How to Fix Leaks in Your Remodeled Home

You can temporarily repair leaking pipes in several ways. For a proper and lasting repair job, you will need to turn off the water and replace the damaged piece of pipe or take the joint apart, clean it, apply new joint compound, and put it back together. There are some emergency measures to tide you over until you can get to the permanent repair.

To stop a pinhole leak in a hose or pipe, push a toothpick or pencil lead into the hole and break the end off. Dry off the surface of the pipe and wrap it several turns with duct tape or electrical tape.

A large leak can be stopped temporarily by covering it with a pad of rubber, like an old inner tube or kitchen glove. Compress the rubber over the leak with a piece of wood and C-clamps or hose clamps. Rubber pads and clamps manufactured and sold in sets for this purpose are available in some stores.

If a whole section of pipe is leaking because it is broken or rusted through, turn off the water and cut out the section. Replace it temporarily with a length of garden hose held in place with hose clamps.

If threaded pipe is leaking at a joint, you may be able to stop it by turning the pipe with a pipe wrench to tighten the joint. Or you can turn off the water to relieve the pressure, clean the joint with a wire brush, dry it, and apply two-part epoxy cement. The instructions will tell you how long to wait before you turn on the water again.

Leaky faucets and valves can often be fixed just by tightening the packing nut. If that doesn't do it, turn off the water and replace the washer or packing. Be sure to close the sink drain when working on the faucets so dropped screws and other small parts don't end up in the P-trap.

Any repair you make to a water heater tank must be considered very temporary- in fact, it's better not even to try. If a leak develops, it means the tank is corroded and will shortly have many more leaks. The best solution is to get a new water heater promptly.

Attempt a repair only when there is a critical need for hot water and it's not possible to get it anywhere else. If for some reason you must try to repair the leak, the first step is to find it. This will entail cutting through the outer metal shell with airplane snips and removing the insulation until you find the hole, which will be a tedious and difficult job.

If you find the hole, turn off the gas or electricity and the water to the heater before you start your repair and don't turn the heater on again until you are sure your repair is successful. Make a stopper for it with a rubber washer and a toggle bolt through the hole- enlarge the hole if necessary to get it through- and then cinch down the bolt to squeeze the washer over the hole.

If the leak has put out the flame on a gas water heater or you find that the leak inside is the flue, you will have to forget it. There is no way to reach inside the flue to even attempt a repair.