Anyone can be confronted with a leak or water damage in their home. If you have a water leak in your home, you can temporarily fix it while waiting for your professional to intervene. If you are a good handyman, you can also permanently repair your leaking pipe with a mechanical fitting. It's up to you to choose the repair method best suited to your situation.
Find out here the 4 best methods to repair a water leak on a pipe.
Apply a bandage to the leaking pipe
As a precautionary measure, you should first turn off the water supply to your home. If the water leak is significant, also turn off the electricity to avoid any risk of electrocution or short circuit. Now it's time to tackle your water leak to limit the extent of the damage. Your intervention will consist of applying a bandage to the area where your water leak is located. This will block the water from escaping through your home. If the water flow is coming from a hidden pipe, it is better to contact a plumber to find a leak.
Once the leak is located, wrap the hose with a mop or a very absorbent cloth. Tighten the hose tightly to block the flow of water. Be aware that this technique is not intended to stop the leak, but rather to minimize the risk of water damage to your home. This way, the water will be directed and it will be easier to mop up as you go along or to collect the water in a container. This will avoid you the projections in all the directions.
Use epoxy putty for a temporary repair
Before touching the sealant, put on latex gloves to protect your skin from burning or irritation. Then, using your fingers, knead the product into a smooth paste. Once ready, form a bead and wrap it around the area of the leak and around the pipe to be repaired. Make sure the sealant covers the crack that caused the leak. It should extend past each side of the hole and be two centimeters thick. Next, put waterproof tape on both ends to ensure that no more water comes out of the pipe. Let the sealant dry thoroughly before putting the water system back on. Follow the manufacturer's instructions carefully. But in general the drying time does not exceed about ten minutes. In any case, it is important to know that this repair is temporary and only lasts a few weeks, the time to contact a plumber to repair your water leak permanently.
Repairing a water leak with a sleeve
Also called a "fitting", the sleeve is made up of metal halves lined with a piece of rubber to prevent water from leaking. Sold in do-it-yourself stores, the sleeve must be the same size as the pipe being repaired. It can be placed on copper or PVC pipes. To use it, first locate the crack responsible for the water leak and then fit the sleeve. Be sure to center the lined half of the seal on the pipe. The repair is much easier when the hole is on top of the pipe and on the sides or bottom. Try to hold it in place with your hand while you attach the second half of the sleeve. Place it on the opposite side of the pipe from the first half, then insert the bolts, and screw them in by hand. Make sure the sleeve is not displaced. Finally, use a suitable wrench to lock the nuts one after the other.
However, the sleeve repair method does not last long enough. It is necessary to call a competent plumber to repair or replace the failed pipe.
Repairing a punctured pipe with a mechanical coupling
This technique will permanently repair the leaking pipe. But you must choose a mechanical fitting that exactly matches the diameter of your leaky pipe. For the length, it must be able to cover the part where the crack, responsible for your water leak, is located. Easy to assemble and requiring no tools or welding, the mechanical coupling is available in any DIY store. Be sure to choose a model made of the same material as your pipe (PVC or copper). Follow the manufacturer's recommendations to the letter, to ensure the effectiveness of your intervention.
