Repair tiny hole/scratch in copper pipe












2














I discovered a very tiny hole/scratch in a copper pipe in my basement this morning. It looks like the scratch was caused by a screw that was holding up some wood paneling. The hole is in the middle of a run (not at a joint) and drips only once every 5 or 10 seconds. The pipe carries water from the boiler, so ideally the less surgery the better to repair it.



enter image description here



Apologies for the not great image...hopefully you can see the small scratch on the left side along with the water pooling on the pipe in the middle.



I have a plumber coming out this afternoon but this seems like something I should be able to fix myself with a little solder or something else. Any recommendations?






plumbing leak pipe copper







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  • Related: diy.stackexchange.com/questions/14360/…
    – UnhandledExcepSean
    2 hours ago










  • Make sure that is the actual area of the leak and the water wasn't running down the pipe from elsewhere. You can use a paper towel to easily detect water running along the pipe.
    – ratchet freak
    1 hour ago
















2














I discovered a very tiny hole/scratch in a copper pipe in my basement this morning. It looks like the scratch was caused by a screw that was holding up some wood paneling. The hole is in the middle of a run (not at a joint) and drips only once every 5 or 10 seconds. The pipe carries water from the boiler, so ideally the less surgery the better to repair it.



enter image description here



Apologies for the not great image...hopefully you can see the small scratch on the left side along with the water pooling on the pipe in the middle.



I have a plumber coming out this afternoon but this seems like something I should be able to fix myself with a little solder or something else. Any recommendations?






plumbing leak pipe copper







share|improve this question






















  • Related: diy.stackexchange.com/questions/14360/…
    – UnhandledExcepSean
    2 hours ago










  • Make sure that is the actual area of the leak and the water wasn't running down the pipe from elsewhere. You can use a paper towel to easily detect water running along the pipe.
    – ratchet freak
    1 hour ago














2












2








2


1





I discovered a very tiny hole/scratch in a copper pipe in my basement this morning. It looks like the scratch was caused by a screw that was holding up some wood paneling. The hole is in the middle of a run (not at a joint) and drips only once every 5 or 10 seconds. The pipe carries water from the boiler, so ideally the less surgery the better to repair it.



enter image description here



Apologies for the not great image...hopefully you can see the small scratch on the left side along with the water pooling on the pipe in the middle.



I have a plumber coming out this afternoon but this seems like something I should be able to fix myself with a little solder or something else. Any recommendations?






plumbing leak pipe copper







share|improve this question













I discovered a very tiny hole/scratch in a copper pipe in my basement this morning. It looks like the scratch was caused by a screw that was holding up some wood paneling. The hole is in the middle of a run (not at a joint) and drips only once every 5 or 10 seconds. The pipe carries water from the boiler, so ideally the less surgery the better to repair it.



enter image description here



Apologies for the not great image...hopefully you can see the small scratch on the left side along with the water pooling on the pipe in the middle.



I have a plumber coming out this afternoon but this seems like something I should be able to fix myself with a little solder or something else. Any recommendations?






plumbing leak pipe copper




plumbing leak pipe copper






share|improve this question













share|improve this question











share|improve this question




share|improve this question










asked 2 hours ago









bfink

655




655












  • Related: diy.stackexchange.com/questions/14360/…
    – UnhandledExcepSean
    2 hours ago










  • Make sure that is the actual area of the leak and the water wasn't running down the pipe from elsewhere. You can use a paper towel to easily detect water running along the pipe.
    – ratchet freak
    1 hour ago


















  • Related: diy.stackexchange.com/questions/14360/…
    – UnhandledExcepSean
    2 hours ago










  • Make sure that is the actual area of the leak and the water wasn't running down the pipe from elsewhere. You can use a paper towel to easily detect water running along the pipe.
    – ratchet freak
    1 hour ago
















Related: diy.stackexchange.com/questions/14360/…
– UnhandledExcepSean
2 hours ago




Related: diy.stackexchange.com/questions/14360/…
– UnhandledExcepSean
2 hours ago












Make sure that is the actual area of the leak and the water wasn't running down the pipe from elsewhere. You can use a paper towel to easily detect water running along the pipe.
– ratchet freak
1 hour ago




Make sure that is the actual area of the leak and the water wasn't running down the pipe from elsewhere. You can use a paper towel to easily detect water running along the pipe.
– ratchet freak
1 hour ago










3 Answers
3






active

oldest

votes


















4














I have not seen patches hold up on copper. What I find best is to cut it at the hole and sweat a coupler on. It must be dry when you do the soldering or it will leak.






share|improve this answer



















  • 2




    Yeah, repairing pipe just isn't a reliable approach. Look for a coupler that allows you to slide it fully onto the pipe if you don't have enough movement available. If you do you could use a Sharkbite coupler to avoid soldering.
    – isherwood
    1 hour ago



















0














I've had some success with this stuff - it's basically a fiber tape soaked in something like gorilla glue. But I'd only consider it a temporary repair. the right way is to cut the pipe and solder in a coupler.



enter image description here






share|improve this answer





























    0














    You could lay a coating of solder on the pipe, preferably a silver bearing alloy, but you would have to drain that pipe and have "it bone dry". You could clean the copper, drop the boiler pressure to near zero so the drip stops and lay on a coat of fast dry epoxy. These are 2 ideas, hope this helps Also, Home DEpot sells a 1/2" copper compression X compression repair coupling in a 12 lingth length.






