Softalker is right-on in his warning:
replyWe usually have a few freezes in the winter and some homes' pipes freeze. I was surprised, in speaking to a plumber, to find that pipe clamp installation had come to dominate the repair market (as opposed to repairing/replacing the leaky pipe).
In his first year this plumber had arrived at the plumbing supply house to find all pipe clamp orders backlogged two weeks! He thus determined to, during the warmer months, stockpile a cache of pipe clamps for the coming winter.
Furthermore, as SofTalker states, the fitting is usually left in-place instead of being replaced! Yet one more reason to have a prospective home inspected by someone who is very knowledgeable.
Automated radial welding for pipes seems to be slowly reaching small, plumbing-sized pipes.[1] This has been around for years for larger pipes, but the equipment is now down to home plumbing diameters. Still too expensive, though, at around US$10,000.
replyThat's very nice but I doubt it will replace pipe clamps in ease of installation and cost in a real-world repair environment. Many leaks in say steel galvanized water pipes are the result of corrosion. Pinhole leaks form, then more and then enough water leaks to be noticed on either exterior or interior wall. Jose the Plumber will leave his radial welder in the shop (b/c power is out anyway in the affected area and he doesn't carry a generator on his truck) and reach for his box of pipe clamps. Problem solved and on to the next job.
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