Repairing Pipes

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Supply pipes, which carry water to the fixtures, may be made of copper, galvanized steel which is silver in color or plastic. Drain pipes are thicker and are made of galvanized steel, plastic or in older homes, cast iron. Steel pipes usually cause the most problems.

Recognizing Pipe Leaks

Water dripping onto a ceiling under a bathroom may only mean you need to caulk around the tub and keep water off the bathroom floor. However if the leak persists, you may need to call a plumber. When a basement water pipe drips along the length then the moisture is probably due to condensation rather than a leak. Just wrap it with foam insulation. A drip in one place usually indicates a tiny hole or crack in a pipe. Fix any leak as soon as you find it because it will only get bigger with time. Shut off water to the pipe. Tighten a pipe repair clamp and rubber sleeve over the hole. This is only a temporary solution though because you must have a plumber replace the pipe. With steel pipes, a leak can mean that the pipes are badly rusted and more leaks are inevitable. Let a plumber evaluate the pipes. Use a plumber’s epoxy to temporarily repair a leak at a pipe joint. Wear rubber gloves to mix the two epoxy components together and apply the mixture to the joint.

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