A leak in your pipe might range from being virtually harmless to flooding your home, so appropriate measures must be taken in order to patch the pipe up effectively; otherwise, you may discover some surprise leaks later. Knowing how to stop leaky pipes also depend on the position of the leak in the pipe. If the leak is at a joint, simply tighten the joint. However if a leak is in the middle of a pipe, you won’t be able to change the pipe by yourself, as unscrewing the pipe in one end will tighten the pipe in the other. These are temporary fixes for your pipe until a plumber can fix the pipe himself.
Pipe patch kits are sold at hardware stores and contain a piece of rubber and two metal plates that holds the rubber patch to the pipe. This can even be a permanent way to stop a leak if the leak is small. However, you can use a piece of heavy rubber and a pair of c-clamps/hose clamps to achieve the same effect.
You can also use waterproof tape as a temporary measure to stop small leaks by wrapping the tape starting two inches from the hole to two inches after the hole. Epoxy paste is also a good way to stop holes, in addition to compound sticks that can be rubbed on tiny leaks to stop them. If you’re using epoxy paste or waterproof tape, make sure the pipe is dry first.
Pipes that are wearing thin have more leaks, so if you see one leak, don’t be surprised when another appears soon after. The best solution is to find a plumber and replace that section in the pipe, which is a permanent fix. Use TalkLocal for free to find a plumber that can find your leaky woes!
