Plumbing Kink

[bannerd]

So the main water lines froze up here, wife had the town come into the basement to see what is going on. Everyone on the street has no water, I was working the second shift. Came home to this;

I just spent a few months running copper lines all over the house. Not sure why they cut my residential line to the house and bent the pipe. I'm guessing because the meter is heavy, when it was cut it fell forward causing the kink. I want the town to fix it, think the best fix would be to hammer drill around the concrete and solder a joint in there? This is a high pressure line that comes in from the town, I last tested this line at 65psi.

 

[RickP]

If that pipe was straight before the town came into your basement, then they should definitely fix it.

It's kinda hard to see what's going on in that photo - could you post a few pictures from farther away?

 

[bannerd]

If that pipe was straight before the town came into your basement, then they should definitely fix it.

It's kinda hard to see what's going on in that photo - could you post a few pictures from farther away?

Will do, I'll get some up tonight.

 

[welder4956]

How far below grade does it come through the wall? I would dig before chipping out the wall. The pipe should not be bonded to the concrete wall. You should be able to cut it on the other side of the wall and solder a longer section of pipe in to replace the bent area.

 

[CNGsaves]

If it doesn't leak once everything is back running again, leave it alone.

You are talking BIG BUCKS to dig out basement and replace that copper water service line.

I'll bet money that pipe is frozen in ground between house and meter (ie out in the yard). You're not going to have any freezing below the basement where that water line comes into the building.

Since copper, you should pursue the welder method of thawing out that water line between house and meter (ie connect welder leads on both ends of pipe).

OP . . . . . . . what country are you located in ?? Now would be good time to Update GJ Profile with City/State/Country.

 

[bannerd]

The pipe is about 8ft below ground level. I just put a sewer line which runs right next to the water main. Digging would be easy when the ground thaws. I have a bosch hammer drill with a core end (5 inch diameter). I could cut around the copper pipe, solder a fitting in and replace the concrete once I determine it's leak free. It doesn't leak now but I'm worried because of the sharp bend under the pipe. Of course it's hard telling until that pipe gets full pressure. My basement is heated so temperature changes are going to happen on that pipe when cold water is passed through it.

 

[bannerd]

If it doesn't leak once everything is back running again, leave it alone.

You are talking BIG BUCKS to dig out basement and replace that copper water service line.

I'll bet money that pipe is frozen in ground between house and meter (ie out in the yard). You're not going to have any freezing below the basement where that water line comes into the building.

Since copper, you should pursue the welder method of thawing out that water line between house and meter (ie connect welder leads on both ends of pipe).

OP . . . . . . . what country are you located in ?? Now would be good time to Update GJ Profile with City/State/Country.

Yeah, I have a miller bobcat weld/gen.. Generally the last town I was in did this method and it always worked. Service lines are 3/4" and the water main out in the road is 2-3" dia.

 

[G McKay]

I would be concerned about it, too. If the pipe is frozen, though, I would try to heat it up from the inside. You could probably use a small propane torch on it, couldn't you?

 

[xyster101]

Get the town to fix that. If it starts to leak in a year it will be too late.

 

[sberry]

A kink isn't ever good but it probably isn't hurting much.

 

[The Cobbler]

I don't think that kink will hurt anything as far as volume or fear of bursting. it's type K which is heavy walled and can withstand abrasions and kinks