@MoparGuy1625 that's rich. A guy white knighting, calling another guy a simp because he commented about the physical attributes of a pretty woman. Do you also go around and call women ma' lady
Good habit is to always wrap Teflon tape clockwise, as in the direction you tighten right hand threads. You're doing a great job Jen, keep up the good work!!!
Jen, you have to open the outside valve, then heat the pipe for a few feet to get it hot and vent the steam. Then when doing your last joint, leave the hydrant open to vent the air. The air gets heated in your pipe from the torch and builds pressure, which makes a pinhole, causing your leak.
Learned that back in the early '80s replacing "frost free" fittings that all failed when the solder joint inside the house came loose. Any residual water in the pipe flashes to steam so the entire piping system has to be open to the atmosphere.
Just a friendly tip. Don't be afraid to get those pipes cooking before going in with the solder! The heat is what is drawing that solder inwards toward the joint. If the desired area has the desired temperature to melt the solder it'll cover the area. Nonetheless. Great job on all the work!
I was taught to look at the color of the flame while you're heating it. When you first see the flame go green where it contacts the pipe it's go time. Then someone said, well if it goes green then its beginning to overheat, but I have had great luck in making consistent joints using any fuel source with that method.
When my Dad was showing me he always said to heat behind the joint as well. Then he would keep a rather damp rag handy to cool down after soldering the joint.
Great video! Some awesome effort when a lot of others would have given up. If you want, here's some tips I can offer you as a licenced and professional plumber. 1.) Always wrap teflon tape clockwise on the threads so that when you are threading the fitting onto that it, doesn't unravel the tef tape. 2.) When you solder, and use couplings, 90's, etc, it's best practice to solder both sides of the joint at the same time. In this instance with the coupling for example, you would have prep'd the copper fittings and pipe, and soldered both sides of the coupling at the same time. This will save you time, and reduce the risk of a joint failing. 3.) The tubing cutters you were using are great, I have a pair of my own (Just a different brand). They allow you to cut the pipe just a tiny bit at a time, which reduces the risk of bending the copper and creating a burred/sharp edge. That being said, if you want to speed things up in the future, Milwaukkee, Rigid, Lennox, etc, all make 'quick cutters' that come on specific sizes, and all you have to do is clamp them on the pipe and spin them the proper direction. No extra work needed. Just make sure to have a rheeming tool handy because they tend to create that edge I was talking about. 4.) Copper sweat fitting do not need to be able to slide easily over the pipe in order for solder to go where it needs to. As long as you do all your proper sweat prep (Cleaning, deburring, fluxing, etc), and as long as the fitting gets its full insertion depth, you are good to go. You will find that sometimes that sharp edge that occurs when you cut the pipe can prevent the fittings from sliding into place. You can fix that by sanding that edge down with sand cloth (I like Oatey open mesh), or a inside/outside rheeming/deburring tool will do the trick too. Just watch your fingers if you try and sand it down, as that copper gets pretty sharp and can cut your fingers easily. 5.) Unless you are doing work in a VERY high end house, I would not worry about your solder dripping. All that means is the joint is full, and any additional solder you use will just end up dripping onto the floor. Only time I'd really try to avoid drips is when soldering vertically, as you don't want those long solder streaks down your pipe. Most the time those can be knocked off with a screw driver or razor knife without much effort, once they cool, as they don't have the flux there to help them really bind to the pipe. 6.) NEVER solder a joint that close to teflon tape, but especially that close to a rubber washer. You will melt the tef tape for one, and the rubber washer that creates the seal at the back of that frost free hose bib. You have to plan ahead in order to not do that. In this case I would have soldered the female adapter into that 90 with a piece of copper stubbed out the top of the 90. Then once that cools you thread that onto the back of the hose bib, get your distance on the copper riser to the other 90, and make that sweat connection up top. That will put you far enough from the heat sensitive materials that you wont risk damageing them.
Just found this channel and watched all three DIY videos. I wanted to say that I loved them! This is real DIY, not like others where they're semi-pro with all the right tools etc. Also, the humour is on point 😂 can't wait for more and to see this channel grow!
Hold your heat on the bend of the pipe so that it will draw the solder in, run your solder all the way around the pipe to coat it all the way around then wipe off the excess and you will get a beautiful, soldered joint.
Flux makes the solder want to flow and contact the metal surfaces, the term is "wet out". Rather than sit as a droplet. You need the metal to be hot to maintain the solder as a liquid until it fill the gaps in the joint so you heat the metal slightly away from the joint with the the flame so that you don't melt the solder (with the flame) before its applied to the fluxed joint. Any oxidation or contaminant will make the solder to not want to wet out the surface - it forms a drop and falls off the surface. There's no vacuum involved it's surface chemistry.
Good job Jen I a plumber and have been 54 years , I’ve had many apprentices and they haven’t done as well as you after 3 years so well done and you keep doing what your doing it’s ok
@@quietsignal yes I did consider that and on many occasions wrong was done but in the end if it’s water tight and the customer was happy only I was disappointed ! my only question is why the original pipe and for that matter not have pipe insulation and not secured to the wall it appears from the many videos I’ve seen of domestic Plumbing in the USA pipe insulation is rarely used in unheated spaces especially when metal pipe is used if I did have any criticism it would be that no compression fittings where used so the very problem Jen had with a leaky joint she could have released the water easier ? But as I say in her own home and a first attempt she did marvellously.
She is a very talented young lady in so many ways. I used a shark bite on mine because it was under the crawl space. I hope she goes to her water dept and shows that she fixed it as they will eliminate the sewer portion of her bill as a one-time courtesy.
I am so proud of you Jennifer ! You are an inspiration for all women ! Your ability to take on various jobs and learn is impressive ! And the best thing is that you SMILE along the way - because their will be pitfalls ! Keep doing what your doing !
Even with frost free valves, you should still disconnect the hose. Water left inside can freeze the pipe. Also, seal the holes around any pipes and wires coming through the walls. This will help the pipes, reduce the heating bill, and help keep out rodents.
You can loosen the black handle on the hammer drill and turn it up to “9:00” position and it will be way more comfortable for you to use. It’s adjustable so it can stored flat in its carrying case. It’s cool that you are tackling jobs like this. Thanks for sharing.
@@jennifersugint honestly not bad at all, solder is barely used here anymore but it always impresses one handy tip, at 25:40 you're holding the plier wrench against your force, if you flip it around with the beak facing you, you're letting the tool do the work and won't have to grip it so firmly :)
This was not an easy task. A lot of people would give up at the first sign of difficulty. Very cool you were able to keep your head down and make it happen!
I'm not a pro, but I'm strong as an axe and I'm super determined...So I bought a fixer upper a few years ago and thanks to the internet and YT I fixed most of it with my own hands, patiently buying used tools when I could and learning from videos very much like this one. So trust me, when you turned the valve on at the end and that last joint didn't leak, I smiled because I've been there. I estimate I've saved thousands of dollars by becoming a DIYer, not to mention the satisfactions of knowing I don't depend on anyone for help... I salute you Jen. Thanks for this fun tutorial.
When you're soldiering, first of all, you heat the fitting you are soldering. Not the pipe. Also when soldiering, make sure you go all the way around your connection with the soldier, to make sure you have completely soldiered the whole fitting, all the way around. When done, look at your fitting's connection to make sure you have a good, soldiered seal before turning the water on. Doing that will eliminate leaks in soldiered copper water lines and having to go back and fix a leak. You don't want to have to go back and fix another leak because it wasn't done well the first time. But, all-in-all, you did a great job, Jennifer.
