Repair help for hole in copper drain caused by screw

[mikeyjjohn55]

Dumb mistake by me again. I screwed up literally. Advice appreciated!
When installing drywall with screws I accidentally pierced a 1 1/4" copper drainpipe in the wall. The hole is about the size of a pencil lead. Is there a simple permanent repair? Is it possible to just solder over the hole? Would a clamp or marine epoxy work? Maybe the best solution is to cut the pipe and solder a sleeve in place but that also be the most work. What would you do? Thanks, Michael J

 

[camaroderrick73]

I have seen plumbers solder pinholes. But extremely don't recommend it. Cut it out and put a repair coupling in it.

 

[camaroderrick73]

The way I would think about it is what is temporary and what is permanent. A clamp or epoxy will fail. No doubt in my mind.

A proper copper joint will not.

 

[mikeyjjohn55]

Thanks Cam, I agree that a coupling would be best but since this is a horizontal pipe that's fit into a 1 1/2 X 1 1/2 inch notch in a vertical 2 x4 I was hoping there might be a simple fix.

 

[stevemachine]

Depending on your soldering skills and how tight of a of a spot it is you could get away with a zip coupling to properly go from copper to pvc/abs. Personally I've never saw a fernco or zip coupling leak that was properly installed, I've came across some pretty old ones. But totally depends on what you want to do. I personally never solder old copper drain lines and convert to pvc or abs instead.

 

[camaroderrick73]

Depending on your soldering skills and how tight of a of a spot it is you could get away with a zip coupling to properly go from copper to pvc/abs. Personally I've never saw a fernco or zip coupling leak that was properly installed, I've came across some pretty old ones. But totally depends on what you want to do. I personally never solder old copper drain lines and convert to pvc or abs instead.

Sorry, what's a zip coupling? Maybe I use different terminology or I might learn something...

 

[camaroderrick73]

You know what , I just went back and read the original post . For some reason I was thinking copper water not dwv. Sorry , put a fernco around it and call it a day.

 

[phishfood]

If I could get some flex in the line to make it possible, I would cut out a thin slice and install a no hub coupling. If not, I would split a fernco rubber coupling, put the split on the far side from the screwhole, and stack up hose clamps the entire length of the coupling. It will never leak that way.

 

[stevemachine]

Sorry, what's a zip coupling? Maybe I use different terminology or I might learn something...

A zip coupling I believe is what you guys would call a no hub coupling i believe. They make them to go from 1 1/2 or 1 1/4 copper to 1 1/2 cast (pvc/abs) up here its just a company that makes them. Or a fernco works, I've used both but I prefer the zip coupling because it's designed for copper to cast and it's a little more secure.

http://www.rollee.com/component/virtuemart/?page=shop.browse&category_id=6

 

[phishfood]

A zip coupling I believe is what you guys would call a no hub coupling i believe. They make them to go from 1 1/2 or 1 1/4 copper to 1 1/2 cast (pvc/abs) up here its just a company that makes them. Or a fernco works, I've used both but I prefer the zip coupling because it's designed for copper to cast and it's a little more secure.

http://www.rollee.com/component/virtuemart/?page=shop.browse&category_id=6

Those appear to be much the same as a Fernco ProFlex coupling. A no hub coupling is a lighter duty of the same style, and is not intended to be used when outer diameter size changes.

 

[stevemachine]

Ah ok gotcha. We would call a no hub coupling a mechanical joint or MJ up here. I've used the fernco pro flex coupling before for sure

 

[mikeyjjohn55]

Thanks for the advice and replies! I went ahead and sawed through the pipe at the hole and sweated a coupling ($7.95) on. It was a 1 1/2" pipe in a 2 X 4 wall and so to make it easier (and safer) I cut an 8x12" hole on the opposite side of the wall. It worked well sweating half from each side of the wall but I have a question. With a pipe this size, should I have applied heat from one side only (as with 1/2 inch copper) or was my way correct. Or should I have gotten help and had 2 torches going at once from each side of the wall. Or is there another way I don't know of. Thanks again, Michael J

 

[camaroderrick73]

I would have done it the same way you did... Glad everything back to normal...