Have you had experience with pin hole leaks in copper? We had a leak in our ceiling, which has thankfully stopped at the moment. According to our plumber it was one of numerous (now sealed) leaks in our pipes. He recommends replacing the entire pipe network which will cost about 5 grand. He says that the copper pipes are too thin and they should have used thicker copper when they first installed it (the house is 30 years old). Our brother-in-law, who is a building contractor, says he's never heard of pin hole leaks and reckons the plumber is trying to scam us. Anyone really know what the real story with pin hole leaks is?

I don't know about the "too thin" part...sounds bogus to me.

But, yes, I have encountered problems with pinholes in some pipes. I cannot describe to you the process by which it occurs, but I presume it originates in a fabrication defect in the copper, leading to domains in the copper that can eventually corrode and pop out, giving a pinhole leak.

I have read that some believe the problem might be related to changes made by water processing facilities to conform with EPA regulations. I can't really comment much on this because I really don't know. But whatever the reason is, it is a fact that some copper pipes develop pinhole leaks.

I had one three story 12 unit where this became a problem in 1/4 of the building, affecting three units. After repairing pinholes several times - with consequent drywall repairs, mold problems, etc. - we finally gave up and tore all the copper out and replaced it.

About the Author: Jim Locker is a technical guy who has done a lot of real estate investing and landlording. The experiences he writes about and advice he gives are either first hand, or in answer to specific questions posed by others. He is commonly known as jiml8 around the internet.