I was planning on watching a few minutes and ended up watching the whole thing. It was so entertaining to watch and see the common problems a typical DIYer would run into. I learned a lot! Thanks for the video!
At 39:22 you are absolutely right!!! For sure you want to heat both joints at the same time or in this case only the union!!! I was waiting for you to find out that the solder had run inside of the union and would not allow for you to install the next piece!!! But you got luck because you had not heated the union good enough for the solder run through out the union!
This is all actually incredibly educational for newbs to household maintenance, more so than so many expert videos that show how to do it perfectly straight off the bat without encountering common problems that people will deal with for not knowing any better. I think your videos are quite important here Jen. They provide a 'step' that isn't shown in other videos.
Tip for next time, when you turn your water off, open all your faucets to drain the rest of the water. Granted the pipes in the basement are the lowest point so you wont get it all out but you'll get most of it. When you're using the pipe cutter, you only really need to do a turn or two then tighten it, then another turn or two then tighten, otherwise it'll take you all day... As you found out 😂 And use the deburring tool, quicker than sandpaper lol.... Just saw at the end you did empty the pipes but I am keeping that bit in my comment anyway lol.
52:32 you forgot to close the valve so water wouldn't get in, that's why it wasn't getting hot enough to separate .. you can see it drip after you tried.
@@Esuper1 Yeah I watched along and shared her excitement at the pipe solder job, but uh..... the swimming pool of water under the house story arc never came to a resolution 😬
Great job, you identified the problem, figured out how to fix, Identified materials and tools needed. You took the time to practice to get familiar with what you were going to do and how to do it. You dove in did the work, tested it. After finding the issues, you made a revised plan and went to it, and successfully completed and tested your work. You learned by doing. Cant beat that.
As a retired plumber, I admire watching your struggles. Regardless of experience, at some point we've all dealt with the same concerns. Ya done good. Keep up the positive attitude, it'll all work out. Good Job!
pro tips: heat till the solder flows ALL the way around, which may require moving the torch to the other side for a few seconds. 1/2" pipe uses about 1/2" of solder. 3/4" pipe uses about 3/4" of solder. More just makes a mess. Also, wipe each joint clean with a dry cloth on the outside while it's still hot. Left over flux will turn the pipe green in a few months. BTW, wipe AWAY from your body to avoid splatter.... and never put your hands or other body parts in the way of solder drips.... always work from the side.
So impressed with your patience. Bravo on tackling this. As a pipefitter it was definitely a challenge to watch. I guess 2 littke tips ill leave ya is....1. Never touch the copper with your bare hands after cleaning and prepping. The oils in our skin can ruin the soldered joint. And 2. Always wrap teflon tape clockwise. Unless u filmed reversed while preparing the silcock, u wrapped it counter clockwise. Your tenacity was brilliant. Best of luck in the future.
Now it’s been years since I soldered pipes but I remember using propane (blue bottle) and not map gas (yellow bottle) because propane doesn’t get as hot as map gas and it gives you more time to set your solder, I also used acid core solder which seemed to wick into the joint better than the solder your using. Also, whenever I start a pipe job I always check my tools and I replace them if they’re worn out, such as that cutter you’re using. And the direction of the pipe makes no difference in how the water gets to the destination. Hope this helps on the next one.
Much credit goes to Jenn the Handywoman for tackling one project after another.... And her guy Chris helps enormously by having a huge collection of tools at her fingertips....
Respectfilly, Order MATTERS. FIRST CREDIT goes to the TEACHER then to the eager & apt pupil. Her eagermess & aptitued are certianly to be praised, but it is largely by Chris's grace that she did so. Without HIS Knowledge & HIS Tools & HIS willingness to TEACH & SHARE, this project would have been MUCH more expensive to even HAVE FIXED, much less BE TUTORED to fix it herself. (and likely, MUCH more ardous for her to learn to do on her own.)
Just saw your video love the fact that you are a DIY type of woman never apologize about your work as long as you happy with your results and you solve the problem that's all that matters you are freaking awesome
Ok, Chris and Jenn, you two are so incredible together. I love watching the two of you doing everything that you do. Getting into the the Honda after you strapped down the cast iron furniture: Chris, getting in Dukes of Hazzard style was classic and Jenn, just diving right in was absolutely adorable! Also, fixing the pipe: Congratulations, Jenn! I couldn't have done better myself. Two thumbs up and and hats off to you. When it failed the first time, I felt so bad for you. But seeing the repair the second time, I was so excited. 😃👍
Love this channel, you're very funny. I also do my own dyi, but at 68, it's getting old, lol. I'm not a plumber, but I learned how to sweat pipes years ago, by watching family and professionals do it on the job. If you ever have to do this again, and let's hope not, get a bigger pipe cutter, they're easier to handle. I also hated the small ones, except in tight, tight spaces. You got the job done! This is great for us women out there, that are not afraid to get our hands dirty.
Your videos are so inspiring! Everyone now a days is trying to save money on home repairs and speaking as someone who struggles with every project...I adore your videos!! They make me feel not-so-alone when it comes to complete failure, but also achievement.
Don't forget to insulate the holes! I saw a second hole in the basement that should be blocked. Also, the reason why that fitting didn't come off because you had water in the pipe dripping down. All it takes are several drops to cool it.
Well the fact she never keep the flame on point for longer than a short breath of time has most to do with it! Clicking the torch on and off like a mores code operator does you no favors. 🤣
You’re wrong, she didn’t keep the heat on it while pushing up. It would have came right off if she kept it hot. That solder cools and holds the pipe in the second the heat was taken away 😂
Nice job Jen, some guys use a little bread shoved in the hole of the pipe to keep the water from dripping! The other thing is to assemble everything with your flux, then heat up your joints and start your soldering! And then take a rag and wipe down each joint to get a nice clean look! Happy plumbing, Jen!
Love your content dearly. My favorite part is that you film through... e.g., like you don't erase mistakes, and then you throw in the off-content side-bars... borders on genius. I think you are going to inspire many, many people regardless of gender. Be yourself, be Jenn-uine :) . Also original follower of Chris and now that I have my NNKH beanie, I'm rather content. mostly :) Also, let's talk about getting you a logo. I have ideas if you're interested. Then you can do 'merch' too. Go Jenn! & Gus! ... and Turbo!
Holy cow! That’s some leak! Loved the Dukes Of Hazzard bit getting in and out 😂 Steel wool will take the excess solder away if you warm it up again :) Really great for a first ever go at soldering, practice makes perfect.
When taping with Teflon tape, you don't need to get the start flat, just smack it on there and start taping, it'll straighten itself out in the first turn. Also, you wound the tape counterclockwise, which causes the female thread to loosen the tape when you thread it on, causing it to ball up that way. You want to tape it clockwise so that the female part tightens it instead. Sometimes you'll get a fitting that's so slippery that the tape just spins on the threads, you can then take a file and run it across the thread to give the thread some teeth so the tape has something to stick to. Otherwise, a great job, I can't say my first foray into plumbing only had one leak.
More flux the merrier 😂😂😂 Also that diving through window was flawless, then Chris climbing in 'not so smooth' 🤣 You are beautiful couple, love the moment you guys sit down on those chairs, you can see the love between you two 😊
Hey Jen great job on the plumbing I would have to say and I would recommend putting a strap around some of the pipe to anchor and support the pipe to the one of those beams for added support to the pipe it goes around the 1/2 pipe and has a hole on each side so I can run 2 screws into it and then it would be complete complete great job and thanks for another amazing video
I can't believe I've watched the entire hour of copper pipe soldering! It's great to see you fearlessly tackling those little projects and getting it watertight on your second attempt. The 26,000 gallons on your water bill are unfortunate, but the damage in your basement could have been way worse had some pipe given up the ghost in a different spot. You live and learn.
