# Nail in pipe



## skyhook (Mar 17, 2007)

On a job yesterday, the Carpenter put a finish nail into a 3/4" copper cold water pipe. It is 1" off the slab and 3" to the next T fitting. The plumber said in order to use a repair sleeve he would have to cut 4 other pipes, so he just soldiered the nail hole. It is not leaking now, will it hold *?*


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## Cole (Aug 27, 2004)

skyhook said:


> On a job yesterday, the Carpenter put a finish nail into a 3/4" copper cold water pipe. It is 1" off the slab and 3" to the next T fitting. The plumber said in order to use a repair sleeve he would have to cut 4 other pipes, so he just soldiered the nail hole. It is not leaking now, will it hold *?*


No, get him to fix it the correct way.


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## Grumpyplumber (May 6, 2007)

*From what you typed, it looks like the tee is 4" off the concrete with a nail hole 3" below it or 1" above the slab.*
*I've seen a dab of solder work when it's the end of the day, but not a good idea for permanence.*
*Unless you missed a detail, he should be able to cut it with an imp cutter right at the hole location after flattening the burr with a channel lock (caaarrefully without "egging" it) BUT you might have to break up some slab to make room to solder...unless it's soft roll type K copper water main...the you want to put a Ford fitting on it and those take up at least a few inches.*

*Repairs like that are usually an add-on...so the plumber shouldn't be reluctant to do it, unfortunately it'll cost ya.*


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## Ishmael (Mar 14, 2007)

*If he's got 4" from the slab to the first tee, that means he's got plenty of room for 2 slip couplings on that 4" section Why would he need to cut 4 other pipes? Makes no sense to me...shouldn't be hard to do at all. The solder over the hole is half-assed. Get him to fix it right.*


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## skyhook (Mar 17, 2007)

Ishmael said:


> *If he's got 4" from the slab to the first tee, that means he's got plenty of room for 2 slip couplings on that 4" section Why would he need to cut 4 other pipes? Makes no sense to me...shouldn't be hard to do at all. The solder over the hole is half-assed. Get him to fix it right.*


That is a great idea. There might be just enough room. I will look at it again tomarrow. Thanks to everyone.


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## troubleseeker (Sep 24, 2006)

skyhook said:


> On a job yesterday, the Carpenter put a finish nail into a 3/4" copper cold water pipe. It is 1" off the slab and 3" to the next T fitting. The plumber said in order to use a repair sleeve he would have to cut 4 other pipes, so he just soldiered the nail hole. It is not leaking now, will it hold *?*


I don't see why he can't cut the pipe at the hole, and then unsweat the remaining stub from the tee, insert a new piece of pipe with a repair coupling and resolder. The "repair" may last 40 years, but I would not pass the opportunity to fix it correctly while you have the chance.


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## bildbig (Sep 1, 2011)

*Nails in Pipes?*

I am a builder testing this product in Chicago. My contractors have not hit a pipe in homes where the "my product" is used.


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## slowsol (Aug 27, 2005)

bildbig said:


> I am a builder testing this product in Chicago. My contractors have not hit a pipe in homes where the "my product" is used.


Good idea. Maybe he can go back in time to before the pipe was punctured and install the device you're hocking. Better yet, just go back to before the perpetrator of the nail gun mishap was born and convince his future parents to use protection.


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## thomasjmarino (May 1, 2011)

I don't get it???
Is this like trimming for retards??? :stupid:


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## bildbig (Sep 1, 2011)

*Tough group here...*

...not "hocking" a product, just making a suggestion for future jobs. Like I said, we have'nt hit a pipe in homes where we tested this product. In the past my carpenters have shot through nail guards.


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## KillerToiletSpider (May 27, 2007)

Pull out nail, replace nail with galvanized deck screw with silicone globbed on the point, problem solved.


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## bildbig (Sep 1, 2011)

*Gum??*

Can chewing gum be used in place of silicone?


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## dsconstructs (Jul 20, 2010)

As long as it isn't sugarless.


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## rex (Jul 2, 2007)

plumbing is so easy... guys from the interent say it is....so it must be


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## KillerToiletSpider (May 27, 2007)

bildbig said:


> Can chewing gum be used in place of silicone?


Only a hack would do that.


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## rex (Jul 2, 2007)

KillerToiletSpider said:


> Only a hack would do that.


even the god of the plumbing forums, master of google knows better than that.....


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## I Mester (Aug 21, 2011)

i saw it on the internet. it MUST be true


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## Morning Wood (Jan 12, 2008)

I've seen a plumber do that at a job I was on years ago. It was a summer job and I was still really learning. It was a big pipe too. I think 1" or larger. Maybe it was 3/4". Framing nail went into it and the plumber soldered it. 4th floor commercial renovation. Wood frame. Hope it doesn't let go cause when it does it will make a mess.

I should mention that I did not do it, although some of u might suspect I did.


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## Smatt (Feb 22, 2011)

Why are some people so lazy? Fix it right the first time. This is not rocket science,plumbing is easy.
If people can flush a toilet that makes them a plumber.


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## bluebird5 (Dec 13, 2010)

put a sharkbite coupler on it:laughing:


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## mrmike (Dec 9, 2008)

Sometimes there are situations in Re-doing plumbing where there are stub-ups w/t's,etc., going up into floors, etc, where you cannot get any slack in the pipe to cut it and add a new fitting, so 2 or 3 spots may have to be cut & all put back together and re-soldered.
In a case like this, he should take the extra time, to do it instead of the easy way out. Sometimes we all want to do that, but our concscience tells us to do it right......................


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## HandyHails (Feb 28, 2009)

I just pulled apart a tub from when the house was built 25 yrs ago that had a 16 gauge nail through the 1/2" hot line. Looks like the nail was there since the house was new. A little corrosion around the nail w/ no water leakage. I didn't even know the nail was through the pipe 'til I went to yank the bottom plate and the pipe wanted to come w/ it.

Self sealing pipe is a good thing.


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## DavidC (Feb 16, 2008)

You guys are trying to make me feel guilty aren't you?

My house over 20 years ago, frozen copper pipe in the basement. Split was less than an inch but wide open. I cleaned it with emery cloth, eased it back tight with channel locks, flux and solder. Still in service with no leaks.

My plumbing instructor taught that to the class. That must be what is meant by old school. :>)

Good Luck
Dave


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## hilldawg (Aug 18, 2011)

HandyHails said:


> I just pulled apart a tub from when the house was built 25 yrs ago that had a 16 gauge nail through the 1/2" hot line. Looks like the nail was there since the house was new. A little corrosion around the nail w/ no water leakage. I didn't even know the nail was through the pipe 'til I went to yank the bottom plate and the pipe wanted to come w/ it.
> 
> Self sealing pipe is a good thing.


Yup, if a nail gets a good hard whack it will go straight through, no leaking or anything. Ask me how I know..


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