LESLIE: Chris in New York needs some help with a plumbing project. Tell us what’s going on at your money pit.
CHRIS: I have a second home in Florida and there seem to be problems with the copper piping down there.
TOM: OK, what’s going on with the pipes?
CHRIS: They’re springing a small leak. I haven’t had a major problem. I had one small leak and they gave me a plastic pipe to sit it over …
TOM: OK.
CHRIS: … on the cold side. But then I went and asked some contractors about replacing all the pipes in the house. And I just wondered if this hot water side. I know…
TOM: Chris, are you talking about pinhole leaks that form inside the pipe?
CHRIS: Yes, that’s it. Pinhole leaks. Right, exactly.
TOM: OK, well that happens when certain types of water that’s fairly acidic reacts with the copper and causes these pinhole leaks. If it’s just happened once with one hole I mean I wouldn’t go crazy and replace all the pipes in the house. If it starts to happen more and more often, then maybe you want to go there but, for right now, if you’ve just got one or two pinhole leaks I wouldn’t panic.
CHRIS: OK, thank …
TOM: There are probably better places to put those home improvement dollars.
CHRIS: Windows. (chuckles)
TOM: Yeah, well there you go. That’s right.
CHRIS: Oh, thanks again. Thanks, Tom, for the advice.
TOM: That’s what we do. Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT.
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