Jen, you can turn any 2 beer job into a case and a half job, that being said, I frieken love it! I love how you show all the frustrating bullshit that's a part of any job. They all look easy till you start, but at least you dont edit all the frustrating stuff out. I also love the editing with the funny sound effects and the Seinfeld clips. Great job!
You are right Jen. It is a little painful to watch the mistakes but it is really inspiring that you try and you learn. All us burly types who think we can sweat the perfect pipe every time have made all these same mistakes along the way. I hope to see another project soon!
I admire your tenacity. I've soft soldered thousands of joints in every conceivable configuration known to man- even with water in the pipes. I would say, and with you being a neophyte, you did quite well. The torch skills is where you need to focus your attention. Full torch is not the way. A softer flame is best so you can control the heat better. Your prep was good, and prep is the most important. And yes, those tubing cutters were crap even if they had a good cutting blade. Ridgid is the gold standard. Well done though! Take care, G.
17:15 There is no water stored in that section of the pipe. However it is suppose to have a small slope so any remaining water inside after the valve is closed drains out. If it does not drain out then it will crack that pipe pretty easy when it freezes out. I have replaced those for people when they cracked because they were installed level.
Jen be sure to contact your water provider and see if they will forgive some of the bill. The Water District where I serve as a Director will give customers credit for one large leak each year.
Tom in my water district we routinely forgive one large leak per year per customer. There doesn’t need to be any vandalism involved. Pipes and valves break on their own with freezing temps or age. Many of our customers are not aware of this policy which is why I mentioned it to Jen. I have no idea what happens in Pennsylvania.
You have to open all the faucets especially the ones that are upstairs to prevent any water.😁 You and Chris are awesome love watching your videos.👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻🫶✌🏼🇨🇦😎
Neat. Useful to start the drill hole square on, and only once started, change to the 5 degree angle. Also the left hand's support handle would normally be adjusted from vertical (down), to horizontal (across) to make for easier holding when drilling. The initial position is good for storage. and plenty of practice..
Way to hang in there, there were a few steps where i screamed at the tv, but you stick it out and got-er-done you are the bomb,and the way you learn is by mistakes. Keep up the great videos Jen
Jen, for a first timer you did a wonderful job. It really doesn't really matter how long it took you to do the job, you did it right and that is what is important. Always remember the pros had their first time and they probably had a leak or two as well. Doing it yourself creates a lifelong trait that you will never forget, and it gives you a huge sense of accomplishment and pride in what you have done. Your videos are always awesome, and I can watch you for however long it takes. You are funny and serious at the same time and that makes for good viewing. That fringing egg looked as big as a Ostridge egg. LOL.
The world need more woman like you Jen. Not only are you beautiful, you're not afraid to get dirty working on old boats, cars and houses, up for crazy road-trips, and... You sing like a bird. Chris is a lucky man. Love you both. Keep up the videos, it's great content...
That’s fun, I remember my first experience. Totally can relate to the drops of solder burning your hand. Couple helpful hints that I’ve learned…put pipe dope on top of your teflon tape. It helps it screw in easier and prevents leaks. Second, you didn’t have to drain down the whole house when you fixed your joint that leaked. You could shut it off at the valve right before, and open the spicket outside and it would have been dry and good to go. Good luck on your next project. It does get easier!
You have totally inspired me to try soldering copper pipes. Thank you for showing ALL of it, not just the correct parts!! Now I know what to expect and how to start over if things go wrong. THANKS AGAIN!!!
Good luck to you! Some projects seem intimidating but if you’re up for the challenge I say give it a go! Just make sure you watch some videos of actual professionals too lol.
You should open the lowest valve in your house, like your washing machine if it is in the basement or a laundry sink, along with the highest one, like a shower this will allow the water to drain out of the system.
Wow 😳 the high water bill is bad enough , along with potential loss of property and contents . However , when Chris found the path the water took , that gave me a panic on your behalf . Praying that no damage or recourse comes from the water traveling where it did . That said , that’s another project ; to close up that pathway by the door opening where the water made its way . By the way , love your sense of humor , “ flux capacitor “ 😂 how adorable ❤. Love your editing too 👍 ! Most of all , appreciate how you show that a task can be done with just a bit more than initiative 👍. Initiative is key .
The reason that extra valve is there in the stairwell is so you can shut off the flow to that outside hydrant to prevent freezing in the winter. The valve should be closed in the fall and the pressure drained, then opened again in the spring when a freeze is no longer likely. Your house construction probably predates the use of frost-free hydrants, thus the reason for the extra valve. If you need to use that hydrant during cold weather you can put a heat tape on it and wrap it with insulation to prevent freezing.
Hi Jen, Plumbers keep a wad of medium steel wool handy. When you get a glob of solder, while its still hot wipe the bottom of the joint with the steel wool, rubbing it away from you, so you don't get splashed with molten solder. That will give you a clean neat professional looking solder joint. Also a little extra solder is better than not enough. You also need to pull more solder off of your roll, like about 8 inches worth. This keeps your fingers away from the hot flame and you can curve the end to fit behind hard to reach joints. Don't forget to add copper pipe clamps to support your new piping to the joists. But al in all an excellent job for a newbie! I know mechanical engineers that are afraid to sweat copper pipe. But copper is considered to be the Cadillac of piping vs. galvanized and plastic pipe.
Consider getting a water monitor device like Flo by Moen (the faucet people). It monitors water use, records amount used, water pressure and most importantly will turn off the water if it detects a leak. You can also put water leak sensors around the house and if the sensor detects a leak it will shut off the water as well. They are worth their weight in gold if you have a leak inside the house. Also, I strongly suggest that you use Pex and cinch connectors. They work when it is wet and damp and is easy to get a good connection. Pex is extremely easy to work with.
She's doing it for views ...😅. Do you think anyone is watching her plumbing skills ?🙄. I think her rescue boyfriend encouraged her to utilize her assets 😂. I lost interest watching his channel because of him using her to get more views...👎
Glad you are learning new things. With something like plumbing, mistakes can be catastrophic. For you and the next homeowner of that house, Practice a while lot before you do something like this. There are many times that an insufficiently filled joint can hold water for a while and then leak later. Concentrate your heat on the fitting. It will draw the solder into the joint. Don't ever put flame/heat on the solder to melt it.
I take my hat off to you for doing what most people wouldnt do thats amazing that your not scared to get your hands dirty so i love the videos keep them coming xx
Im sure someone already mentioned this ..quick tip when you wrap tape wrap it the same way you tighten the fitting that way it will not try to unwrap its self or bunch up inside .. pipe angle is cosmetic water is gonna flow with pressure ...@48:23 we got a squirter ..sorry had to lol well you was almost no leaky the plumber lol ..but for a first time you did pretty damn good ..keep it up
Great job, only suggestion would be slowly turn your water on. When you open full as quick as you did you can get what is called water hammer. When the water stops at the end of the pipe or valve and changes direction it causes what you described as the shaking pipes which could blow your joints. Lastly when sweating pipe, use the guide of 1/2” pipe 1/2” of solder. And you really only need a light coat of flux. Great job taking this on, it can be intimidating.
