How to Repair a Small Pipe Leak

Emergency plumbing repairs can range from taking temporary measures while you wait for a plumber to making repairs that will last for years. Even minor leaks however, should be attended to in some fashion immediately to prevent further damage. Here are some steps to follow if you get stuck with a leak in a small pipe and want to fix it yourself.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Electrical tape
• Plumbing epoxy

1. Shut off the water supply to the problem area. Valves to shut the water off are usually found under or near plumbing fixtures.

2. Wipe the area around the leak clean and dry.

3. Take a roll of standard electrical tape and tightly wrap multiple layers around and beyond the leak on both sides of the pipe.

4. Use simple epoxy, available in any hardware store, to seal a leaky fit if the leak is not coming from a cracked pipe, but rather from a leaky pipe-fitting. Make sure to clean the fitting in addition to drying it before applying the epoxy.

Tips & Warnings

• You may simply need to tighten the fitting at threaded joints where pipes fit together if a leak develops there. Be careful when tightening however, because old and damaged pipes can often break when you attempt to tighten them.

[mjnightingale]

on 10/25/2008 Vinegar, electrical tape and the best in the world....drum rolllll! DUCT TAPE!! thanx for the article~mj

[deepthinkin]

on 10/25/2008 Hmmm vinegar might dissolve some of the calcium build-up in the pipe and cause more of a leak! lol! But seriously, I like a fix-it that doesn't involve pipe wrenches or more. Thanks for sharing.

[Thims]

on 10/25/2008 Are you sure vinegar can't be used to do this? ;-) I've never seen a substance with so many uses in my life. Between vinegar and electrical tape the world's problems can all be solved! Nice repair article.