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      3 Answers
      3






      active

      oldest

      votes








      3 Answers
      3






      active

      oldest

      votes









      active

      oldest

      votes






      active

      oldest

      votes









      4














      I have not seen patches hold up on copper. What I find best is to cut it at the hole and sweat a coupler on. It must be dry when you do the soldering or it will leak.






      share|improve this answer



















      • 2




        Yeah, repairing pipe just isn't a reliable approach. Look for a coupler that allows you to slide it fully onto the pipe if you don't have enough movement available. If you do you could use a Sharkbite coupler to avoid soldering.
        – isherwood
        1 hour ago
















      4














      I have not seen patches hold up on copper. What I find best is to cut it at the hole and sweat a coupler on. It must be dry when you do the soldering or it will leak.






      share|improve this answer



















      • 2




        Yeah, repairing pipe just isn't a reliable approach. Look for a coupler that allows you to slide it fully onto the pipe if you don't have enough movement available. If you do you could use a Sharkbite coupler to avoid soldering.
        – isherwood
        1 hour ago














      4












      4








      4






      I have not seen patches hold up on copper. What I find best is to cut it at the hole and sweat a coupler on. It must be dry when you do the soldering or it will leak.






      share|improve this answer














      I have not seen patches hold up on copper. What I find best is to cut it at the hole and sweat a coupler on. It must be dry when you do the soldering or it will leak.







      share|improve this answer














      share|improve this answer



      share|improve this answer








      edited 1 hour ago









      isherwood

      45k453115




      45k453115










      answered 1 hour ago









      Ed Beal

      30.9k12144




      30.9k12144








      • 2




        Yeah, repairing pipe just isn't a reliable approach. Look for a coupler that allows you to slide it fully onto the pipe if you don't have enough movement available. If you do you could use a Sharkbite coupler to avoid soldering.
        – isherwood
        1 hour ago














      • 2




        Yeah, repairing pipe just isn't a reliable approach. Look for a coupler that allows you to slide it fully onto the pipe if you don't have enough movement available. If you do you could use a Sharkbite coupler to avoid soldering.
        – isherwood
        1 hour ago








      2




      2




      Yeah, repairing pipe just isn't a reliable approach. Look for a coupler that allows you to slide it fully onto the pipe if you don't have enough movement available. If you do you could use a Sharkbite coupler to avoid soldering.
      – isherwood
      1 hour ago




      Yeah, repairing pipe just isn't a reliable approach. Look for a coupler that allows you to slide it fully onto the pipe if you don't have enough movement available. If you do you could use a Sharkbite coupler to avoid soldering.
      – isherwood
      1 hour ago













      0














      I've had some success with this stuff - it's basically a fiber tape soaked in something like gorilla glue. But I'd only consider it a temporary repair. the right way is to cut the pipe and solder in a coupler.



      enter image description here






      share|improve this answer


























        0














        I've had some success with this stuff - it's basically a fiber tape soaked in something like gorilla glue. But I'd only consider it a temporary repair. the right way is to cut the pipe and solder in a coupler.



        enter image description here






        share|improve this answer
























          0












          0








          0






          I've had some success with this stuff - it's basically a fiber tape soaked in something like gorilla glue. But I'd only consider it a temporary repair. the right way is to cut the pipe and solder in a coupler.



          enter image description here






          share|improve this answer












          I've had some success with this stuff - it's basically a fiber tape soaked in something like gorilla glue. But I'd only consider it a temporary repair. the right way is to cut the pipe and solder in a coupler.



          enter image description here







          share|improve this answer












          share|improve this answer



          share|improve this answer










          answered 1 hour ago









          CoAstroGeek

          1,5161715




          1,5161715























              0














              You could lay a coating of solder on the pipe, preferably a silver bearing alloy, but you would have to drain that pipe and have "it bone dry". You could clean the copper, drop the boiler pressure to near zero so the drip stops and lay on a coat of fast dry epoxy. These are 2 ideas, hope this helps Also, Home DEpot sells a 1/2" copper compression X compression repair coupling in a 12 lingth length.






              share|improve this answer




























                0














                You could lay a coating of solder on the pipe, preferably a silver bearing alloy, but you would have to drain that pipe and have "it bone dry". You could clean the copper, drop the boiler pressure to near zero so the drip stops and lay on a coat of fast dry epoxy. These are 2 ideas, hope this helps Also, Home DEpot sells a 1/2" copper compression X compression repair coupling in a 12 lingth length.






                share|improve this answer


























                  0












                  0








                  0






                  You could lay a coating of solder on the pipe, preferably a silver bearing alloy, but you would have to drain that pipe and have "it bone dry". You could clean the copper, drop the boiler pressure to near zero so the drip stops and lay on a coat of fast dry epoxy. These are 2 ideas, hope this helps Also, Home DEpot sells a 1/2" copper compression X compression repair coupling in a 12 lingth length.






                  share|improve this answer














                  You could lay a coating of solder on the pipe, preferably a silver bearing alloy, but you would have to drain that pipe and have "it bone dry". You could clean the copper, drop the boiler pressure to near zero so the drip stops and lay on a coat of fast dry epoxy. These are 2 ideas, hope this helps Also, Home DEpot sells a 1/2" copper compression X compression repair coupling in a 12 lingth length.







                  share|improve this answer














                  share|improve this answer



                  share|improve this answer








                  edited 48 mins ago

























                  answered 2 hours ago









                  d.george

                  5,0562613




                  5,0562613






























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