@ 25:50 Wrap your tefflon in the other direction, it will work better with the direction of the threads when you screw something on. :) Also, the solder will go towards the heat so put the flame on one side, and the solder on the other. When it melts, it will flow to the flame side. I like to keep the flame a little bit more on the coupling so it flows down into the joint. Other then that you did AWESOME!! I don't know many women that would even attemp this let, alone show all the troubles figureing things out. Mad Respect, and good on you for developing/learning a new skill! :)
One suggestion when you were trying to get the O-rings out of the spigot. Sauter six or 8 inches of pipe to that fitting before you screw it on that way you don’t have to Sauter near the spigot itself. He screwed that one copper piece on first, if you put 8 inches of pipe on there and soldered it to that fitting first, then you could’ve let the fitting cool and screwed it on, the end of the spigot and when you connected to the rest of the piping, you would be 8 inches away from the spigot already. Another thing you can do is wrap a wet towel around the areas. You don’t want to get hot and that will take some of the heat out. Another trick you can use to make sure you’re keeping your pipes dry, before you’re ready to start soldering you can take bread and cram it in the pipes. Can I just get some white bread and just keep pushing it into the pipe and it will keep the water from flowing out of there for a little bit and soak a lot of it up and once you’ve soldered, and you’re done, the bread will be in there, but the bread dissolves easily in the water so as soon as you turn your water back on and open up that spigot. It’ll blow all the bread mush out of it. It won’t stop a lot of water but once you get most of the water out if there’s just a slow drip, you can just fill it with white bread and it should stop at four a few seconds so you have time to push it together and solder it.
Luv the way at least you are attempting to do things yourself and learning along the way. Your work ethic and attitude is above and beyond. Plus, your work outfits are the best here on RUclips. Keep the videos and projects coming.
At 27:27 you are absolutely right I don’t know of a single soul that tears those apart anymore as I mentioned before above/before sweat your pipe to your fittings first! Then install spigot in the wall where it needs to be and then just tighten your fitting with the Teflon paste and you’re done!
Also note copper is considered a nonferrous metal! Also while applying the solder to the hot copper pipe be sure to apply the solder on opposite side of the flame! At 17:30 that frost free outside spigot will not work if you leave your garden hose still attached to the system spigot in the cold weather….. bad news!! So the garden hose must be off so the water can drain out of that frost-free spigot or it will just freeze up and break again!
You just have a very genuine way about you Jen.. Everyone can relate and are comforting to watch. I laughed everytime you burnt your fingers because its what everyone does, we know its hot but we grab it anyway! That drill was WAAAAY overkill and think it was in reverse but still got the job done...glory glory hallelujah!🤣
Fantastic effort for a newbie. Would strongly suggest when using a drill like that is that Ppe is a must. Safety glasses and hearing protection is a must.
When winter comes you need to take and winterize the pipe, what I mean by that is have the spigot running outside for a second shut off the valve above the door then let whatever waters in the line run out what happened is you had water trapping in your line and it got cold enough to freeze and expand it and it burst the pipe, they make what's called shark bites which is a non-soldering connection All you do is use a pipe cutter to cut the broken piece out and then use the SharkBite push it on the one end of the cut and on the other joining the two pieces together and they will no longer require to solder pipes anymore or to sweat pipes as it's called. Don't beat yourself up over it You only had one week out of all of those solder points most plumbers get one leak sometimes too nobody's perfect. 🎉😊
I don't know if they're available in the US but we can buy pre-soldered joints in the UK. Just fit them then heat them up with a blow torch & the solder melts inside the joints to make the seal.
Looks great! Certainly better than I can do, most of the time. Couple of tips if it helps- one, is that wiping the hot solder with a rag is a bit of a cheat code for making ugly joints look a bit nicer.. B, as I understand it, the solder will be drawn toward the heat, so you want to heat one side of the joint and feed solder into the opposite side- this might help in particular on those tricky vertical ones.
Great work! Three suggestions: replacement blades for pipe cutters are very affordable. Also, if you wind the teflon tape in the other direction it will form a much better seal. If you look at the video you will see that it is being forced down the threads as you screw it in. Lastly, if you cut all the pipe a little longer than you think is needed then dry fit it you can avoid those short runs. With a fresh blade in your pipe cutter it's easy work to shorten pipes ; )
I am learning a bunch from you. I would use eye protection when soldering. Don't want to get that in your eye. I learned that when I flicked some solder by my face.
At least you soldered it I installed a new water heater in my garage and was lazy used sharkbite to change copper to cpvc on 1-7-19 but it hasn't leaked I am a pool plumber so I am good with pvc
"OK, I'm going to try my first joint here"... 🤗 BTW Jen, some of those pipe cutters store an extra blade in the turny knob thing; under the screw. Great job! I recommend spending more for the Ridgid brand cutter. That angle doesn't matter! All that matters is the joints are square at the sockets. Many times you will have pipes not in perfect lines, and you need to put in a diagonal to join them.
When you have a tight joint you can clean the pipe with some emory cloth which is like sandpaper, it will remove just enough material to make the fitting slide on easier. Don't worry, even on a tight fitting it will suck solder just fine.
WOW! Chris did you dirty with that pipe cutter. It looks like you were using it properly. Congrats taking on such a daunting task. This inspires me. Great work.
As a 25 year plumber, this was brutal to watch but super awesome to see you doing it yourself and not giving up.
I can't count the times I yelled out "Noooo.." Some absolutely riveting youtube right here.
Nobody is pretty their first time
Agreed...lol
I agree!,…… the tights helped me to stay calm…………👀😏🥰
@MoparGuy1625 that's rich. A guy white knighting, calling another guy a simp because he commented about the physical attributes of a pretty woman. Do you also go around and call women ma' lady
Good habit is to always wrap Teflon tape clockwise, as in the direction you tighten right hand threads.
You're doing a great job Jen, keep up the good work!!!
first thing that came to my mind.
Me too.
me 3
Yep!
Always wrap in the direction it tightens.
Jen, you have to open the outside valve, then heat the pipe for a few feet to get it hot and vent the steam. Then when doing your last joint, leave the hydrant open to vent the air. The air gets heated in your pipe from the torch and builds pressure, which makes a pinhole, causing your leak.
Learned that back in the early '80s replacing "frost free" fittings that all failed when the solder joint inside the house came loose. Any residual water in the pipe flashes to steam so
the entire piping system has to be open to the atmosphere.
Just a friendly tip. Don't be afraid to get those pipes cooking before going in with the solder! The heat is what is drawing that solder inwards toward the joint. If the desired area has the desired temperature to melt the solder it'll cover the area. Nonetheless. Great job on all the work!
That was a big part of the issues she had, she didn't keep the flame on the pipes long enough.
I was taught to look at the color of the flame while you're heating it. When you first see the flame go green where it contacts the pipe it's go time.
Then someone said, well if it goes green then its beginning to overheat, but I have had great luck in making consistent joints using any fuel source with that method.
I was a plumbers helper a loooog time ago. "Heat the Pipe, not the Solder" ...was the phrase I always remembered.
When my Dad was showing me he always said to heat behind the joint as well. Then he would keep a rather damp rag handy to cool down after soldering the joint.
Great video! Some awesome effort when a lot of others would have given up.
If you want, here's some tips I can offer you as a licenced and professional plumber.
1.) Always wrap teflon tape clockwise on the threads so that when you are threading the fitting onto that it, doesn't unravel the tef tape.
2.) When you solder, and use couplings, 90's, etc, it's best practice to solder both sides of the joint at the same time. In this instance with the coupling for example, you would have prep'd the copper fittings and pipe, and soldered both sides of the coupling at the same time. This will save you time, and reduce the risk of a joint failing.
3.) The tubing cutters you were using are great, I have a pair of my own (Just a different brand). They allow you to cut the pipe just a tiny bit at a time, which reduces the risk of bending the copper and creating a burred/sharp edge. That being said, if you want to speed things up in the future, Milwaukkee, Rigid, Lennox, etc, all make 'quick cutters' that come on specific sizes, and all you have to do is clamp them on the pipe and spin them the proper direction. No extra work needed. Just make sure to have a rheeming tool handy because they tend to create that edge I was talking about.
