Pinhole leaks in copper pipes, what causes them in Calgary homes?

Pinhole leaks in copper pipe usually come from corrosion that starts on the inside of the pipe wall, and there is rarely one cause that applies to every house. A plumber works out which of several possibilities fits yours by looking at where the leak is, how old the pipe is and what the failed section looks like.

What a plumber checks

The usual suspects are the water's chemistry, fast-moving water where a pipe is undersized or a valve is partly closed, and leftover soldering flux near joints. Calgary's water is hard (the City reports roughly 141 to 274 mg/L depending on the treatment plant and the season), which is worth mentioning to the plumber along with whether you have a softener.

For copper buried in the ground or under a slab, contact with soil or concrete is another possibility the plumber will look at.

Age is a factor but not the only one: some old copper is still sound, and some newer copper fails early.

A single pinhole is a warning, not just a repair. If the conditions that caused it have been present for years, other sections of the same pipe have been exposed to the same chemistry for the same amount of time.

What a plumber should do

A plumber who finds a pinhole should ask how old the pipe is, whether there have been other leaks nearby, and whether you have a water softener. A camera or pressure test on the supply lines can show whether the corrosion is isolated or widespread. If several sections are affected, a partial or whole-house repipe in PEX or copper may be more economical than chasing individual leaks; whole-house repipes in Calgary typically run $8,000 to $15,000, with most homes landing between $10,000 and $13,000. A single spot repair is far less, priced at the plumber's hourly rate of roughly $85 to $150 during the day plus a call-out fee, and the plumber will quote it after seeing the pipe.

A small repair that does not alter the piping system is generally not permit work, while altering or adding to the piping needs a plumbing permit from the City of Calgary; a homeowner who owns and lives in the home may take it out for work they do themselves. If you are unsure which applies, ask the City.

Before you call anyone, locate your main water shut-off inside the house and make sure you can close it quickly. If a pinhole is actively dripping, shutting off the supply to that fixture or closing the main is the right first move, and it is something you can do safely right now.