A few materials from the local hardware store, and some time are all it takes to repair a minor broken pipe in your house. While larger repairs are best left for a professional plumber, a small repair or fix on a pipe leak in your house is certainly possible at a low cost. Broken pipes are common in areas that freeze during the winter.
There are many things to remember with a broken pipe in your home but the most important is to to act immediately. Water damage caused by a major pipe burst can quickly cost more than fixing a simple broken pipe. This article will hopefully provide you with some simple solutions before having to contact a professional plumbing company and help you save some money.
The first step: shutting off the water supply
Turn off the nearest valve to the leaking pipe
Look at the pipes near the leak for a shut off valve. Turn the valve clockwise in order to turn off the water. If the valve can’t be located then you will need to shutoff the main water supply line to the house.
First, check for the shutoff to the main water supply line underneath the kitchen sink. Next, check your bathroom, basement and garage. It may be beneath the floorboards at the entrance.
You can also look out in the front of your property, near the water meter. It is usually located in a small box made of concrete, or covered with a thin cover. This is sometimes the sole shutoff valve. In other instances, it may be a secondary shutoff valve.
Drain the water
Drain any water from the leaking pipe from the tap. For example, if your impacted water supply piping is located in the bathroom, you can open the faucet on and run it until there’s no more water.
Here are some fast fixes for leaky pipes
Use silicone tape to seal active leaks
Self-fusing silicone adhesive tape is the best option for plastic and metal pipes. Silicone tape fuses with itself, making it a stronger, water-resistant seal than regular adhesive tape. You will need a 6-8 inch piece of tape. Press it on one end of the hole. Wrap it several times around the hole while keeping it taut. To secure the tape, wrap another piece of tape around it. This time you don’t need to stretch it.
You can also use duct tape and electrical tape in an emergency situation.
Seal with a gasket and a clamp
If you are able to turn off the main water supply line, a small rubber gasket that wraps around half of the pipe can be used. Secure the rubber gasket over the leak and then attach a clamp or several clamps to it. The hose clamp should be tightened until it fits snugly, but not too tight.
Clamps can be used to temporarily fix any pipe that is beginning to break. This is the same as for other options, and it works well with both plastic and metal pipes.
For a medium term fix, epoxy putty is a good choice
This is the strongest and most temporary solution, however, you will need keep the water shut off while the epoxy putty dries. This usually takes a couple of hours. Check the label. Mix the ingredients of the putty with gloves and press it on cracks or holes. This is not an exact repair but it acts as a barrier that can be used until a professional plumbing company can have a closer look.
Any epoxy putty will work. However, it is best to choose an epoxy putty that’s made from your same pipe material. Don’t use regular plumber’s putty for the repair. The material is too soft. It is used to seal joint only.
What is the best way to fix a copper pipe that has broken?
Use pipe cutter to extract the damaged pipe on either side of the leak
A pinhole leak may require you remove about 1/2 inch (1 cm) of pipe. For more severe damage to the pipe, you will need to mark it 1 in (2.5 cm) on either side. The tools needed to give you the best and fastest results are a pipe cutter or a pipe slice.
- Pipe Slice: Simply place the tool around your pipe and then turn it. Only one pipe diameter is cut by each tool.
- Pipe cutter: Position the rolling wheel on the marking and tighten the screw to ensure that the wheel contacts the pipe. To cut a small groove, rotate the tool around 360. Once you are satisfied that the tool aligns properly, tighten the screw 1/4 turn per side as the pipe cutter is turned about the pipe.
Prepare the replacement coupling and replacement coupling
If the gap is less than 1/2 inch (1.35 cm), you can use an ordinary copper pipe coupling. If the gap is greater than 1/2 inch (1.3 cm), you can cut 12 inches (22.5 cm) of sweat coupling. To ensure that the pipe is perfect for soldering, prepare both old and new pipes as follows:
- Use sandpaper or the pipe cutter’s deburring blade to remove burs and other debris from the interior of the coupling.
- Use a wire fitting brush to clean the interior or wrap emery papers around your fingers.
- Use emery papers, plumber’s cloth or fine-grit paper to clean the pipe until it sparkles. This clean surface should not be touched.
