The Problem of Pinhole Leaks

Since the mid-20 ^th century, the majority of new plumbing systems have been comprised of copper pipes. There’s a number of reasons for this. Mainly, it’s that the previous options of iron or lead were unsatisfactory. Iron rusted and lead was toxic. Copper is resistant to corrosion, and doesn’t bleed into the water supply. This has made it the new standard for plumbing. However, it is not perfect. Let’s take a look at one of the biggest problems for copper pipes, and the damage it can cause.

Despite its resistance to oxidization, copper pipes are not immune to everything. Pitted corrosion is the result of chlorine particles interacting with the copper in the pipes. The corrosion tends to be focused on a relatively small area, allowing it to eat through the pipe fairly quickly and open up a very small leak. These tiny leaks are called pinhole leaks. A pinhole leak is only large enough to release a small amount of water at a time. Even with just a few drops, though, it can cause quite a bit of damage if certain steps are not taken.

The problem with pinhole leaks is that they’re so small they don’t give off any kind of warning symptom. So, they tend to slip by unnoticed for months while they slowly rot out the area around them with water damage. The first time most homeowners discover that they have a pinhole leak, it’s usually because they notice the massive amount of damage that it’s caused. The only way to prevent this from happening is to schedule regular plumbing maintenance services at least once a year.

Lutz Plumbing, Inc. provides comprehensive plumbing maintenance and inspection services throughout Kansas City, MO. If you need plumbing services of any kind, call today to schedule an appointment with one of our plumbers.