pipe expansion occurs - the 4 ells would need to stay fixed and not flex)







thanks

elfie

so why is using a radiator hose a bad idea?

ok, it appears like a bad idea but why?



whats wrong with using a radiator hose to solve an underground condensate pipe leak?



thanks

Charlie from wmass

Your system needs to be repaired using

code approved materials and methods. Why? Because if that hose breaks and someone gets scalded who is working near it you and you alone will be sued for damages. If you can not fix it properly yourself save up and hire a pro to fix it for you before someone gets hurt.

BobC

Long term effect

The long term effect will be failure and it will occur at the worst possible time (aka Murphy's Law) and cause the worst possible damage. If that fix were to fail and injure someone you really be up the creek without a paddle.



The fix you used is fine to get you through the night but only till you can get to the store to pick up the right parts.



Bob

Hap_Hazzard

Being a former auto mechanic,

I thought I should point out that the fittings for radiator hoses have a raised lip or a barb to keep the hose from slipping off, and they normally don't even have dirt to push against and help them to slip off. So if you were going to do this, you want a barb fitting on the end of each pipe, but you'll never find a 1" iron or copper barb fitting. Let's ponder why that's so. ;-)

Charlie from wmass

Hap they do have

Brass and galvanized barb fittings up to 2". We use these for well pipe. Also yes I have seen them used on heating systems too. Just because it can physically be done does not mean it should be done.

Hap_Hazzard

I did not know they made them

I've only seen them in PVC in those sizes. I'd imagine that their rarity kind of proves your point. There aren't a lot of cases where they do make sense.



I have to believe he'd be better off if he used barb fittings, but since this is just a temporary fix it wouldn't even be worth going out and buying them.

Charlie from wmass

The cost of Brass barb fittings in that size

would make a proper iron repair seem cheap. As a quick emergency repair I can see having it in your bag of tricks, but this is not -10 F in January.

elfie

possible solution to condensate leak issue

the problem with an expansion joint is that there is a bend in the pipe so allignment would be tough to achieve.  we have been using a radiator hose length that is temporary



another idea would be installation of a coiled copper length to absorb expansion from both directions



its 1 1/4 inch



any thoughts on using a coiled pipe here



here is another idea using a flexible stainless steel hose but connecting to a copper pipe may be an issue but it is appealing

http://www.hosexpress.com/metal/installation.htm



thanks

Paul48

?

Unsweat the elbow and fix the offset?

elfie

condensate pipe leak issue

interested in how seeing how your comment may work but need more info



not sure its possible to fix alignment



there is a 40 ft length of pipe that hits an elbow and then makes a 90 degree turn and continues for another 30 ft



expansion occurs from both directions and therefore alignment would seem to be very difficult if even possible



so a flexible pipe length may be the only way to solve issue

Paul48

The

2 elbows on the left side of the photos make it an easy fix. Remove the concrete over them and unsweat them. You can pick up angle differences and or offset. A swing joint.

elfie

swing joint

not sure how a swing joint would address the expansion issue



maybe intent is to help the alignment, but there is no way to control alignment when there are two pipe length coming together from different directions

Paul48

Sorry

I thought the alignment issue was stopping you from using a conventional expansion joint. I'm sure you'll come up with a better solution.

Charlie from wmass

I always feel like I am doom and gloom but here I go again.

The rest of the iron pipe is or will soon be leaking. patching at this spot is wasting a lot of time and energy that should be spent opening up the whole run and replacing the pipe from stem to stern.

elfie

doom and gloom

hi,

interested in why you feel leaks will occur and why pipe needs to be replaced



does it much matter if its a steel pipe or copper



thanks for your feedback

Charlie from wmass

carbonic acid

the cooler the water gets the more CO2 it can absorb creating carbonic acid which likes eating through piping. buried pipe on open systems is subject to this more then unburied pipes as room temperature is higher for most situations then ground. As you fix one repair it disturbs the joints and pipe for the rest of the system finding the next weakest link.