4.) Copper sweat fitting do not need to be able to slide easily over the pipe in order for solder to go where it needs to. As long as you do all your proper sweat prep (Cleaning, deburring, fluxing, etc), and as long as the fitting gets its full insertion depth, you are good to go. You will find that sometimes that sharp edge that occurs when you cut the pipe can prevent the fittings from sliding into place. You can fix that by sanding that edge down with sand cloth (I like Oatey open mesh), or a inside/outside rheeming/deburring tool will do the trick too. Just watch your fingers if you try and sand it down, as that copper gets pretty sharp and can cut your fingers easily.
5.) Unless you are doing work in a VERY high end house, I would not worry about your solder dripping. All that means is the joint is full, and any additional solder you use will just end up dripping onto the floor. Only time I'd really try to avoid drips is when soldering vertically, as you don't want those long solder streaks down your pipe. Most the time those can be knocked off with a screw driver or razor knife without much effort, once they cool, as they don't have the flux there to help them really bind to the pipe.
6.) NEVER solder a joint that close to teflon tape, but especially that close to a rubber washer. You will melt the tef tape for one, and the rubber washer that creates the seal at the back of that frost free hose bib. You have to plan ahead in order to not do that. In this case I would have soldered the female adapter into that 90 with a piece of copper stubbed out the top of the 90. Then once that cools you thread that onto the back of the hose bib, get your distance on the copper riser to the other 90, and make that sweat connection up top. That will put you far enough from the heat sensitive materials that you wont risk damageing them.
Just found this channel and watched all three DIY videos. I wanted to say that I loved them! This is real DIY, not like others where they're semi-pro with all the right tools etc. Also, the humour is on point 😂 can't wait for more and to see this channel grow!
Thank you so much. If I could go back in time I would have filmed a lot more of my other projects. Appreciate you watching!
Reminds me of when the DIY network had on a show called Renovation Realties. That show seemed unscripted and could be hilarious at times!😂
Hold your heat on the bend of the pipe so that it will draw the solder in, run your solder all the way around the pipe to coat it all the way around then wipe off the excess and you will get a beautiful, soldered joint.
Yes. You are heating the copper to melt the solder, not the flame. I've seen most pull the heat away, then apply the solder.
he's correct with the "pro tip" It draws the solder in because you've heated the air inside and as it cools it creates a sorta vacuum
Flux makes the solder want to flow and contact the metal surfaces, the term is "wet out". Rather than sit as a droplet. You need the metal to be hot to maintain the solder as a liquid until it fill the gaps in the joint so you heat the metal slightly away from the joint with the the flame so that you don't melt the solder (with the flame) before its applied to the fluxed joint. Any oxidation or contaminant will make the solder to not want to wet out the surface - it forms a drop and falls off the surface. There's no vacuum involved it's surface chemistry.
@@davep6977 actually it draws the solder into the joint via capillary action, no vacuum is created
@@martinmoss317 I learned something
Good job Jen I a plumber and have been 54 years , I’ve had many apprentices and they haven’t done as well as you after 3 years so well done and you keep doing what your doing it’s ok
Sad… maybe you did it wrong for 54 years…did you ever consider that?
@@quietsignal yes I did consider that and on many occasions wrong was done but in the end if it’s water tight and the customer was happy only I was disappointed ! my only question is why the original pipe and for that matter not have pipe insulation and not secured to the wall it appears from the many videos I’ve seen of domestic Plumbing in the USA pipe insulation is rarely used in unheated spaces especially when metal pipe is used if I did have any criticism it would be that no compression fittings where used so the very problem Jen had with a leaky joint she could have released the water easier ? But as I say in her own home and a first attempt she did marvellously.
Looks great
She is a very talented young lady in so many ways. I used a shark bite on mine because it was under the crawl space. I hope she goes to her water dept and shows that she fixed it as they will eliminate the sewer portion of her bill as a one-time courtesy.
@@DelButchthank fully you never did plumbing in my home lol
I am so proud of you Jennifer ! You are an inspiration for all women ! Your ability to take on various jobs and learn is impressive ! And the best thing is that you SMILE along the way - because their will be pitfalls ! Keep doing what your doing !
Even with frost free valves, you should still disconnect the hose. Water left inside can freeze the pipe. Also, seal the holes around any pipes and wires coming through the walls. This will help the pipes, reduce the heating bill, and help keep out rodents.
Yep, I still drain those out and insulate them outside over winter
You can loosen the black handle on the hammer drill and turn it up to “9:00” position and it will be way more comfortable for you to use. It’s adjustable so it can stored flat in its carrying case. It’s cool that you are tackling jobs like this. Thanks for sharing.
I've heard of people breaking their wrist handling such a drill wrong.
You might want to check a guide first on how to safely use this powerful tool.
I have so much id love to say, but as a plumber it is just plain cool to see your eagerness to learn. Great job!
I appreciate it!! Never too late to learn something new.
@@jennifersugint honestly not bad at all, solder is barely used here anymore but it always impresses
one handy tip, at 25:40 you're holding the plier wrench against your force, if you flip it around with the beak facing you, you're letting the tool do the work and won't have to grip it so firmly :)
This was not an easy task. A lot of people would give up at the first sign of difficulty. Very cool you were able to keep your head down and make it happen!
Miller Lite has a bit to do with that lol!
I'm not a pro, but I'm strong as an axe and I'm super determined...So I bought a fixer upper a few years ago and thanks to the internet and YT I fixed most of it with my own hands, patiently buying used tools when I could and learning from videos very much like this one. So trust me, when you turned the valve on at the end and that last joint didn't leak, I smiled because I've been there.
I estimate I've saved thousands of dollars by becoming a DIYer, not to mention the satisfactions of knowing I don't depend on anyone for help...
I salute you Jen. Thanks for this fun tutorial.
When you're soldiering, first of all, you heat the fitting you are soldering. Not the pipe. Also when soldiering, make sure you go all the way around your connection with the soldier, to make sure you have completely soldiered the whole fitting, all the way around. When done, look at your fitting's connection to make sure you have a good, soldiered seal before turning the water on. Doing that will eliminate leaks in soldiered copper water lines and having to go back and fix a leak. You don't want to have to go back and fix another leak because it wasn't done well the first time. But, all-in-all, you did a great job, Jennifer.
Good job Jen, you went out of your comfort zone , gave it a try and made it happen. Absolutely thumbs UP to you! 👍💯
Thanks as always, Richard!!
Oh, and...Goodnight John Boy.
You did a great job with sweating that pipe. Even if you get frustrated, you don't quit. Great work ethic!
Congrats Jen, great job on your first plumbing repair!
That's not her first plumbing job, you can tell she has some experience handling pipe.
@@yevgeny79 It really isn't her first plumbing job though, she replaced the sewer pipe in a previous video 😂
I was planning on watching a few minutes and ended up watching the whole thing. It was so entertaining to watch and see the common problems a typical DIYer would run into. I learned a lot!
Thanks for the video!
Awesome! Thank you so much, Nate! The struggles are real lol
At 39:22 you are absolutely right!!! For sure you want to heat both joints at the same time or in this case only the union!!! I was waiting for you to find out that the solder had run inside of the union and would not allow for you to install the next piece!!! But you got luck because you had not heated the union good enough for the solder run through out the union!
Great job at sticking to it, Jen. I hate doing plumbing in general, and soldering specifically.
