Repair tiny hole/scratch in copper pipe
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.
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
add a comment |
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.
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
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
add a comment |
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.
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
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.
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
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
add a comment |
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
add a comment |
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
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.
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
add a comment |
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.
add a comment |
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.
add a comment |
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3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
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.
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
add a comment |
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.
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
add a comment |
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.
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.
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
add a comment |
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
add a comment |
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.
add a comment |
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.
add a comment |
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.
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.
answered 1 hour ago
CoAstroGeek
1,5161715
1,5161715
add a comment |
add a comment |
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.
add a comment |
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.
add a comment |
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.
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.
edited 48 mins ago
answered 2 hours ago
d.george
5,0562613
5,0562613
add a comment |
add a comment |
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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