| It's a nightmare that most homeowners hope they only | | | | and mark the water pipe one-inch in from each end of |
| have to dream about and never experience - a pipe | | | | the coupling. Cut out the damaged pipe at the marks, |
| suddenly there's a water leak. | | | | slide the compression couplings onto each end of the |
| First, turn off the water supply to the leaking pipe. This | | | | water pipe, and attach the repair coupling. Tighten the |
| may be at the fixture supply valve in front of the leak | | | | compression fittings and turn the water back on to |
| or at the main water supply valve itself. Shutting off | | | | check for leaks. |
| the water will stop the water flow and give you time | | | | Temporary Repairs |
| to think. If the plumber can't get there for a couple of | | | | Remember, none of these are permanent fixes, but |
| days or you don't have time to fix it yourself, you | | | | they will allow you to turn the water back on until you |
| actually do have a number of options to do a quick fix | | | | can get the pipe fixed more permanently. |
| until the pipe can be properly repaired. | | | | - Stick a pencil point into the hole and break it off, then |
| First, figure out where the leak is actually coming from. | | | | wrap the pipe with electrician's tape. Smear some |
| Is it a pinhole or has a pipe split? If it's a run of copper, | | | | plumber's epoxy repair putty over the tape to make |
| here are some quick fixes - depending on what you | | | | sure it doesn't leak. Let it set for half an hour and turn |
| have available. | | | | the water back on. |
| Permanent Repairs | | | | - Wrap a piece of rubber (like an old inner tube) around |
| Such fixes take a little more time and some planning, | | | | the pipe over the hole, and then use a C clamp and |
| but once you're finished, you've got a permanent repair | | | | small blocks of wood to clamp the rubber wrap tightly |
| for your leaky pipe. | | | | in place. If you have them, hose clamps around the |
| - Install a pipe clamp specifically designed to fix leaking | | | | rubber covering the hole could also be used to keep |
| pipes. These clamps have a rubber gasket attached | | | | water from leaking. |
| permanently inside the clamp, which itself is designed | | | | - Don't have any old rubber that can act as a repair? |
| to fit around the leaky pipe. Simply place the clamp | | | | Cut a piece of garden hose long enough to cover the |
| over the hole and tighten the integral screws, holding it | | | | hole in the pipe plus two or three inches on each side. |
| in place and making a permanent seal. Pipe clamps are | | | | Slice the garden hose lengthwise and position it over |
| available at home stores. | | | | the hole in the pipe. Once again, use hose clamps to |
| - Another alternative is to use flexible/braided metal | | | | keep it in place and stop water from leaking. |
| tube with compression couples on each end to provide | | | | Any and all of the above quick fixes will get you back |
| a permanent fix. A significant advantage of this repair | | | | in business quickly if you ever need to deal with a |
| is it will allow you to not only fix a small pinhole leak, but | | | | leaky pipe. Anyone living in a home with copper pipes |
| it can be used to fix a longer split pipe. Because the | | | | can be thankful that leaky pipes happen very seldom. |
| repair tubes are flexible and will bend, they can even | | | | In older homes where galvanized pipes were used for |
| be used to repair a leak in a pipe elbow. The metal | | | | plumbing, leaking pipes will unfortunately be much more |
| tubes are available in number of lengths so you should | | | | common. Since galvanized pipes rust from the inside |
| be able to fix your pipe wherever it's holed. | | | | out, you can't tell what kind of condition they are in by |
| - To install the braided metal tube, you're going to have | | | | looking at them. However, when one starts leaking, it's |
| to cut out the damaged section of pipe, so be sure to | | | | logical to expect that others won't be far behind. |
| drain all the water out of your pipes. Next, center the | | | | Laying in a good supply of pipe clamps might be a |
| repair coupling against the damaged section of pipe | | | | prudent investment. |