What is a Self-tapping saddle valve?

All of a sudden last night while I was working, I heard water leaking in the basement. Running downstairs and found it's from a connector on the main water pipe. Obviously the previous owner found the problem before and taped it around. Damn, I don't remember the inspector said anything about that.

Anyway, since it's dripping water right on top of 10 big boxes containing all my books, I rushed to move them away and put my green organic trash bin underneath. Then I sit down starting catching up my breath. Men, I shouldn't have brought all these books with me. Some boxes were not even open for the years I was in LA.

I couldn't resist the temptation to touch the tape. Oh boy, how I regretted that decision. While it was just dripping a few drops per minute, now it started to shooting out like a stream, which was filling the 10 Gallon bin really fasted. Thank god the water main switch is not far, I jumped over, closed it down.

Now what? I tried to take the connector out but it was so rusted that I couldn't do anything without some WD-40, which I just didn't have in the house. Okay, I guess it's time to go to bed. Since I'm the only one home tonight, as long as I only need to use the bath room no more than twice tonight, everything should be fine. Just wait till morning and call a plumber.

The night went well. After two bath room trips, both toilets tanks are now empty. Here came dawn and I realized there's a big problem: I've got an important meeting scheduled at 11:30 and wouldn't have time to wait for the plumber. What's worse was that I couldn't go to the meeting without shower, which I didn't do last night. After giving it some serious thought (and calculation), I put the biggest trash bin I can find under the leak; then prepared everything in the bathroom. Now it's show time: I turned on the water main and rush to the bathroom upstairs; took a really really really quick shower; and run down to the basement to close down the water. Thank god, the water just filled up the bin.

After 10 calls, it seemed that all plumbers in town had some kind of emergency to take care and mine obviously is not on the top the lists. So, without a plumber, I went to work while kept thinking what was that connector and what's wrong with it. The main pipe is a 1/4 rigid copper pipe and the connector goes to another thinner flexible pipe which is connected to the air filter on the forced air AC/Furnace system. The connector itself has also some kind of valve. Never seen these before, I've been very puzzled.

Finally, I found my old contractor. He told me it is mostly likely a valve that controls the water goes to the air filter system to put humidity to the air. I went to Home Depot after work and found out that it is called "Self-tapping Saddle Valve."

Now we're talking. Armed with the eight bucks valve and WD-40, I went back home and replaced it in 15 minutes. Can't believe one of plumbers asked $200 for that and he lives only 3 blocks away!

I guess this is the fun of buying an old house.