How to Fix a Leaking Pipe

Leaky pipes are frustrating and annoying but unfortunately they are often part of the experience of home living. At some point in a property’s life everyone will experience the inconvenience of a leaking pipe.

This Red Van Plumbers guide “How to Fix a Leaking Pipe” will explain the easiest way to put a temporary halt to leaking water, until a professional like us can come to your aid with a permanent fix.

Follow These Steps To Temporarily Stop Leaking Water Pipes

Turn off the main water valve – Turning off the main valve will halt the flow of new water through the system. The main valve is usually located near the water meter.
Open The Taps – By opening the faucet, you allow all the water in the system to clear the pipes. Dripping will stop shortly thereafter.
Use Plumbers Epoxy – Keep a tube or two of epoxy around the house for emergencies. Plumbers epoxy is sold in putty form, similar to modelling clay.
Apply The Epoxy – Apply enough epoxy to completely cover the pipe’s leaky spot. It will probably be necessary to hand-work/warm the epoxy beforehand to loosen it up for application.
Follow the Manufacturer’s Instructions – Follow the instruction to mould the epoxy in a large enough patch to secure the leaky area. If the leak is at a pipe fitting, the shaping and moulding might take more patience. Be liberal!
Allow For Hardening – The epoxy may take a few minutes to harden. When it has hardened firmly, try turning the water valve back on. Observe the pipe as the water runs through it for a few minutes. (You will need to open the taps for this).

What to do if the leaking continues

Even after applying epoxy, sometimes the leaking will continue. This happens because sometimes the initial patch will not be secure. If you notice that the seal is not holding the flow, start the process over again.

Make sure to add additional epoxy and spread it liberally over the existing patch and on the pipe. Again, let the new patch harden before turning on the water again.

Using plumbing epoxy is the easiest way to temporarily and effectively halt the pipe leak. However, this is not a long-term solution. At best, the plumbing epoxy can hold for a few days, enough time to either replace the section of pipe or to call a general plumber.

It might be helpful to surmise the reason the pipe sprung a leak. This could be indicative of an eroding piping system. If this is the situation, it is best to initiate repairing the entire piping system before a more dramatic failure takes place. You can temporarily halt the leak, but it could be a warning of a more serious issue.

The Red Van Plumbers are here to help so if this “How to fix a leaking pipe” hasn’t solved the issue, then you may need an emergency plumber that specialises in plumbing repairs.

Learn more

Need to know how to unblock a sick or how to isolate the mains water? Then, visit our Plumbing and Heating tips page!

How Surestop can help during a leaking pipe situation

In an emergency such as a major water leak knowing how to isolate the mains water could save your house from unnecessary water damage. Thanks to Surestop, the process has been made a whole lot easier as Surestop allows you to turn off the mains water supply with the flick of a switch.

Moreover, a Surestop Water Switch can be essential to prevent major financial costs due to water damage. The Surestop is therefore a great product to have in any home, whether you’re a landlord, tenant or homeowner. If you’d like to have this technology professionally installed by our qualified plumbers, click the button below to contact our customer care team for a free quote.

Have you checked out our plumbing and heating tips page?

We maybe able to help you isolate the mains water, fix a leak or unblock a toilet, before having to call out an engineer. Also please read our gas safety article which has been written to help keep you safe.