Pipe Repairs are an inevitable aspect of owning a home. No matter how many precautions you take, you can still get a damaged pipe. And then you have water going where you don’t want it to go.
To fix this, the first thing you want to do is shut the water off to your home. The water shutoff valve is usually located in the basement, garage or crawl space. If you cannot find it, check by the water meter on the outside of your home.
Once you’ve shut the water off to your home, run the faucets and flush the toilets to get all the water out of the lines. Once this is complete the damaged pipe should no longer be leaking.
For small fixes, there are a few ways you can handle the pipe repairs, at least temporarily.
- You can use fiberglass tape. Clean the area around the leak and apply the fiberglass tape to the damaged area. Wait about 15-30 minutes for the tape to set and then you can turn the water back on. Just know this is only a temporary fix.
- Put epoxy putty all over the damaged pipe area. The epoxy will harden and seal the small leak in the pipe.
- Use a repair sleeve over the damaged area of the pipe. The sleeve consists of a rubber gasket patch and a clamp that tightly seals the damaged portion of the plumbing. Just make sure that the sleeve is longer than the leak, otherwise, the repair will not hold.
- If you are looking for a more permanent fix, you can use a slip coupling on your pipe. First measure the size of the coupling and mark the measurements on the pipe (markers are great for this). Use pipe cutters to cut the damaged area away. Slide the coupling onto the ends of your pipe and tighten the connections. Some brands will snap together and some will need a wrench to tighten them.
The next time you find the puddle under your pipes, you will know how to fix it. If you need professional assistance to help with your pipe repairs, call your neighborhood plumber at Connelly Plumbing Solutions. You can call or text us and we will help you get the pipes fixed!
Connelly Plumbing Solutions are locally owned and operated right here in Kansas City. At CPS, we strive to help customers understand what is going on with their plumbing system and to give them the pros and cons of every option so that they can make the most educated decision.