That Was Close

[Thaddeus Kosciuszko]

Last weekend I was at my parent's house, and decided to do a walk through just to check on things.  My Dad is in his mid-eighties and doesn't navigate the stairs to the basement, second floor, and attic much anymore.

I saw one corner of the basement that looked damp, as if water was coming through the block.  It had rained hard that week, and the dampness was on a corner where the downspout often plugged.  I went outside and sure enough the bottom to the downspout was filled with debris.  The siding of the house looked like the gutter had overflowed, putting a lot of water against the foundation.  I cleaned out the downspout and figured I'd fixed it.

I was back this week and went again to that area of the basement to store some things.  The basement wall was even more wet, and this time there was a large puddle on the floor.  I listened carefully and could hear a fast drip-drip-drip.  After a few minutes of investigation I found this, tucked up between the joists in the corner:

 

It was the pipe for the hot water heating system.  You can see a drip forming on the bottom of the fitting, and the greenish water scale on the bottom joint that indicates it's been leaking for a while.  I suspect it may have gotten frozen since it's close to where an outside wall is.

Neither I nor my Dad had the tools to fix this.  So I scrambled around the basement looking (and hoping) I'd find some valves to isolate the section.  Fortunately for me, Dad didn't skimp when he had the system put in and I was able find the two valves to isolate that zone to stop the leak.

In just the week's time this leak had gotten worse.  If the joint had let go entirely the well pump would have kept pumping water through the boiler make-up valve and into the heating piping system, which in turn would have filled the basement up to the electrical panel. Then the well pump would probably have quit because either the panel main or the well pump breaker would have opened.  In any case it would have been an expensive mess.

Luckily only a few items under the leak were ruined and this was an unfinished area.  I threw out that stuff, picked up the water on the floor with a shop vac, set up some fans to dry out the area, tagged the valves I'd closed, and started the dehumidifier.

Now, to find a competent HVAC company...

[maddmaxx ★]

It's good to get help.  Don't Bogart that joint.

[jsharr ★]

Flex Seal?

[Rattlecan ★]

1 hour ago, jsharr said:

Flex Seal?

Duct tape.

[jsharr ★]

9 minutes ago, Rattlecan said:

Duct tape.

 

[Dottleshead ★]

Good find Thaddeus.  You're a good man.

[2Far]

On 5/23/2021 at 2:10 AM, Thaddeus Kosciuszko said:

It was the pipe for the hot water heating system. 

Now, to find a competent HVAC company...

Why, pray tell, does hot water need heating?

Why not a plumber, or is that harder than finding a good HVAC company?

 

You're a good son.

[Kzoo]

16 minutes ago, 2Far said:

Why not a plumber, or is that harder than finding a good HVAC company?

I'm guessing....... "It was the pipe for the hot water heating system."

[2Far]

18 minutes ago, Kzoo said:

I'm guessing....... "It was the pipe for the hot water heating system."

Yeah, I passed redding kompreheshun. I was SWAGGing that a half-assed plumber has a better chance of water pipe repair than a half-assed HVAC tech.

[Thaddeus Kosciuszko]

I thought the fittings were crimped or swaged together, but it turns out they are some of the earlier 'Sharkbite' fittings.

I spoke with an engineer in our office who used to work on heating systems.  He correctly identified the fittings, and said the piping was probably PEX, and not rated for heating system temperatures causing the failure.  He's probably right, as I don't think the contractor who did the work was a plumber or HVAC tech by trade.

On the plus side, Pex now makes piping rated for higher temperatures, and the tubing and fittings are readily available.  So, I can probably save my parents a chunk of money and replace the piping myself.  The only concern I have is getting all the air bled out of the zone so it heats properly.  I'm not a big fan of Sharkbite fittings in the first place, but I figure if it lasts as long as these did then that will be plenty long enough.

[Square Wheels]

Shark bite are reusable and super easy to remove.