- 1). Turn off the water at the water supply shutoff valve. Open the lowest faucet in the home to drain the water.
- 2). Mark the copper tube 3 inches away from the pitted section on each side, using a tape measure and black marker. Place the tube in the jaws of a tubing cutter, tightening the cutter's circular blade to one of the marks. Rotate the cutter twice around the tube by hand, and tighten the cutter again. Rotate the cutter twice more. Repeat this process until the tube is cut through. Cut the tube at the other mark, following the same process.
- 3). Measure between the two copper tube cuts with the tape measure, and cut a new section of copper tubing to the same length using the tubing cutter.
- 4). Sand around the outside ends of the new copper tube section, as well as the outside ends of the existing tube cuts using 120-grit emery cloth. Push a circular wire brush into both ends of two copper couplings, turning the brush several times.
- 5). Brush a thin layer of soldering paste, called flux, onto all sanded ends of the tubes, as well as the inside walls of the two couplings. Push the couplings onto both ends of the new copper tube section, and squeeze this section and couplings between the existing cut copper tube ends.
- 6). Unroll 8 inches of solder from its spool, and turn on a propane torch. Apply heat all around one of the coupling's two seams where the copper tube enters into the coupling. Touch the heated seam with the tip of the solder. If thee solder melts, apply solder all around the seam. Wipe off any excess solder and flux residue from the seam with a rag. Solder the coupling's remaining seam, as well as the other coupling's two seams by following the same process.
- 7). Wait for the copper tubes to cool, and turn on the water at the water supply shutoff valve.
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