Residential Copper Pipe Water Supply
4/26/2010

Now, since about 1978, I've been used to "sweating" (joining and soldering) copper pipe and fittings sizes mostly between 1.5 and 2 inches. That was back in "the old days" before regular schedule 40 PVC plumbing was widely accepted for swimming/spa plumbing and the newer heaters no longer required the "heat syncing" properties of metal piping. I never really touched household plumbing. This is no biggy, but I'm proud this copper pipe plumbing experience transferred over to include copper plumbing installs for house plumbing.

This is where the supply side starts, close to an irrigation supply. I will run this 1" copper water supply line about 90 feet over to a guest house from here and then around the back side of a swimming pool which are currently building. Notice the "cap" on the end of this copper plumbing, this allows for performing a pressure test. The pressure test tells us if the joint connections (pipes to fittings) are viable and will not leak -my turns out perfect. In this case, I used lead-free solder, a paste flux, and immediate after sweating each joint I wiped the excess flux from the joint -this insures the the acid quality of the flux doesn't continue to etch at the copper of the joints and potentially cause a leak later. 'Nothing complicated with this install, I've yet to learn more about more involved house plumbing, this was a straight run underground from one point to another not even inside a house. I know there are "tricks" to house plumbing, like adding an "air cushion" so pipes do "bang" and rattle inside a house installation.

This is the other end of the run, back of the guest house for future appliances, etc.

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TYPES OF COPPER PIPE

• There are two basic types of copper pipe or tubing: rigid and flexible.
• Rigid pipe, usually installed in new homes, makes a neater installation, but it is much more difficult to install than soft, flexible copper pipe.
• Flexible copper pipe is best for repair work since it can be run around obstacles without connections or cuts.
• Copper pipe is available in three basic types: Type M is thin-walled, Type L is medium-walled and Type K is thick-walled. In most cases, Type L is good for home use. Check your city code to determine which type of pipe is required for the work you're planning.
• The chart below shows the inside and outside dimensions of medium-weight, Type L copper pipe.