5 Ways To Fix Leaking Pipes!

How to Fix Leaking Pipes?

There are different ways to fix leaking pipes but here are 5 methods to try:

Turning off the water supply to the pipe

1. Find where the main water supply valve to the home is and turn it to shut off the water to the home.
2. If the water leak is in one part of the home then turning off the water supply to that system is advised instead of turning off the water to the whole house.
3. Turning off the water to the house or a species plumbing system where the leak is occurring is important to stop the leak from continuing and will help with repairing the pipes to be easier.

Applying epoxy putty for a temporary repair

1. Ensure to put on latex or nitrile gloves to prevent the epoxy from irritating your skin.
2. Mix plumbing epoxy putty using your hand to combine it, mixing the light and dark together to activate it. Mix the epoxy until it becomes light grey then stop kneading it.
3. Wrap the putty around the location on the pipe where the leak is present. The putty should be wrapped around the pipe completely until roughly it is 1cm in thickness. Once the epoxy putty is wrapped around the pipe correctly taper the sides so the creates a watertight seal.
4. Allow the putty to set for 5 to 10 minutes before turning the water back on, remember to have the pipe properly fixed though as the epoxy putty is only a temporary solution to the problem.

Clamping the leaks with a pipe clamp

1. Purchase a pipe clamp that is the same size as the pipe that is leaking. The pipe clamp is used to create a tight seal around a pipe that has a small leak. 
2. Place the rubber gasket that is inside the clamp over the area where the leak is present. 
3. Close the clamp around the pipe once it has been positioned correctly and tighten the bolts until the clamp is in place.

Placing a slip coupling on the pipe

1. Buy a slip coupling that is the same type, diameter and size of the pipe that needs fixing. The slip coupling connects to pipes together and provides a good fix to a leaky pipe.
2. Hold up the slip coupling to the pipe and the area where it is leaking then mark the length that needs to be removed from the pipe to fit the coupling.
3. Carefully cut the damaged pipe using a pipe cutter and remove the leaky area of the pipe while scraping the inside and outside of the pipe to shape it.
4. Slide on the slip coupling on one end of the pipe and then onto the other pipe, ensuring it is lined correctly and the water will not leak from it. 

Contact a plumber to replace the pipe and repair the leak

It is encouraged that a plumber is contacted to fix leaking pipes instead of trying methods yourself if not trained in the plumbing field. This is because plumbers will be able to quickly and effectively stop the leak using professional tools and techniques. It is more likely that a DIY pipe repair will result in more problems in the future compared to if a certified plumber performs the task. Plumbers will find and repair the leak and pipe while looking for the source of the problem and properly address that as well.

The average price to fix leaking pipes ranges from $60 to $140 which includes the leak detection, repair and material costs. The price to repair the leak through a plumber is better than performing a DIY pipe leak repair and the chance for further issues to come up which only means more repairs to pay for. Our Melbourne plumbers are here to perform efficient, swift and reliable pipe leak repairs for all locals!