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Sweating a Joint in Copper Plumbing

The plumber Steve Bowton shows Bob how to sweat a joint in copper plumbing. First he cleans the pipes with an emery cloth. Then he explains that plumbers no longer use lead solder and instead use a tin and antimony mixture to protect homeowners from lead poisoning. Then he puts flux on the pipes and the fittings. Places the fixture on the pipes and levels it, then solders the joints. The flux helps draw the solder into the space.

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Sweating a Joint in Copper Plumbing

computer-generated transcript - may not be 100% accurate

" Well now let's visit with people cut air plumbing contractor highs on tight quarters in here and you've just finished drilling the hole in the acrylic job. In fact part of the shower. Everywhere in the mixer that's for our shower valve for the so this is where all the good stuff happens you've got a hot. Line on the side and a cold one over here in the to come into this mixing valve and make that water temperature just perfect that morning shower. Yes what are you doing next. Next we'll clean all these fittings. They have to clean -- all the different pieces of copper before you can sweat joints right. And that is basically so that so that the welding or heard soldering process -- works appropriately. We -- that -- it is it like a copper screen yes it's it's it's Emery cloth it is a fine Emery cloth yeah. Good was sent him. We're all valves are you. Temperature balance valve. You know the the use of copper piping I guess. Is a little controversial in some parts of the country what we still used around here. Well we use copper on him mostly because that's what. 9% of your plumbers used in the -- in New England right success is in many parts of the country PVC has taken over -- less expensive. Easier to work with. But one of the concerns that some folks have -- to do with lead contamination. There is led the indeed. Process above soldering the joints the different pieces of copper and that lead can Leach into the water supply. Are we addressing this concern nowadays. The code the last couple years has changed that you cannot use lead. She's daughter in the solder and the -- it's all night it's called 955 it's not a 5% tin and 5% and morning. So in new work you don't have to worry about there being any kind of lead contamination. Right exactly -- Now what's the next step to the next step is we'll flux everything up. In the flux is really didn't think of it as a catalyst but it it really is the necessary step. Four of the copper molecules to kind of fused together. Right it will not solder without flux -- to hold that thought -- that night. -- you have to put it on the fitting insides and on the outside is a pipe right. Is there are drying time with the flux you have to worry about being quick no not at all you know it just stays on there. Now look circus in place. Does it have to be level. Yes what. We'll center -- right on the whole existing home. -- and didn't look a little bit still. Doesn't Ross we just crimping it a little bit just just a touch of sorts thanks tips so that it doesn't slide and move line right. Ready for the class. Already."

" OK. We're. -- The solder to travel vertically. From the flux helps the -- wrong."

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