Funny you mention brass fittings being hit or miss. A couple years back, I helped my brother redo his kitchen plumbing—PEX all the way because we figured it'd be quicker and easier. Everything went smooth until about six months later when he called me up, annoyed as hell, saying water was dripping under the sink again. Turns out one of those cheaper brass fittings had cracked right along the seam. Not even a year old!
On the flip side, my own house has copper pipes from the 70s that haven't given me a lick of trouble yet (knock on wood). But now you've got me wondering about water chemistry...never even thought to test mine. Maybe I've just been lucky so far? Guess I'll add that to my weekend to-do list.
I've had similar luck with copper pipes—mine are ancient and still holding strong. But now you've got me thinking too...maybe water chemistry plays a bigger role than we realize. Guess I'll be adding test strips to my shopping list this weekend.
Copper pipes really are troopers, aren't they? Mine have been holding up pretty well too, but I did have a nasty surprise last year when I had to replace my kitchen sink—talk about sticker shock. Anyway, you're onto something with the water chemistry angle. When I started testing mine, I found out our water was surprisingly acidic (who knew?), which apparently can slowly eat away at copper over time.
If you do grab those test strips this weekend, here's a quick tip: run the tap for a minute or two before testing. That way you're getting fresh samples straight from the pipes instead of water that's been sitting overnight. And if you find your water's on the acidic side like mine was, adding a simple neutralizing filter under your sink can make a big difference long-term—plus it beats paying for pipe replacements down the line.
Just my two cents...or maybe more like two hundred bucks after that sink replacement fiasco. Good luck!
Copper pipes definitely have their moments, but they're not always the heroes people make them out to be. I've seen some pretty gnarly situations over the years—especially when water chemistry gets involved. Had a customer a while back whose copper pipes looked pristine from the outside, but inside? Looked like Swiss cheese. Turns out their water was super acidic, and they'd never even thought to check it until leaks started popping up everywhere.
You're spot-on about running the tap before testing, by the way. I usually tell folks to let it run at least a minute or two, just like you said. You'd be surprised how much overnight stagnation can skew your results. But honestly, those DIY test strips can sometimes be hit or miss. They're good for a quick check, but if you're really concerned about acidity or corrosion, getting a proper lab test done once isn't a bad idea. Costs a bit more upfront, sure—but it's peanuts compared to replacing pipes or fixtures down the road.
Speaking of sticker shock...man, kitchen sinks are no joke these days. Had a client last month who wanted one of those fancy farmhouse sinks—beautiful piece, but when she saw the price tag she nearly fainted right there in the showroom. Ended up going with something simpler, but still spent way more than she'd planned. And don't even get me started on faucets. You'd think they were made of gold instead of brass and chrome.
Anyway, neutralizing filters can help if your water's mildly acidic, but they're not always a silver bullet. I've installed plenty of them, and they do extend pipe life significantly—but they're not maintenance-free either. You've gotta keep an eye on them and swap out cartridges regularly, otherwise you're back to square one.
Bottom line: copper's great stuff, but it's not invincible. Keep an eye on your water chemistry and don't assume everything's fine just because you haven't had issues yet. Trust me—it's cheaper to catch problems early than wait until you're ankle-deep in water at 2 AM (been there, done that...not fun).
Yeah, copper pipes can definitely be tricky. Had a similar issue at my brother's place—pipes looked fine externally, but inside was a mess due to acidic water. He ended up installing a neutralizing filter, and it helped a lot, but like you said, it's not a set-it-and-forget-it solution. He learned the hard way that regular maintenance is key.
As for kitchen sinks...man, I feel your client's pain. When we remodeled our kitchen last year, my wife had her heart set on one of those apron-front farmhouse sinks too. Beautiful, sure, but the price tag was eye-watering. We compromised on a stainless undermount sink—still pricey, but nowhere near as bad. Faucets were another shocker; I swear some of them cost more than my first car did.
Anyway, totally agree about getting a proper lab test done if you're worried about water chemistry. DIY strips are okay for quick checks, but they're not always reliable enough to base big decisions on. Better safe than sorry when it comes to plumbing issues...especially at 2 AM.
