by M. Anthony Carr

It started out as a little buzzing sound that my wife and I thought might be a termite. So we first scheduled a termite inspector to come join us atop the ladder in the foyer at my home as we placed our ears on the ceiling.

However, I soon noticed that the sound seemed loudest after the shower was used in the upstairs bathroom -- so that provided even worse feelings -- a leaky pipe in the ceiling. We called a plumber and he came over promptly -- two days later. By that time (Friday morning before heading off to work) my lovely bride hollered from downstairs "It's louder." So I took off my suit and walked down with some work clothes.

Plumbing pipe corrosion is not uncommon. According to Advanced Water Systems' website, the main causes of metal pipe corrosion are:


Low pH (acid water) or high pH (alkaline water) on private well systems.

Other water chemistry causes, such as high levels of dissolved oxygen, high levels of salts dissolved in the water, and/or corrosion-causing bacteria such as sulfate or iron bacteria.

Electrochemical causes, such as improper grounding of electrical appliances to the copper piping.

High velocity of water, relative to size of piping, causing hydraulic wear on the piping.

Sand, sediment or other grit causing hydraulic wear on the piping.
What I soon discovered in my case was that it was a pin-hole leak from a copper pipe. Further research revealed that this is a common occurrence in homes the same age as mine and that it could stem from cleaner drinking water requirements from the Environmental Protection Agency.

The Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission reports that as we move toward cleaner water in the DC region -- to meet stricter EPA requirements, natural organic materials have been removed from the water. "And a lot of the substances in this organic material actually help protect metal piping and copper of course is a metal pipe," according to WSSC, as quoted by a local television news group.

Oops.

Well -- now I at least know WHY I might have a leak. You are the lucky ones. My readers get to find out what to do in the case of an emergency based on what I didn't do in the case of an emergency. Therefore, you and your spouse won't exchange "words of encouragement" with each other over how you're about to fix the ceiling.

I tended to disagree with her suggested use of a screwdriver to place holes in the ceiling around the area from which the buzzing sound derived. I figured if it's leaking, it's leaking and no small hole was going to keep me from making a larger mess during this investigation. Thus, I pulled out my trusty, rusty, course tooth drywall saw. It's quite the instrument. One look at it in my hands and any observer would know I possessed an instrument of great home repairing power. So I started sawing. (But not before getting out a tarp and five-gallon bucket with a rag for mopping up any impending mess.)

Plumbing leaks do a funny thing. Where you hear the leak through the drywall is not necessarily where it's really located. So two sawed out panels of drywall later -- I found the leak. It wasn't very big. In fact, my first thought was that the stream of water was a strand of a cob web hanging down from the pipe. When I attempted to wipe it away, my hand got wet instead.

What I discovered was that the pipe had apparently developed a pin-hole leak that had been streaming into the ceiling for some time. While the stream was nearly microscopic, it had been whizzing into the ceiling long enough to drench several square feet of drywall. Thus, keep in mind with your home repairs that a solution to the initial problem will not necessarily fix everything. The water leak meant I would have to replace some piping, THEN I would have to wait till the ceiling materials dried out -- remove them -- then get a drywall expert in to cut out, replace, tape, paste, sand, and paint my ceiling.

As you continue the upkeep of your dwelling (and your largest investment) remember that regular maintenance is a must and that most fix-it jobs will turn into more than one, i.e., the plumbing job that becomes a plumbing/drywall/painting endeavor.

Published: July 2, 2004

Mr. Carr has covered real estate for more than 15 years. He is authoring “Street Guide to Real Estate,” due out 2004 through www.AmacomBooks.org.

Copyright © 2004 Realty Times. All Rights Reserved.

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