Why Patch a Leaky Pipe While Waiting for Your Plumbing Professional?
BY MET Plumbing LLC | February 27, 2017
To prevent further water damage to your home, it is a good idea to patch a leaky pipe until you can have a plumber come fix the problem. Patching the pipe can temporarily stop the leak and prevent further water damage.
How to Patch a Leaky Pipe
Step 1: Turn off the water supply. To stop the water flow in the damaged pipe, you should turn off the water supply at the nearest shutoff valve. If there is no shutoff valve, or if the leak is located before the valve, you will need to shut off the water at the main valve. If you need to repair a drain line, simply prevent water from entering the drain.
Step 2: Empty the pipe of water. Once the water supply is turned off, open the faucet closest to the leak. If you’ve turned off the water to the entire home, turn on multiple faucets to drain as much water as possible from the damaged pipe. If the leak is in a location where you can go without using water until it’s repaired, you don’t need to empty the pipe.
Step 3: Repair the pipe appropriately. Depending on the location of the leak, there are different ways to patch it. If the leak is not at a joint or connection, you can use an epoxy repair kit. Apply the epoxy around the pipe like modeling clay and wait for it to harden. Don’t turn on the water until the epoxy is completely hardened. To hold the epoxy in place, you can use removable clamps and a rubber pipe wrap.
For larger leaks, you may need to use a combination of rubber pipe covers, pipe tape, and epoxy. These products are available at most home improvement stores. Make sure that the materials you purchase are compatible with your pipes. For leaks around joints and connections, you can use pipe tape or a combination of pipe tape and epoxy.
Step 4: Call your plumber.
Schedule repair of the leaky pipe with your plumber. Since you already patched the leak, you can avoid an emergency service call. Until your plumber arrives, check the pipe every few hours to ensure your patch job is holding and the leak has not returned.Please keep in mind, patching the pipe does not solve the problem, and it will still need to be repaired. To have a leaky pipe fixed or for other plumbing problems, please feel free to contact MET Plumbing & Air Conditioning at 281-603-9949 today!