Pro Handyman Blog

Using Flexible Copper Plumbing Supply Lines

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Flexible copper plumbing lines are a fantastic option to using straight copper piping. They are fast and you can save money because you don’t have to buy separate fittings, elbows, and straight lengths of pipe. Rather you buy a flexible line and gradually arc it to where you need it to go.

You can buy flexible lines as a sweat fitting, meaning you have to use a torch and solder it on, or you can buy them with a female thread. You can also get them with compression fittings to mate with a bare copper pipe.

The time savings come in because you have fewer connections to make. Rather than sweating multiple fittings and lengths of straight pipe together, you can connect both ends of the flexible pipe to their destinations.

You want to be careful not to bend the pipe to the point where it restricts any water flow. So gradual arcing of the pipe is very important to maintain good water flow. If you bend the pipe too much you will see that it will start to become out-of-round and the volume of the pipe (it’s inside diameter) will decrease. It sometimes helps to get a longer flex line in this case as you will have more room to make the connection.