This is all actually incredibly educational for newbs to household maintenance, more so than so many expert videos that show how to do it perfectly straight off the bat without encountering common problems that people will deal with for not knowing any better. I think your videos are quite important here Jen. They provide a 'step' that isn't shown in other videos.
Tip for next time, when you turn your water off, open all your faucets to drain the rest of the water. Granted the pipes in the basement are the lowest point so you wont get it all out but you'll get most of it. When you're using the pipe cutter, you only really need to do a turn or two then tighten it, then another turn or two then tighten, otherwise it'll take you all day... As you found out 😂 And use the deburring tool, quicker than sandpaper lol.... Just saw at the end you did empty the pipes but I am keeping that bit in my comment anyway lol.
52:32 you forgot to close the valve so water wouldn't get in, that's why it wasn't getting hot enough to separate .. you can see it drip after you tried.
Proud of her for being willing to learn and do it herself. There is room for improving.😳
For your first copper pipe project you did well. Learning from your mistakes is the best learning. Great Job.
Hopefully you don’t have a huge sinkhole under your house. I admire your tenacity and determination to fix anything.
She probably has a little Cave under there
Deff is sketchy under there
@@frankbradleyjr That water had to go smewhere and like she said, there was a lot of it.
I mean right? how does it not freak them out a pool's worth of water just disappeared under their house. Crazy!
@@Esuper1 Yeah I watched along and shared her excitement at the pipe solder job, but uh..... the swimming pool of water under the house story arc never came to a resolution 😬
Nice job Jen--saved yourself hundreds by DIY--You go girl !!!
Great job, you identified the problem, figured out how to fix, Identified materials and tools needed. You took the time to practice to get familiar with what you were going to do and how to do it. You dove in did the work, tested it. After finding the issues, you made a revised plan and went to it, and successfully completed and tested your work. You learned by doing. Cant beat that.
As a retired plumber, I admire watching your struggles. Regardless of experience, at some point we've all dealt with the same concerns. Ya done good. Keep up the positive attitude, it'll all work out. Good Job!
pro tips: heat till the solder flows ALL the way around, which may require moving the torch to the other side for a few seconds. 1/2" pipe uses about 1/2" of solder. 3/4" pipe uses about 3/4" of solder. More just makes a mess. Also, wipe each joint clean with a dry cloth on the outside while it's still hot. Left over flux will turn the pipe green in a few months. BTW, wipe AWAY from your body to avoid splatter.... and never put your hands or other body parts in the way of solder drips.... always work from the side.
Well done. Your joy of having finished this task and doing it yourself was priceless.
Awesome job girl!! And you're pretty awesome yourself!! I love watching yours and Chris's videos! I can't wait to see what you do next! 💕
So impressed with your patience. Bravo on tackling this. As a pipefitter it was definitely a challenge to watch. I guess 2 littke tips ill leave ya is....1. Never touch the copper with your bare hands after cleaning and prepping. The oils in our skin can ruin the soldered joint. And 2. Always wrap teflon tape clockwise. Unless u filmed reversed while preparing the silcock, u wrapped it counter clockwise. Your tenacity was brilliant. Best of luck in the future.
Now it’s been years since I soldered pipes but I remember using propane (blue bottle) and not map gas (yellow bottle) because propane doesn’t get as hot as map gas and it gives you more time to set your solder, I also used acid core solder which seemed to wick into the joint better than the solder your using. Also, whenever I start a pipe job I always check my tools and I replace them if they’re worn out, such as that cutter you’re using. And the direction of the pipe makes no difference in how the water gets to the destination. Hope this helps on the next one.
You’re so courageous and quite entertaining! Even without lil Gus!
We watched the entire hour!!
Much credit goes to Jenn the Handywoman for tackling one project after another....
And her guy Chris helps enormously by having a huge collection of tools at her fingertips....
Respectfilly, Order MATTERS.
FIRST CREDIT goes to the TEACHER then to the eager & apt pupil.
Her eagermess & aptitued are certianly to be praised, but it is largely by Chris's grace that she did so.
Without HIS Knowledge & HIS Tools & HIS willingness to TEACH & SHARE, this project would have been MUCH more expensive to even HAVE FIXED, much less BE TUTORED to fix it herself. (and likely, MUCH more ardous for her to learn to do on her own.)
Just saw your video love the fact that you are a DIY type of woman never apologize about your work as long as you happy with your results and you solve the problem that's all that matters you are freaking awesome
Ok, Chris and Jenn, you two are so incredible together. I love watching the two of you doing everything that you do. Getting into the the Honda after you strapped down the cast iron furniture: Chris, getting in Dukes of Hazzard style was classic and Jenn, just diving right in was absolutely adorable! Also, fixing the pipe: Congratulations, Jenn! I couldn't have done better myself. Two thumbs up and and hats off to you. When it failed the first time, I felt so bad for you. But seeing the repair the second time, I was so excited. 😃👍
Love this channel, you're very funny. I also do my own dyi, but at 68, it's getting old, lol. I'm not a plumber, but I learned how to sweat pipes years ago, by watching family and professionals do it on the job. If you ever have to do this again, and let's hope not, get a bigger pipe cutter, they're easier to handle. I also hated the small ones, except in tight, tight spaces. You got the job done! This is great for us women out there, that are not afraid to get our hands dirty.
Your videos are so inspiring! Everyone now a days is trying to save money on home repairs and speaking as someone who struggles with every project...I adore your videos!! They make me feel not-so-alone when it comes to complete failure, but also achievement.
Every day with Gus is a GREAT day!!
Don't forget to insulate the holes! I saw a second hole in the basement that should be blocked. Also, the reason why that fitting didn't come off because you had water in the pipe dripping down. All it takes are several drops to cool it.
Well the fact she never keep the flame on point for longer than a short breath of time has most to do with it! Clicking the torch on and off like a mores code operator does you no favors. 🤣
Yes, that's where the bread ball comes in. Is that in the official Journeyman's guide to plumbing? the bread ball for stopping a drip?
@@walkingthruyourdata-6019bread ball?? You certainly don’t do plumbing do you 😂😂😂
You’re wrong, she didn’t keep the heat on it while pushing up. It would have came right off if she kept it hot. That solder cools and holds the pipe in the second the heat was taken away 😂
I congratulate you for taking on this plumbing repair. That's how we all learned. Good job.
Nice job Jen, some guys use a little bread shoved in the hole of the pipe to keep the water from dripping! The other thing is to assemble everything with your flux, then heat up your joints and start your soldering! And then take a rag and wipe down each joint to get a nice clean look! Happy plumbing, Jen!
Love your content dearly. My favorite part is that you film through... e.g., like you don't erase mistakes, and then you throw in the off-content side-bars... borders on genius. I think you are going to inspire many, many people regardless of gender. Be yourself, be Jenn-uine :) . Also original follower of Chris and now that I have my NNKH beanie, I'm rather content. mostly :) Also, let's talk about getting you a logo. I have ideas if you're interested. Then you can do 'merch' too. Go Jenn! & Gus! ... and Turbo!
Holy cow! That’s some leak! Loved the Dukes Of Hazzard bit getting in and out 😂
Steel wool will take the excess solder away if you warm it up again :)
Really great for a first ever go at soldering, practice makes perfect.
When taping with Teflon tape, you don't need to get the start flat, just smack it on there and start taping, it'll straighten itself out in the first turn. Also, you wound the tape counterclockwise, which causes the female thread to loosen the tape when you thread it on, causing it to ball up that way. You want to tape it clockwise so that the female part tightens it instead. Sometimes you'll get a fitting that's so slippery that the tape just spins on the threads, you can then take a file and run it across the thread to give the thread some teeth so the tape has something to stick to. Otherwise, a great job, I can't say my first foray into plumbing only had one leak.
