How To Fix A Leaky Faucet

Fix a Leaking  Pipe

Tools: General-purpose scissors, screwdriver, putty knife, wire brush

A leaky pipe can be a real disaster. Water can do untold damage if left to run unchecked. Most pipe leaks, except for frozen pipes, develop slowly; the pipe rusts or corrodes and a weak spot develops. Eventually the water breaks through the weak spot and a pinhole leak results. This type of leak can be stopped, but the repair is only a temporary cure as other leaks will probably develop. If you are constantly fixing small leaks, seek professional help before one of your old pipes bursts.

Whatever the type of leak you have, you should first stop the water flow by turning off your house’s main shut-off valve. Drain the water from the pipes by opening all the hot and cold water faucets on the first and second floors of your house to allow air to enter the water system. Then open all the faucets in the basement to allow the water to drain out.

1) Use hose clamp and patch on pinhole leakTo temporarily stop a small pinhole leak, use heavy-duty scissors to cut a patch from a piece of rubber (bicycle tube, kitchen glove) about 1″ square. Wrap the rubber around the pipe and hold it tight against the pipe with a hose clamp. Check that the hose clamp is directly over the hole before you tighten the clamp screw with a screwdriver. Use a 1″ clamp for a 1/2″-diameter pipe and a 11/2″ clamp for a 3/4″-diameter pipe.

2) Use pipe clamp for larger leakTo make a more permanent repair for a small leak (until the pipe rusts through in another spot) or to stop a split up to 1″ in the pipe, use a pipe repair clamp. You’ll find it in the plumbing department of a hardware store or home center. First, thoroughly dry the pipe and place a rubber patch over the leak. Loosen the clamp screws with a screwdriver and fit the pipe clamp over the patch; then retighten the screws.

3) Use epoxy paste to repair leaking pipe jointStop a small drip from a pipe joint with epoxy paste. You can buy this two-part mixture at any hardware store or home center. Ask for epoxy paste or putty, not epoxy glue.Wait until all the water stops dripping from the pipe; then dry the joint with rags. Clean any dirt or buildup of minerals from the pipe threads and joint fitting with a wire brush or steel-wool pad. Mix the epoxy according to the manufacturer’s directions and apply it to the leaky area, with a putty knife. If you are not certain where the leak is coming from, pack the epoxy all around the joint and fitting, extending the patch several inches in both directions.Allow the epoxy to set for at least as long as the directions suggest. Turn on the water. If the pipe continues to leak, look for professional help.