How to repair a leaking pipe

We’ve already discussed how to repair leaking boilers, fix leaking taps,and sort out leaking radiators, but what if your pipes are leaking? Not only could you experience a lot of water damage, but your boiler pressure could drop, and your central heating and water supply could go kaput!

Most people call in the plumbers when they have leaking pipes, and if you have a plumbing breakdown or home emergency cover with 247 Home Rescue, you will be able to get us to call the plumbers out for you. We’ll help you out in a range of instances, including when stop-taps are seized up or leaking, when sinks and toilets are blocked, when you experience plumbing leaks, or if your toilet springs a leak.

But you don’t have to wait for someone else to repair your leaking pipes—you may be able to save time and money by repairing the pipe yourself! As always, don’t attempt any emergency plumbing repairs unless you are confident in what you are doing and have prepared all your tools in advance, or you may inadvertently end up causing more damage!

Turn off the water supply

The first step to fixing a leaking pipe is to find your stopcock and switch off your water supply, or turn off the water valve to the problematic pipe. You might need a flat-head screwdriver to turn the water valve.

Turn on any taps leading from the pipe

You want to completely drain all the water from the pipe so you don’t end up with gallons on the floor. When the water stops flowing from the pipe, you know it has been completely drained. Then dry off the leaking pipe with a towel so it is completely dry. Leave this towel on the floor underneath the leaking pipe so you can catch any residual water that has not been expelled.

What type of leak is it?

If the leak is simply caused by a loose joint, you can tighten this joint with little effort. You might need a spanner, but some joints can be tightened up perfectly by hand. If a pipe is leaking, you may have to remove the whole pipe and replace it with an exact duplicate to complete your emergency leak repair.

Bear in mind that it is not necessarily easy to unscrew a pipe—if you turn a threaded galvanised steel pipe to loosen one end, you will tighten it on the other end, and if you are replacing a copper pipe, you will have to sweat-solder it back into place! Therefore, it is understandable if you want to leave the pipe replacement work to a specialised plumber, but there’s no reason you can’t do it with a bit of patience and a lot of caution.

Stop-gap leaking pipe repairs

A pipe patch might be all you need to enjoy years of leak-free plumbing. Plumbing leak patch kits can be found at all major DIY and home improvement stores; you might even be able to find them in your local hardware store or even in the supermarket.

Another easy stop-gap solution is to apply epoxy paste over the crack, cover the leaking pipe with rubber, and leave it for a while until it sets. You can even buy self-tapping plugs that simply fit into the hole and expand.

Some people have had success with waterproof tapes such as duct tape. Ensure that the area is bone-dry before you wrap tape around it, and go overboard with the tape, creating a tight, durable, and resilient seal.

Don’t get complacent

If one pipe starts leaking, then another leak could be imminent or could already be occurring! The leaking pipe is likely to have corrosion and damage throughout it, and you might experience leaks in other locations in the near future.

Also, don’t be overly eager to turn your water back on, especially if you have attempted a stop-gap repair. Give everything time to settle—leave it for a couple of hours.

Still no luck?

Contact us on 0345 3192 247 and we can help! Our technical teams will run through some simple troubleshooting tips with you to see if your problem can be resolved over the phone. If not, we’ll send a highly skilled and qualified plumber round to get your plumbing problems sorted as soon as possible.

There could be a number of reasons for your plumbing issues so it’s better to trust the professionals. After all, you could end up making it worse and you could be faced with a hefty bill to pay to repair the damage. We help, we repair, we care.

If you want to know how to tell if your water supply pipe is leaking then read our handy guide here.

Do you have any tips or tricks that could help people repair leaking pipes? We’d love to hear about them!