Pipe leaks can cost thousands of dollars.
NO FUN.
We’ve owned our home for 8 years and had 4 different copper pipe leaks.
The first time I called our plumber and he soldered in a new section of pipe for $97.
Second time around I soldered the pipe myself.
You might be thinking this will never happen, but I’m here to say it will.
And unfortunately the odds are pretty good that your leak will be over the weekend, in the evening, or during a holiday.
If you’re unfamiliar with Murphy’s Law just Google it, lol.
Today’s tutorial shares how to fix a pinhole leak in a copper pipe in less than 10 minutes.
Not many people know about this little product so you’re lucky 😀
I don’t know why but our leaks tend to occur in the kitchen.
Last fall I was getting ready to leave for work and noticed the ceiling was brown.
Sure enough the copper pipe sprung the tiniest little leak.
This is what that little pinhole in the copper pipe did
After some curse words and drywall removal I was able to replace the pipe.
Had it been 1:00 am I wouldn’t have been so keen on tackling this project.
If your pipes spring a leak over the weekend or a holiday you’ll be charged a premium by your plumber.
That’s where the Oatey Fix-It stick comes in.
I learned about this years ago from a plumber friend.
This is an epoxy putty that costs $5-$10 and can be found at Home Depot or a local plumbing supply warehouse.
Oatey makes great plumbing materials, just my opinion, and this is no exception.
The great part about the Fix-It Stick is that you can use small pieces of it and store the rest for another disaster.
It’s a temporary fix that buys you time to replace the copper pipe yourself or call a plumber.
Throw on some gloves, tear off a small 1 or 2 inch piece of the putty, and shape it.
You want the color of the mixed piece to be gray.
Once you have that color you can shape the putty around your copper pipe leak.
I like to push the putty into the pinhole then taper the edges with my hand.
This will ensure a watertight seal.
It’s also a good idea to turn the water off to your house and wipe off the pipe to eliminate any moisture or dirty.
This allows the Fix-It Stick to adhere properly and seal the leak.
Check out my quick video tutorial to see this in action. It’s so easy my 10 year old could do it 😀
What’s Next
Like I said, this is a great temporary fix until you can replace the pipe.
If you’re doing a bathroom remodel and need help, join one of our online courses – they’ll make your bathroom renovation much easier!
Let me know if you have any questions and I’ll do my best to help.
Thanks as always for reading, watching, and being part of our awesome community.
Cheers,
Jeff