More flux the merrier 😂😂😂 Also that diving through window was flawless, then Chris climbing in 'not so smooth' 🤣 You are beautiful couple, love the moment you guys sit down on those chairs, you can see the love between you two 😊
Hey Jen great job on the plumbing I would have to say and I would recommend putting a strap around some of the pipe to anchor and support the pipe to the one of those beams for added support to the pipe it goes around the 1/2 pipe and has a hole on each side so I can run 2 screws into it and then it would be complete complete great job and thanks for another amazing video
I can't believe I've watched the entire hour of copper pipe soldering! It's great to see you fearlessly tackling those little projects and getting it watertight on your second attempt. The 26,000 gallons on your water bill are unfortunate, but the damage in your basement could have been way worse had some pipe given up the ghost in a different spot. You live and learn.
Mmmm 🤔. Are you really watching her repair anything?🤭
@@Goodvibes-Adventures Yes?
Jen, you can turn any 2 beer job into a case and a half job, that being said, I frieken love it! I love how you show all the frustrating bullshit that's a part of any job. They all look easy till you start, but at least you dont edit all the frustrating stuff out. I also love the editing with the funny sound effects and the Seinfeld clips. Great job!
But she is fun to watch , and I think she would laugh along with us all.
@@suzylarry1 Yes sir, you can tell she has a great sense of humor.
You are right Jen. It is a little painful to watch the mistakes but it is really inspiring that you try and you learn. All us burly types who think we can sweat the perfect pipe every time have made all these same mistakes along the way. I hope to see another project soon!
That is so true I screwed up lot's of copper before getting it right and that was back before youtube was even around
I admire your tenacity. I've soft soldered thousands of joints in every conceivable configuration known to man- even with water in the pipes. I would say, and with you being a neophyte, you did quite well. The torch skills is where you need to focus your attention. Full torch is not the way. A softer flame is best so you can control the heat better. Your prep was good, and prep is the most important. And yes, those tubing cutters were crap even if they had a good cutting blade. Ridgid is the gold standard. Well done though! Take care, G.
17:15 There is no water stored in that section of the pipe. However it is suppose to have a small slope so any remaining water inside after the valve is closed drains out. If it does not drain out then it will crack that pipe pretty easy when it freezes out. I have replaced those for people when they cracked because they were installed level.
Jen be sure to contact your water provider and see if they will forgive some of the bill. The Water District where I serve as a Director will give customers credit for one large leak each year.
They'd only forgive the bill if it was vandalism...
Tom in my water district we routinely forgive one large leak per year per customer. There doesn’t need to be any vandalism involved. Pipes and valves break on their own with freezing temps or age. Many of our customers are not aware of this policy which is why I mentioned it to Jen. I have no idea what happens in Pennsylvania.
Good job Jen. A cutter will sometimes have a reaming tool attached to it to clean and round off the ends.
You have to open all the faucets especially the ones that are upstairs to prevent any water.😁 You and Chris are awesome love watching your videos.👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻🫶✌🏼🇨🇦😎
Neat. Useful to start the drill hole square on, and only once started, change to the 5 degree angle. Also the left hand's support handle would normally be adjusted from vertical (down), to horizontal (across) to make for easier holding when drilling. The initial position is good for storage.
and plenty of practice..
Way to hang in there, there were a few steps where i screamed at the tv, but you stick it out and got-er-done you are the bomb,and the way you learn is by mistakes. Keep up the great videos Jen
Jen, for a first timer you did a wonderful job. It really doesn't really matter how long it took you to do the job, you did it right and that is what is important. Always remember the pros had their first time and they probably had a leak or two as well. Doing it yourself creates a lifelong trait that you will never forget, and it gives you a huge sense of accomplishment and pride in what you have done. Your videos are always awesome, and I can watch you for however long it takes. You are funny and serious at the same time and that makes for good viewing. That fringing egg looked as big as a Ostridge egg. LOL.
The world need more woman like you Jen. Not only are you beautiful, you're not afraid to get dirty working on old boats, cars and houses, up for crazy road-trips, and... You sing like a bird. Chris is a lucky man. Love you both. Keep up the videos, it's great content...
Lol
Chris actually surprised me with how prepared he was . I'm a plumber and I think he did a great job
That’s fun, I remember my first experience. Totally can relate to the drops of solder burning your hand. Couple helpful hints that I’ve learned…put pipe dope on top of your teflon tape. It helps it screw in easier and prevents leaks. Second, you didn’t have to drain down the whole house when you fixed your joint that leaked. You could shut it off at the valve right before, and open the spicket outside and it would have been dry and good to go. Good luck on your next project. It does get easier!
You have totally inspired me to try soldering copper pipes. Thank you for showing ALL of it, not just the correct parts!! Now I know what to expect and how to start over if things go wrong. THANKS AGAIN!!!
Good luck to you! Some projects seem intimidating but if you’re up for the challenge I say give it a go! Just make sure you watch some videos of actual professionals too lol.
You should open the lowest valve in your house, like your washing machine if it is in the basement or a laundry sink, along with the highest one, like a shower this will allow the water to drain out of the system.
Damn props to you girl 💯I would’ve never attempted to mess with plumbing 😂
Wow 😳 the high water bill is bad enough , along with potential loss of property and contents . However , when Chris found the path the water took , that gave me a panic on your behalf . Praying that no damage or recourse comes from the water traveling where it did . That said , that’s another project ; to close up that pathway by the door opening where the water made its way .
By the way , love your sense of humor , “ flux capacitor “ 😂 how adorable ❤. Love your editing too 👍 ! Most of all , appreciate how you show that a task can be done with just a bit more than initiative 👍. Initiative is key .
The reason that extra valve is there in the stairwell is so you can shut off the flow to that outside hydrant to prevent freezing in the winter. The valve should be closed in the fall and the pressure drained, then opened again in the spring when a freeze is no longer likely. Your house construction probably predates the use of frost-free hydrants, thus the reason for the extra valve. If you need to use that hydrant during cold weather you can put a heat tape on it and wrap it with insulation to prevent freezing.
Hi Jen, Plumbers keep a wad of medium steel wool handy. When you get a glob of solder, while its still hot wipe the bottom of the joint with the steel wool, rubbing it away from you, so you don't get splashed with molten solder. That will give you a clean neat professional looking solder joint. Also a little extra solder is better than not enough. You also need to pull more solder off of your roll, like about 8 inches worth. This keeps your fingers away from the hot flame and you can curve the end to fit behind hard to reach joints. Don't forget to add copper pipe clamps to support your new piping to the joists. But al in all an excellent job for a newbie! I know mechanical engineers that are afraid to sweat copper pipe. But copper is considered to be the Cadillac of piping vs. galvanized and plastic pipe.
Use code JENSUGINT120 to get $120 off across your first 4 boxes of Good Chop bit.ly/3A29fqM Thanks Good Chop for sponsoring this video!
Awesome 🎉
"off off" should be "off of" Jen :).
Wrap exposed pipes, especially copper.
Consider getting a water monitor device like Flo by Moen (the faucet people). It monitors water use, records amount used, water pressure and most importantly will turn off the water if it detects a leak. You can also put water leak sensors around the house and if the sensor detects a leak it will shut off the water as well. They are worth their weight in gold if you have a leak inside the house.
Also, I strongly suggest that you use Pex and cinch connectors. They work when it is wet and damp and is easy to get a good connection. Pex is extremely easy to work with.
🤣Great product advert! Had me going for a sec!
It takes a lot of nerve to tackle a job you've never done before and then to film it and make it public even more so. I commend you for doing it.
and how!
