Okay. Question 1:
For the Plumbers. My house is very old. 1895 old. The plumbing is a patchwork of every material that can be used to hold water. Lead, galvanized steel, iron (I think), brass, and copper. As plumbing emergencies arise, I hire a local reputable plumbing company to come out and fix it. I stress that I am not looking for an additional patch, but instead, I’m looking for a permanent fix. This usually means that they tear out and replace the old stuff with brand new shiny copper. They do excellent work, for a very fair price. So, right now, I have more copper than any other material, but there is still a lot of the other metals left, especially the lead which carries the water into the house from the street.
The plumbers always comment on how bad this is, and have given me estimates for the easiest way to replace all of the remaining bad pipes with copper. To me, the need is evident. Some of the joints have corrosion on the outside of the pipes, and that redish/greenish chemical reaction dripping down them.
My wife says otherwise. She says that they are just trying to drum up business, and as long as water isn’t spraying everywhere, we’re fine.
Is my wife correct?
Where can I go to learn how to solder copper pipes myself?
Question 2:
For the Painters. I have a painted porch on the front of my house. The last people to paint it did a lousy job. There are areas where it is bubbling and peeling. I have had them come out and fix it once before, but they won’t do it a second time. I have the leftover paint, and can easily get more of the exact same color and brand at a local store.
To fix this paint job, I’m going to have to sand down to the bare wood, and start over again with primer. But the bad spots are pretty much isolated and far between. Most of the painting job is solid.
Instead of sanding, priming, and repainting the entire porch, can I do it in sections, as they become bad?