Choosing and Installing Quality Copper Piping in Hudson Homes

Picking the Right Wall Thickness

Copper water pipe comes in three common weights, identified by a colored stripe printed along the pipe. The difference is wall thickness, and it matters for durability.

Type M (red stripe)

The thinnest wall. It was widely used inside homes because it costs less and is fine under many conditions. With aggressive water or high velocity, though, it has less metal to lose before a pinhole forms.

Type L (blue stripe)

A heavier wall that gives more margin against erosion and corrosion. It is our usual recommendation for interior supply lines, especially hot water, in homes where the owner plans to stay for the long haul.

Type K (green stripe)

The heaviest wall, used mainly for buried water service lines between the street or well and the house.

Soldered Joints Versus Press Fittings

A properly cleaned, fluxed and soldered joint with lead-free solder is a time-tested connection, and it is still how much of our copper work is done. Press fittings are a newer method: a fitting with a sealing ring is slipped over the pipe and crimped with a powered tool. They need no open flame, go together quickly and are consistent from joint to joint.

We choose between them based on the location. Press fittings make sense in finished spaces, near wood framing or insulation, and on repairs where a pipe cannot be fully drained. Soldering works well in open basements and on new runs where we can control conditions. Either way, joints are tested under pressure before any wall or ceiling is closed.

Craftsmanship You Can See

In basements, mechanical rooms and utility spaces, copper is often left exposed, and a neat installation is easier to service and inspect for decades. These are the details we pay attention to.

• Straight, parallel runs with consistent spacing between hot and cold
• Proper hangers at regular intervals so pipe does not sag or vibrate
• Isolation between copper and steel hangers or framing where needed
• Clean joints with excess flux wiped off to prevent future corrosion
• Labeled valves so anyone can find the right shutoff quickly
• Insulation on hot lines and on cold lines prone to condensation

Permits, Inspections and Planning

Larger copper projects, such as repiping, additions and new bathrooms, generally involve permits and inspections through the local building department. Requirements vary, and we handle that coordination as part of the job when it applies, so the rough-in is ready for inspection before walls close.

Every project starts with a free estimate. We go over your goals, the existing system and any constraints, then give you written specifications listing pipe type, fitting method and valve locations for your approval. After the work, we pressure-test, restore water and do a final quality inspection. For remodel projects, see our Hudson kitchen and bath remodeling plumbing; for new construction and additions, our construction plumbing service in Hudson covers the full scope. Background on copper versus PEX is on our copper piping overview.