She's doing it for views ...😅. Do you think anyone is watching her plumbing skills ?🙄. I think her rescue boyfriend encouraged her to utilize her assets 😂. I lost interest watching his channel because of him using her to get more views...👎
@@Goodvibes-Adventures why are you here commenting if you lost interest? Millions of other channels to spread your cheer.
You should of used pex!!!
Now Jen, you have experience in copper plumbing!.. Well done! You, Chris and Gus are a perfect recipe for success. Love your videos.
Glad you are learning new things. With something like plumbing, mistakes can be catastrophic. For you and the next homeowner of that house, Practice a while lot before you do something like this. There are many times that an insufficiently filled joint can hold water for a while and then leak later. Concentrate your heat on the fitting. It will draw the solder into the joint. Don't ever put flame/heat on the solder to melt it.
I take my hat off to you for doing what most people wouldnt do thats amazing that your not scared to get your hands dirty so i love the videos keep them coming xx
Im sure someone already mentioned this ..quick tip when you wrap tape wrap it the same way you tighten the fitting that way it will not try to unwrap its self or bunch up inside .. pipe angle is cosmetic water is gonna flow with pressure ...@48:23 we got a squirter ..sorry had to lol well you was almost no leaky the plumber lol ..but for a first time you did pretty damn good ..keep it up
Great job, only suggestion would be slowly turn your water on. When you open full as quick as you did you can get what is called water hammer. When the water stops at the end of the pipe or valve and changes direction it causes what you described as the shaking pipes which could blow your joints. Lastly when sweating pipe, use the guide of 1/2” pipe 1/2” of solder. And you really only need a light coat of flux. Great job taking this on, it can be intimidating.
@ 25:50 Wrap your tefflon in the other direction, it will work better with the direction of the threads when you screw something on. :) Also, the solder will go towards the heat so put the flame on one side, and the solder on the other. When it melts, it will flow to the flame side. I like to keep the flame a little bit more on the coupling so it flows down into the joint. Other then that you did AWESOME!! I don't know many women that would even attemp this let, alone show all the troubles figureing things out. Mad Respect, and good on you for developing/learning a new skill! :)
One suggestion when you were trying to get the O-rings out of the spigot. Sauter six or 8 inches of pipe to that fitting before you screw it on that way you don’t have to Sauter near the spigot itself. He screwed that one copper piece on first, if you put 8 inches of pipe on there and soldered it to that fitting first, then you could’ve let the fitting cool and screwed it on, the end of the spigot and when you connected to the rest of the piping, you would be 8 inches away from the spigot already. Another thing you can do is wrap a wet towel around the areas. You don’t want to get hot and that will take some of the heat out.
Another trick you can use to make sure you’re keeping your pipes dry, before you’re ready to start soldering you can take bread and cram it in the pipes. Can I just get some white bread and just keep pushing it into the pipe and it will keep the water from flowing out of there for a little bit and soak a lot of it up and once you’ve soldered, and you’re done, the bread will be in there, but the bread dissolves easily in the water so as soon as you turn your water back on and open up that spigot. It’ll blow all the bread mush out of it. It won’t stop a lot of water but once you get most of the water out if there’s just a slow drip, you can just fill it with white bread and it should stop at four a few seconds so you have time to push it together and solder it.
Luv the way at least you are attempting to do things yourself and learning along the way.
Your work ethic and attitude is above and beyond.
Plus, your work outfits are the best here on RUclips.
Keep the videos and projects coming.
At 27:27 you are absolutely right I don’t know of a single soul that tears those apart anymore as I mentioned before above/before sweat your pipe to your fittings first! Then install spigot in the wall where it needs to be and then just tighten your fitting with the Teflon paste and you’re done!
Beer always helps. Great job, I'm learning here, next summer it'll be my project.
Also note copper is considered a nonferrous metal! Also while applying the solder to the hot copper pipe be sure to apply the solder on opposite side of the flame! At 17:30 that frost free outside spigot will not work if you leave your garden hose still attached to the system spigot in the cold weather….. bad news!! So the garden hose must be off so the water can drain out of that frost-free spigot or it will just freeze up and break again!
You just have a very genuine way about you Jen.. Everyone can relate and are comforting to watch. I laughed everytime you burnt your fingers because its what everyone does, we know its hot but we grab it anyway! That drill was WAAAAY overkill and think it was in reverse but still got the job done...glory glory hallelujah!🤣
Fantastic effort for a newbie. Would strongly suggest when using a drill like that is that Ppe is a must. Safety glasses and hearing protection is a must.
When winter comes you need to take and winterize the pipe, what I mean by that is have the spigot running outside for a second shut off the valve above the door then let whatever waters in the line run out what happened is you had water trapping in your line and it got cold enough to freeze and expand it and it burst the pipe, they make what's called shark bites which is a non-soldering connection All you do is use a pipe cutter to cut the broken piece out and then use the SharkBite push it on the one end of the cut and on the other joining the two pieces together and they will no longer require to solder pipes anymore or to sweat pipes as it's called.
Don't beat yourself up over it You only had one week out of all of those solder points most plumbers get one leak sometimes too nobody's perfect. 🎉😊
I like you am a DIY kinda guy and have done most of these repairs before. You are amazing and it is a pleasure to watch you learn as you go .
You did a great job to have one leak. You have given me more confidence. I myself try and fix things around my house.
I don't know if they're available in the US but we can buy pre-soldered joints in the UK. Just fit them then heat them up with a blow torch & the solder melts inside the joints to make the seal.
Looks great! Certainly better than I can do, most of the time. Couple of tips if it helps- one, is that wiping the hot solder with a rag is a bit of a cheat code for making ugly joints look a bit nicer.. B, as I understand it, the solder will be drawn toward the heat, so you want to heat one side of the joint and feed solder into the opposite side- this might help in particular on those tricky vertical ones.
Great work! Three suggestions: replacement blades for pipe cutters are very affordable. Also, if you wind the teflon tape in the other direction it will form a much better seal. If you look at the video you will see that it is being forced down the threads as you screw it in. Lastly, if you cut all the pipe a little longer than you think is needed then dry fit it you can avoid those short runs. With a fresh blade in your pipe cutter it's easy work to shorten pipes ; )
I am learning a bunch from you. I would use eye protection when soldering. Don't want to get that in your eye. I learned that when I flicked some solder by my face.
At 54:31 all good but go out side and remove the new spigot! Go then to inside and retry heating the joint for removal!
At least you soldered it I installed a new water heater in my garage and was lazy used sharkbite to change copper to cpvc on 1-7-19 but it hasn't leaked I am a pool plumber so I am good with pvc
"OK, I'm going to try my first joint here"... 🤗 BTW Jen, some of those pipe cutters store an extra blade in the turny knob thing; under the screw. Great job! I recommend spending more for the Ridgid brand cutter. That angle doesn't matter! All that matters is the joints are square at the sockets. Many times you will have pipes not in perfect lines, and you need to put in a diagonal to join them.
Silver based solder has tin, Copper, a bit of silver for easy flowing, and a couple other alloys, all designed to melt around 450 degrees or so.
I've never done it before in my life. So I think you've done a fantastic job, it's perfect, it doesn't leak, that's the goal.
When you have a tight joint you can clean the pipe with some emory cloth which is like sandpaper, it will remove just enough material to make the fitting slide on easier. Don't worry, even on a tight fitting it will suck solder just fine.
You go girl!! I see myself in you trying to work plumber problems out.
WOW! Chris did you dirty with that pipe cutter. It looks like you were using it properly. Congrats taking on such a daunting task. This inspires me. Great work.