Al’s Plumbing, Heating & A/C in Plano, Texas provides maintenance & repairs for all brands of Central A/C, Gas & Electric Furnace, and Heat Pumps. Additionally we sell and install new HVAC Systems from American Standard (same company as Trane), Ameristar (same company as American Standard) and Coleman HVAC (same company as York HVAC).
Al’s also provides full service plumbing maintenance, repairs and replacements for every plumbing component in your home. Al’s sells and installs Rheem Professional Series gas & electric water heaters, and tankless water heaters. Al’s is near your home in Plano, Allen, and Frisco. We service all homes in southern Collin and Denton Counties with no travel charges.
Call Al’s today to discuss any concerns or problems you have with your HVAC System or Plumbing. We will arrange an appointment at your convenience and offer 24/7 Emergency Service.
How Long Copper Water Pipes Last + What Typically Causes Them To Fail In DFW
Copper water pipes lifespan is 50+ years. The conditions copper water pipes are exposed to in DFW are pretty good, so it’s fair to say DFW copper water pipes lifespan may be longer. Here are some details regarding what typically affects causes copper pipes lifespan, and DFW levels for these items.
Source: https://www.houselogic.com/organize-maintain/home-maintenance-tips/types-plumbing-pipes-and-their-lifespans/
Copper Water Pipes Lifespan Is Typically Affected By:
- how “Aggressive” the water is (amount of Acidity in the water). This is measured as pH level of water.
- how “Hard” the water his (amount of Calcium / lime in the water).
- Soil Acidity, knowing water pipes are under the slab are exposed to soil.
- Water Pressure.
- Pipe Thickness — can be .026 inch or .040 inch. Most home have the thinner .026 pipe.
- Slab Movement due to inconsistent moisture level causing the clay to shrink and expand depending on moisture level.
In DFW:
Lac Lavon Water pH= 6.5 Lavon Lake serves as North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD) main water source. Acceptable pH is 6.5 — 8.5. A pH < 6.5 could be acidic, soft, and corrosive. A pH > 8.5 could indicate that the water is hard. *1 Lac Lavon Water tests reveal its water does not impact corrosion of the pipes to much extent.
*1 Source: http://www.freedrinkingwater.com/water-education/quality-water-ph-page2.htm
Lac Lavon Water Hardness: Lavon Lake water is slightly hard based on water tests showing a hardness scale of 53.4 *2 and the measurement scale used — Slightly Hard = 17–60. *3
*2 Source: http://www.friscotexas.gov/DocumentCenter/View/5955
*3 Source: http://www.water-research.net/index.php/water-treatment/tools/hard-water-hardness
Soil Acidity = 7.6 Nearly all of DFW has black clay gumbo soil underlain with a white chalk base. This soil is highly alkaline. *4
*4 Source: http://www.dallasnews.com/news/community-news/neil-sperry/20150116-soils-are-the-basic-building-blocks-of-good-gardening.ece
Home Water Pressure: The homeowner has no control of the water pressure supplied by their city. Since good water pressure is desirable, it’s unlikely a home owner would choose to reduce it.
Slab Movement Due To Expansive Soil: This article goes into great detail about why slabs move and how that movement can end up damaging under-slab water pipes, creating a slab leak.
The Primary Reason For DFW Slab Leaks
Since DFW water and soil are not acidic, why do homes have so many slab-leaks in DFW? The primary reason for slab leaks in DFW is movement of the slab caused by settling and heaving of the soil under the home. Heaving puts as much as 5,500 pounds of pressure per square foot on the slab. The home’s water pipes are attached to the slab, so they are impacted by slab movement.
DFW’s mild temps & rainy springs, followed by hot and dry summers, create tremendous changes in soil moisture-level.
DFW Average Rainfall Per Month:
- Jan 2.3
- Feb 3.0
- Mar 3.7
- Apr 3.4
- May 4.6
- Jun 4.6
- July 2.8
- Aug 2.1
- Sep 3.3
- Oct 4.9
- Nov 3.3
- Dec 2.8
Source: http://www.usclimatedata.com/climate/dallas/texas/united-states/ustx1575
These rainfall numbers show why there are dramatic changes in soil moisture-level in DFW. With the large changes in rainfall and temperatures, the soil around the edges of DFW homes gets quite wet or quite dry, depending on the month. These changes in soil moisture-level cause DFW slabs to move constantly in response.
The Most Important Thing To Know — Slab Movement Doesn’t Occur Evenly
DFW homes are built on “Floating Slabs” — this means the slab has the ability to move up & down when soil-moisture levels change. But, this does not mean the slab moves up & down uniformly. The slab moves more in areas of large changes of soil moisture-level and less in areas with little change in moisture-level.
Provided there are no leaking water or sewer pipes, the soil moisture-level at the center of the slab changes very little, but moisture-level changes a lot around the edges. Swelling soil can put as much as 5,500 Pounds Of Pressure Per Square Foot On The Foundation. * Copper water pipes lifespan can also be affected by slab movement or “flexing”.
* Source: http://web.mst.edu/~rogersda/expansive_soils/DAMAGE%20TO%20FOUNDATIONS%20FROM%20EXPANSIVE%20SOILS.pdf
Soil Moisture-Level changes cause the slab to drop or raise more at the outside edges. Additionally, the corners of the slab will raise and lower as much a four times that of the middle of the slab. *
The best way to help protect water pipes is to minimize slab movement. This can be done by “watering” your home’s slab foundation. See this detailed article about watering your home’s slab. How To Water Your Home’s Slab
Any home owner can take the steps to ensure the moisture-level around the edges of the slab remains consistent. This is done by ensuring the soil does not become too wet, with proper drainage away from the home -and- adding moisture for the slab when it’s dry.
To keep your slab foundation from getting too wet:
- Install rain-gutters if you don’t have them.
- Install downspout extensions to divert water 18 inches or more from the foundation.
To keep your slab foundation from getting too dry:
- Install Weeper Hoses 18 inches from the edge of your foundation.
- Put them on a timer and adjust to add only enough water as needed.
SUMMARY: DFW Slab foundations move unevenly due to stable moisture-levels near the center of the slab and notably changing moisture-levels at the outside edges of the slab. This causes the outside edges of the slab to move higher and lower than the center of the slab.
Moving or flexing of the slab also impacts copper water pipes and soldered joints. Over time, slab movement can damage copper pipes or soldered fittings, causing them to leak.
Any Home Owner Can Minimize Slab Movement By Watering. See this detailed article about watering your home’s slab. How To Water Your Home’s Slab
Al’s Plumbing, Heating & A/C in Plano, Texas provides maintenance & repairs for all brands of Central A/C, Gas & Electric Furnace, and Heat Pumps. Additionally we sell and install new HVAC Systems from American Standard (same company as Trane), Ameristar (same company as American Standard) and Coleman HVAC (same company as York HVAC).
Al’s also provides full service plumbing maintenance, repairs and replacements for every plumbing component in your home. Al’s sells and installs Rheem Professional Series gas & electric water heaters, and tankless water heaters. Al’s is near your home in Richardson, Garland, and northeastern Dallas. We service all homes in southern Collin and Denton Counties with no travel charges.
Call Al’s today to discuss any concerns or problems you have with your HVAC System or Plumbing. We will arrange an appointment at your convenience and offer 24/7 Emergency Service.
g with plumbing or your HVAC System. We can often provide same-day service, or set an appointment for your convenience. Al’s also offers 24/7 Emergency Service.