# How did this happen?



## BlueCube (Jan 17, 2015)

Any ideas on how this happened?


----------



## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

BlueCube said:


> Any ideas on how this happened?


A handyhack like you did it... if ya a liecensed plumber.. ya welcome to post an intro..


----------



## sierra2000 (Sep 19, 2011)

Looks like a 22 caliber down the middle.


----------



## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

The tile guy musta hit it with his hammer while he was nailing the tiles in place...


----------



## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

Something struck it. A ladder, a hammer, something, an accident or on purpose. Pretty simple.


----------



## BlueCube (Jan 17, 2015)

We did rough in plumbing, GC were not running heat, water in lines, freezing temps for 3 days......ever seen this before from freezing pipes? Im working for my uncle's company so this is new to me!


----------



## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

I think what happened is the gray plastic experienced a catastrophic failure. I would need more scientific data to confirm my hypothisis.


----------



## jmc12185 (Aug 27, 2013)

BlueCube said:


> We did rough in plumbing, GC were not running heat, water in lines, freezing temps for 3 days......ever seen this before from freezing pipes? Im working for my uncle's company so this is new to me!


 You roughed a house in and than let it all freeze??


----------



## BlueCube (Jan 17, 2015)

We were the subs......we roughed in about 2 months ago....


----------



## Shoot'N'Plumber (Apr 27, 2013)

Redwood said:


> The tile guy musta hit it with his hammer while he was nailing the tiles in place...


Dude! So when I read yur comment I was like...hmm ok I don't get.

Then maybe 60 seconds later, while doin something else It hit me and I laughed until my eyes were watery! That was a good one Redwood! I'm still chuckling as I type this


----------



## plumbdrum (Nov 30, 2013)

BlueCube said:


> We did rough in plumbing, GC were not running heat, water in lines, freezing temps for 3 days......ever seen this before from freezing pipes? Im working for my uncle's company so this is new to me!




Hear in the frigid northeast we never ever have these problems. I'm thing Chinese plastic could of caused this failure


----------



## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

That brings up a problem. Redwood is known ( i know) for clever insightful comments. I didn't and still don't get it. Now someone else does and I worry that I'm dumber that I think I am. therefore the problem.


David


----------



## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

BlueCube said:


> We did rough in plumbing, GC were not running heat, water in lines, freezing temps for 3 days......ever seen this before from freezing pipes? Im working for my uncle's company so this is new to me!


It could very well be from freezing. Was there any other damage to the plumbing in the house? What was used for the water supply tubing?

When water freezes the shape of the water molecule changes and becomes hexagonal which takes up more space, the density also changes from 1.00 gm/cubic cm. for water, to 0.931 gm/cubic cm for ice reflecting this expansion of the molecular structure. This is why ice floats in water. The volumetric increase of the ice molecule is about 9%.










The volumetric increase can easily exert almost unlimited pressure until the material either expands or bursts. When you consider that water freezing in a rock cliff can easily carve of a piece of granite 200' long, 100' tall and 20' wide creating a rockfall what is a little bit of copper or brass going to do nevermind hard plastic.

I've seen copper tube expanded without breaking, copper tube split, fittings pushed apart at the sweat joint, and cartridges pushed out of mixing valves...

Even PEX tubing isn't immune from freeze damage in all conditions. A study several years back showed a vulnerability to freeze damage when metal fittings are used and the fittings are between 2 and 7 inches apart. This created a situation where 2 ice plugs formed then froze towards the center causing a rupture to occur.

I would carefully inspect that mixer to check that there is no further damage or any misshaping has occurred...

The damage could easily have been from freezing but it could have been struck by someone as well. We'll never know conclusively...


----------



## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

dhal22 said:


> That brings up a problem. Redwood is known ( i know) for clever insightful comments. I didn't and still don't get it. Now someone else does and I worry that I'm dumber that I think I am. therefore the problem.
> 
> 
> David


I'll help you out...
Have you ever seen tiles held in place with nails?

Most tile guys I know use thinset...


----------



## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

Well I got that, it just didn't make me laugh as hard as it did to others.


----------



## Plumbus (Aug 4, 2008)

Red
Have you ever seen ice push open a single lever sink faucet (Delta 100)? Happened at a friend's summer cabin and the sink waste, being partially blocked with grease and what not, backed up. When the thaw came, the house flooded. Big mess.


----------



## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

Plumbus said:


> Red
> Have you ever seen ice push open a single lever sink faucet (Delta 100)? Happened at a friend's summer cabin and the sink waste, being partially blocked with grease and what not, backed up. When the thaw came, the house flooded. Big mess.


Yep... It collapses the stem...


----------

