What does sweat a pipe mean? “Sweating pipes” is one term homeowners may hear when maintaining their pipes. Sweating a pipe refers to
soldering a pipe or the joint
. Sweating seals a new joint or mends a fault. When sweating a pipe, it is important to do the job correctly so that a soldered pipe can last for years and years.
How do you sweat piping?
What does it mean to solder a pipe?
Soldering, pronounced “soddering,” or “saw-ter-ing” is
a way of joining pipe using solder
. The metal on either side of the joint isn't melted like in welding, but the solder is. Solder is a filler metal that goes into the joint between two pieces of pipe. It's a metal alloy, or mix of metals.
What does it mean to sweat a connection?
Soldering a pipe joint or “sweating a pipe” is accomplished by
heating a copper fitting with a propane torch until the fitting is just hot enough to melt metal solder
. The heat draws the solder into the gap between the fitting and pipe to form a water tight seal.
What's the difference between soldering and sweating?
“Sweating” and “soldering” are synonymous terms used to describe the process of using heat and solder to join copper pipe and fittings to one another. You can tell your neighbor you're heading downstairs to “solder” a joint—but
“sweating” makes you sound much more worldly and DIY hip
.
How do you sweat copper pipes?
Can you sweat pipes with water in them?
Don't try to solder pipes with water in them
. When you're repairing or tying in to existing copper pipes, it's common to find a small amount of water in them even after you close the valve and drain the pipes.
Is sweating soft or hard soldering?
Soft solder joints
may be made by using gas flames, wiping, sweating the joints, or by dipping in solder baths.
How do you sweat solder?
How do you clean copper pipes before soldering?
Before you try to join two pipes, you need to clean them thoroughly,
removing any copper burrs, dirt, grime or corrosion using the emery cloth, a wire brush or other cleaning tools
. Once the pipe ends are smooth and shiny, brush on a layer of flux, which will etch the pipes and allow the solder to flow through.
Can you sweat a threaded pipe?
What does it mean to sweat a valve?
Sweating pipe is a term used to describe
the process of soldering a pipe or joint
. In improvement projects, this is a basic plumbing process.
Can you overheat copper pipe when soldering?
If the metal being joined is too cool or too hot, tinning cannot occur.
Overheating is a major problem when brazing or soldering copper pipe
because the flux will burn (become oxidized), stop working, and become a barrier to tinning.
How do you sweat metal?
Heat gently, allowing the flux to bubble and reposition pieces if necessary. Now apply the flame directly to both pieces, keeping it moving but concentrating on the larger piece to bring both up to temperature at the same time. As the metal starts to glow red, the solder will start to flow.
How do you fix a leaking copper pipe without soldering?
How long after soldering can you turn water on?
If you followed these instructions, the joint is likely very tight. The only good way to test is to put pressure on the joint (turn on the water to the house). Be sure to wait until the solder has cooled (
2-3 minutes
) before pressurizing the line to avoid the solder cracking due to a quick change in temperature.
How do I fix a leaking water without turning it off?
Why do plumbers use bread?
Solder a Leaky Pipe
Grab a piece of white bread and shove it down as far as you can inside the pipe.
The bread will stop the leak
while you solder the fitting and will then (eventually) dissolve inside the pipe.
Will solder stop a leak?
Apply soldering flux around the whole joint and apply heat with a torch until the old solder melts. Add new solder until a shiny ring of solder shows all around the joint. Let the pipe cool for five minutes, then turn the water back on and cross your fingers that you stopped the leak.
How do you dry a pipe before soldering?
What metal Cannot be soldered?
| Solderability Metal | Fair Carbon steel Low alloy steel Zinc Nickel | Poor Aluminium Aluminium bronze | Difficult High alloy steel Stainless steels | Very Difficult Cast iron Chromium Titanium Tantalum Magnesium |
|---|
Can you solder over a weld?
Like many sheet metal terms,
soldering and welding are used interchangeably
. However, while these two operations are similar, their process and sub-techniques are different. The main difference between welding and soldering is melting. In soldering, metal fabricators heat the metal to be bonded but never melt them.
Is silver solder stronger than regular solder?
The silver solder itself is not going to be as strong as copper or aluminum bonding wires
. Silver solder does have a higher melting point than other silver solders, which means it's more durable and may be able to withstand high-temperature welding projects better than some other silver solders on the market.
How do you solder copper pipe with sweat?
- Step 1: Assemble the Soldering Tools.
- Step 2: Cut Copper With a Tube Cutter.
- Step 3: Remove the Burrs.
- Step 4: Clean With Emery Cloth.
- Step 5: Clean With a Fitting Brush.
- Step 7: Flux the Joint.
- Step 8: Heat the Joint.
- Step 9: Use Special Techniques for Tough Spots.
Can I reuse copper fittings?
Copper pipes are usually connected together using a variety of fittings, including elbows, T's and couplings.
You can remove copper fittings and reuse them by following a straightforward procedure that requires a moderate amount of time and effort
.
What is soft soldering?
Soldering is
the term for establishing a firmly bonded connection by using solder material, where only the solder reaches a molten condition
. With temperatures up to 450°C, this process is termed soft soldering, with temperature in excess of 450°C the proper term is brazing.
What do plumbers use to clean copper pipes?
Make a paste of two parts cream of tartar and one part white vinegar
. If you prefer, you can replace the vinegar with lemon juice. Apply this acidic paste to some kitchen roll or a stiff brush and use it to scrub away the alkaline deposits on your copper pipe.
Why does my solder not stick?
This issue is
usually caused by the soldering iron being set to an improper temperature, or the iron itself has a wattage that is too low for the solder size you are using
. If you notice your solder isn't sticking, check your solder material and compare it to the wattage of your soldering iron.
Do you have to remove old solder from copper pipe?
Removing a solder from a copper pipe might sound like an easy task,
it is still important to replace the old joint with a new one to ensure it keeps working properly
.
What's better compression or solder?
Standard compression couplings vs soldered joints
In conditions where a joint is prone to flexing, this can affect the integrity of a standard and/or flared compression joint;
a soldered joint is preferable
. A soldered joint is more difficult to install and takes longer, requiring specific tools.
Can you sweat a compression fitting?
Compression fittings are a safe alternative for nonprofessional plumbers with limited confidence to make sweat connections
. Since compression fittings don't require heat, they can be used in tight quarters.
At what temp does plumbing solder melt?
Most home plumbing repairs use soldering materials, which are generally heated to temperatures around 360 degrees Fahrenheit. Sometimes, the temperatures need to be hotter, and an alloy that melts at
840 degrees or less
is considered solder.
How do you sweat a copper ball valve?
How do you tell if shut off valve is soldered or threaded?
- Soldered connections are often marked by discolored pipe and fitting. …
- Compression fittings are marked by a large compression nut where the valve connects to the pipe. …
- A threaded connection is marked by visible threads where the fitting connects to the pipe.
Can you put new solder over old solder?
Just heat the joint up with your torch, once the solder starts to melt use Channel locks to pull the fittings apart. Once the joint is apart, wipe as much old solder off as you can with a rag. Now you can start over. Clean, Flux, solder.
How long can you leave flux before soldering?
Been working with a plumber mate of mine today, he says
two days tops
, but depends on conditions and manufacturer.
