by DJ Andrews

Created on: February 15, 2009

If you want to repair, add-on to or create a water system using copper pipe, it will be of great benefit for you to learn how to sweat copper pipe. To sweat copper pipe means to solder fittings or fixtures directly onto copper pipe. When you sweat copper pipe to fittings or fixtures, the joints are solid, leaf proof and will last virtually forever.

To sweat copper pipe to copper fittings is not really very difficult at all. It is slightly harder to sweat copper pipe to bronze fittings, but this is done much less often than sweating copper fittings. Bronze fittings are usually on the inlets of fixtures such as spigots and drains.

If you are new to sweating copper pipes, it's good to know that you can plumb an entire water system in a new house and never be required to sweat a bronze fitting to copper pipe. Simply use fixtures designed with threads, and sweat threaded copper fittings onto the copper pipes.

To sweat copper pipe, here are the things you'll need:
1) Flux be sure it's safe for drinking water use.
2) Solder be sure it's safe for drinking water use.
3) Some 220-grit emery cloth.
4) A flux brush.
5) A dry rag.
6) A rag and a small pan or bucket of fresh water.
7) A small, hand held, self igniting torch. This can be butane, propane or MAPP gas. A propane torch is highly recommended for beginners and the occasional do-it-yourselfer. These propane torches can be purchased at hardware stores for anywhere from $10 - $200.

Other items you will likely want to have on hand for your project(s) are: a small pipe cutter a fine metal file a measuring tape a fine point marker a small fire extinguisher especially if you are going to sweat existing copper pipes in a wall or ceiling.

The most common copper pipe fittings that you'll use when you sweat copper pipes are: 90 elbows; 'T's; connectors and caps. Copper pipe comes in both rigid and flexible. Using flexible will allow you to easily bend pipe around many angles. Flexible copper pipe is also much more forgiving for the novice plumber as small adjustments can be made to ensure a perfect final fit. You sweat copper pipe the same way, regardless of whether or not it is rigid or flexible.

Let the sweating begin
Step 1 If you are working on an existing water pipe, you must first completely drain all water from the line. If there is any water at all in the line you won't be able to sweat the copper pipe. Shut off the water main and open all faucets and leave them open. Allow the lines time to dry inside before starting.

Step 2 Prepare

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