Fixing a Leaking Pipe

A pipe can leak and flood your home. You don’t want spraying water create damages and lead to huge repair bills. When a pipe burst, the main thing is, don’t panic. You can have the situation under control.

Photo by Expert Plumbing and Rooter InSearch home design design ideas

First of all, turn off the water supply to the leaking pipe. Open the faucets on the waterline to relieve pressure.

Stopping a leak depends on the type of leak it is.

If the leak is at a joint, tighten the joint. If the leak is in the pipe and you deal with a copper pipe, you may consider a solution: pipe patch.

Most pipe replacement jobs are best left to a plumber, but a solution for the moment would be to stick a pencil point into the hole and break it off, and then wrap the pipe with electrician’s tape. Smear some plumber’s epoxy repair putty over the tape to make sure it doesn’t leak.

Tools and Materials:

Compression coupling; rubber sheet; c-clamp; cutter; putty knife; two-part epoxy putty; pliers; screwdriver.

Pipe Patching:

You’ll find patch kits for plumbing leaks at the hardware store, or you can make your own with a piece of heavy rubber from an old inner tube and a C-clamp. Another possibility is to use a hose clamp with a rubber patch.

1| Wrap a piece of rubber around the leaking joint, and then apply a stainless-steel hose clamp.
2| Tighten the clamp with a screwdriver or socket wrench. If you don’t have a hose clamp, use another type, such as a C-clamp, to secure the rubber over the leak.
3| Soak water-activated fiberglass-resin tape in water, wrap it around the leak and smooth it with gloved hands.
4| After a while restore the water.

When the leaks are around fittings, dry the surface, mix two-part epoxy putty and apply it over and around the leak.

In older homes where galvanized pipes were used for plumbing, leaking pipes will unfortunately be much more common. The galvanized pipes start to rust from the inside out. However, when one starts leaking, it’s logical to expect that others won’t be far behind.

A prudent investment would be a good supply of pipe clamps.

Bending Copper Pipes with or without Tools (howtobuildahouseblog.com)