The Most Common Ways to Fix a Leaky Pipe

If you own a home long enough, you’ll find yourself dealing with a leaky pipe sooner or later. When that happens, you will want to have a reliable plumber’s name and number handy. Monkey Wrench Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electric is the plumber you can turn to for services in Los Angeles, CA. However, you’ll also want to know the various methods to fix a leaky pipe. Here are the most commonly used pipe repair methods.

Temporary Repair Methods

For small leaks, a few temporary repair methods can be effective for a short-term fix until you can get a professional plumber to look at it. However, you’ll never find a professional plumber resorting to them. They can, however, buy time while you wait for permanent repairs. Here’s what they are.

Self-Fusing Pipe Repair Tape

You can use self-fusing pipe repair tape to patch a minor pipe leak temporarily. It’s a silicone-based tape that adheres to itself but won’t stick to pipes. It can work on metal and PVC pipes for a quick leak solution. The application process is also straightforward. To seal a leak with self-fusing tape, you should start by turning off the pipe’s water supply. Next, it’s crucial to dry and clean the pipe at the leak’s location.

Then, the tape must wrap tightly around the affected area, overlapping with each wind. For best results, the tape should begin an inch or two before the leak and continue to an inch or two past it.

Plumbing Epoxy Putty

Another way to repair a leaky pipe is to use plumbing epoxy putty. Epoxy products are adhesives that harden into a plastic-like finish after curing. Epoxy putties made for plumbing use will adhere to all kinds of common pipe materials. To use it, you must first turn off the affected pipe’s water supply and drain and dry it.

Then, pull off enough putty to cover the damaged pipe area and knead it until it’s pliable. When the putty turns soft, pressing it against the leak’s source should get it to stick in place. The putty should then begin hardening within about five minutes. After 24 hours, curing should be complete.

Apply a Patch and Clamp

Finally, fixing a leaky pipe with a patch and clamp is also possible. The patch/clamp combination includes a rubber sleeve slightly larger than the pipe, with worm-drive clamps at either end. The sleeve slips over the pipe, covering the damaged section. Then, tighten the clamps. This creates a watertight seal. That way, whatever water escapes from the pipe remains trapped inside the sleeve. A patch and clamp should last the longest of the three temporary repair methods. Nevertheless, the damaged section of the pipe will still require replacement.

Permanent Pipe Leak Repair Methods

Our plumbers might use one or more advanced pipe repair methods to fix a leaking line permanently. Whichever method they use depends on the nature and location of the leak. Here are some of the options they might choose.

Replacing Washers and PVC Tape

If the leak in question results from a pipe joint problem, our team may do one of two things. If the joint connector includes one or more rubber washers, we may replace them to create a tighter seal. If the joint includes threaded pipe ends, we may also apply new PVC tape to the threads. That helps the pipe lock in and seal completely when screwed into the connector. If the connector itself is the leak’s source, we can replace the whole thing.

Replace Small Damaged Sections With Pipe Fittings

If the leaky pipe has only localized minor damage, our plumbers may simply cut out the damaged part. That typically leaves a small gap, which they must bridge to reconnect the pipe. They may turn to small pipe fittings meant to join pipe ends on longer runs. When a section of damaged pipe is removed, it leaves a space similar to any other ordinary pipe joint. Adding a pipe fitting between the two ends creates a lasting repair that’s no different from any other joint in your plumbing.

Replace Damaged Section With a Slip Fitting

For slightly larger gaps created by removing a damaged pipe section, our plumbers may elect to use a slip fitting. Typically, slip fittings are an option for copper and PVC pipes, which comprise most of the typical home’s plumbing. They can cover gaps up to two inches, creating a watertight seal at either end of the fitting. Some slip fittings include push-to-connect ends with built-in rubber sealing rings. Others are short pipe sections with an inside diameter matching the damaged pipe’s outside diameter. They can either be soldered or cemented into place.

Splicing in a New Pipe Section

If you have a pipe that’s suffered significant damage, like a split or a burst, our plumbers may replace a longer section of the affected pipe. In those cases, they’d inspect the pipe to look for other signs of damage before making cuts. Once they’ve noted the scope of the damage, they’ll remove as much of the pipe as they deem necessary. They’ll remove a bit extra on either side of the cut to guarantee they leave no undetected damage behind.

If the damaged pipe is copper, our plumbers will use a new pipe section of equal or better quality. They’ll cut a length about half an inch to an inch shorter than the missing piece. That will leave enough room to slip couplings onto either end. They’ll then solder those couplings in place on the replacement pipe. Then, they’ll maneuver the pipe into the gap and slip the open coupling ends onto your existing pipes. Finally, they’ll solder the couplings to the existing pipe ends to complete the repair.

If your damaged pipe is PVC, the process is similar. However, they’ll use PVC cement instead of solder to join the required replacement parts. To do it, they must first prepare the pipes’ cut ends to ensure a watertight fit. They’ll use fine sandpaper to de-burr each pipe end’s inner and outer edges. That removes any lingering bits of PVC and creates a proper surface that will bond with the cement.

Then, they’ll apply PVC cement to the outside of each pipe end and the inside of each fitting. Finally, they’ll connect the parts and twist each about a quarter-turn to spread the cement evenly. The cement takes one to two hours to set, after which the repair is complete.

Your Local Pipe Repair Team

No matter what kind of pipe leak repair you need, you’ll want an expert plumber handling the work. We’ve served the residents of Los Angeles since 2007. Our team of highly trained plumbers has ample experience fixing leaks of all kinds. When you trust them with your plumbing, expect professional workmanship and repairs completed correctly the first time. We’re also eco-friendly, with a paperless billing process.

We even send courtesy text messages to alert you to our impending arrival. Plus, we’re Better Business Bureau accredited with an A+ rating. And we have hundreds of positive reviews from our many satisfied customers.

When you need pipe leak repair services in Los Angeles, call Monkey Wrench Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electric immediately.