Connect the surfaces by soldering together
Use plumber’s flux to cover all the areas that pipes touch. The coupling and pipe should be connected. The copper will dull and the flux will sizzle if heated for 30 seconds using a torch. For horizontal joints, place the solder on the seam. The hot copper will melt the solder. Continue to add solder as the flux pulls it in until the joint seals.
- Never use more than 5% of lead in soldering water pipes. It is best to use lead-free solder.
- Before you start, protect wooden ceiling joists and wires with a flame protector cloth. Keep a bucket of water is handy.
- Allow the solder to cool down for at least one minute before you restore the water supply line. Allow the solder to cool for 5-10 minutes before you use it. Make sure to check for any continued leaking.
What is the best way to repair a plastic pipe that has broken?
The damaged section should be removed
Use a PVC pipe cutter or a ratchet to cut the pipe as straightly as you can. To smooth the edges inside of your cuts, use a utility knife, sandpaper or file. Use a de-greaser to clean the edges.
- Before you start repairing, turn off your water supply line. During the repairs, keep the pipes dry.
- Cut a notch in the PVC pipe’s back with a knife. Then, loop some nylon string through the hole. To avoid cutting your fingers, tie each end of string around an object. Then saw back and forth until the pipe is cut.
For accessible pipes, use compression couplings
Although this is the simplest, it’s not the most effective. This is only recommended if your pipe is accessible for later inspection. Follow these instructions to install the pipe:
- Attach one end cap and one rubber bushing to each pipe.
- Attach the coupling to both ends of your pipe and then twist the cap on the other end to create a watertight seal.
- To reduce its chances of being ripped apart by high-pressure surges, you can anchor or clamp it.
Use solvent cement to attach slip fixes
The telescoping coupling offers a more robust solution. You will need solvent cement for your piper’s materials (PVC or CPVC), primer (skip this if you are using ABS pipe), one standard coupling (a simple sleeve which fits over the end of the pipe), goggles, gloves, and adequate ventilation. Follow these steps:
- To ensure a snug fit, dry-fit all parts.
- Primer should be applied to the narrow end of the slip-fix and one end of each pipe.
- Apply the cement evenly over the primer immediately.
- Connect the coupling immediately, and hold it in place for at least 30 seconds. Then, wipe any excess material off.
- Repeat this step to attach the standard coupling to the telescoping end.
- Repeat this step to attach the standard coupling over the opposite pipe end.
- Allow the pipe to cure as directed on the label, but ideally for 24 hours. Next, flush the pipe thoroughly with water.
What is the best way to gain access to a broken pipe within a wall?
Use visual clues or a moisture meter to pinpoint the exact location
Water will often pool below actual damage. You can trace the water damage signs (such as wet drywall) up until you reach the top where the stains and/or moisture are highest. If you are unable to pinpoint the source visually, use a moisture meter.
- To probe the surface of wood or drywall, you will need a pin-type moisture meter. It is less important to know the exact measurements than what the probe can measure. Look for areas that are more wet than others.
- The “search mode” mode meter detects water behind walls, however it requires calibration and can only be used in bathrooms that have many water sources. Some meters have both search mode and normal modes.
- You can also use thermal imaging cameras to identify cool spots which could indicate that there is pooling of water.
Turn off power
When you are cutting into walls, don’t risk cutting active wires in your home. Put on non-conductive gloves and shut off the main circuit to your house.
You will need to locate the wall studs before you cut into the dry wall. When knocked on, studs are solid and can be found near switches or outlets in your home.
Cut through the drywall
Use a utility knife or a pen to score the wall making a hole big enough to shine a flashlight through. Make shallow cuts using the tip of your saw along the score lines so as not to hit any pipes or wires. Once you have identified the problem, examine the pipes through the hole and then make another cut to reach the pipe.
- To create a beveled edge, cut at 45o from the hole. It is much simpler to place the drywall in its final position once the pipe has been fixed.
- To locate a small leak you can wrap a piece of cloth around the pipe and then move it until it gets damp.
- To remove tiles from bathrooms, use a utility knife to scrape the grout. Then, chisel off individual tiles.
How much does it cost to fix a broken water pipe?
A plumber from a professional plumbing company could charge anywhere from $150 to $2000 to repair broken pipes in your home.
Americans Service Plumber is available to provide professional plumbing services by fixing or replacing broken water pipes in your home at a reasonable cost.
