7 Weird Ways to Fix a Leak

There is no shame in not being great at DIY. Some of us are just useless that way, and that’s okay.

Except when we need to be handy. There’s nothing like a flood from a burst pipe to make you wish you were a bit handier around the house.

If you need to fix a leak and don’t have the first idea about what to do, you are not alone. There is no better way to learn how to fix a leak than when you are ankle deep in toilet water.

You don’t need to be a plumber to stop up the problem until you can actually get one there. But if it’s the middle of the night, or a holiday when these things like to go wrong, it can be expensive.

Let’s take a look at a few ways you can fix a leak yourself.

1. Turn off the Main Water Source

Do this before you attempt any type of amateur plumbing tricks. The last thing you need is a blast of water in the face and then a few gallons of water pouring out of the hole you just made.

These are located behind the sink in the bathroom, or under the sink in your kitchen. This will prevent a worse leak and short of just putting down the good towels and hoping for the best, it’s the place to start.

2. Take It off and Put It Back on Again

Taps, faucets, shower heads–sometimes that’s all they need.

Unscrew the taps or showerhead and take out the loose parts, but don’t lose them. It could be just a lot of dirt or a hard water build-up inside, so give it a good clean and put it back together.

If the rubber washer is damaged, you can try gluing it down the tear. If it is damaged beyond repair, try using something to hold it until you can replace it.

If you have an old pair of rubber boots, cut a small piece off the top and use the old one for size. This won’t do any real damage to the boot and it will hold the leak until you get a new washer.

3. Duct Tape

Duct tape can act as a miracle drug when you need it, for almost anything. Use duct tape to fix a leak until you can call the plumber. Make sure you wrap it really tightly and go around the pipe a few times to make sure it will hold.

If the leak is particularly bad, try wrapping some kind of plastic or waterproof material around it first, then tape it down. Most duct tape is waterproof, but not all of it.

Taping off the leak can help but it won’t last long. if the water is shut off, it will hold long enough for the plumber to get there and fix the leak properly.

4. Repair Clamps

Repair clamps are just a good item to have around. When not stopping leaks or keeping your home held together, they make nice club accessories, like bracelets and earrings. You can likely find all kinds of uses for them.

They are adjustable and will help fix a leak until the plumber can get there to repair it. They can be different sizes, different materials, and have multiple uses. You can clamp the pipe or clamp it with other patching items.

Wood, plastic, rubber or some kind of waterproof cloth–anything you have to stop the flow of water.

5. Household Hacks

Glue

If you need to stop up or fix a small leak, you can try using super adhesive glue to the spot that is leaking. It may seal it up and hold it until you can get proper help. Any kind of epoxies will harden enough to stop the leak.

They are a plastic resin that will dry very hard and help the leak and further damage.

Beauty Aids

You can also try things like nail polish to seal up a small hole, as that will dry hard enough to keep it from leaking until help arrives.

Make sure the area is dry enough to get the glue to adhere. You can use these in weakened areas, as well, to preen more leaks or cracks.

Even the small leaks can be sealed up by rubbing cake soap across the hole. The soap forms a cover over the leak and can hold it until you can get more reliable help or solutions. Weird, but true.

If you are having trouble finding the leak, soap or shampoo can help you there. Rub soap or body wash or even dish soap along the pipe until you see the bubbles and foaming start and you will have found your leak.

Rubber

Rubber bands cut and then wrapped around the small leak can hold off some damage until you can get it fixed. Other types of rubber can be cut down and either glued, clamped or taped over the leak.

There are actually substances made to seal and fix a leak that you can buy.

Foam

Polyurethane foam is great for any size of leaks and can seal up pipes, walls, concrete and more. It fills in the hole, expands, and then hardens, making it the perfect solution.

Sealants

A good sealant or caulking can come in handy if you need to fix a leak. Just a small amount can stop the water flow and any more damage until the proper plumbing services can get there to fix it.

This can save a lot of trouble and these sealants can be used with other patching materials, like patching mortars.

Patching Mortars

Patching mortars are cement-based that will expand when applied and then harden to seal the deal. They are ideally used on concrete, but they will work to fix a leak when there is nothing else in the house to use.

Plumber’s Putty

This is another sealant you can use to cover the hole or leak. It has a clay foundation and will harden to keep the leaking area sealed until the plumber can be called.

Repair Sleeves

Repair sleeves are similar to clamps and are great for joint or pinhole repairs. They can provide a strong fix for a limited amount of time and work well for smaller cracks or leaks.

6. Tools

If you have a few tools around the house, use them. The wrench is the one that will help you the most.

Oddly enough, it’s called a pipe wrench. You can tighten up the taps or nuts on the joints of pipes with a wrench to help fix a leak but also prevent them.

A plunger is also a very useful tool to have when you are trying to fix a leak. Give the toilet a good plunging to see if there are any foreign substances stuck in there that shouldn’t be.

Kid’s toys, clothing, too much paper, your missing hairbrush. It could just be a simple blockage causing the leak and this could save you a lot of money.

A file might come in handy for fixing a leak. If you can see a leak but can’t find where it is coming from due to the pipe being corroded or rusty, you can use the file to find the leak and seal it.

7. Plumber’s Tape

Plumber’s tape or thread tape is thin and white and stretchy. You use it around the inside of the threads where the pipes are screwed together.

This seals the pipes and the keeps the threads of the pipe snug when fitted together. It keeps them from leaking or stripping and will make it easier to open the tighten them, as well.

The thread tape comes in different sizes so you can also use the tape to wrap around the outside of the pipe, around the hole or crack. It is Teflon and very strong, yet pliable.

Wrapped around the pipe, it will seal itself and will work well as a patch until the help arrives. It can also be used with other substances or materials to form a temporary seal for the leak.

Ready to Fix a Leak?

No one expects to have a leak and they never really happen at a convenient time. Keeping your plumbing in good repair can prevent some major accidents, but not all.

Bad leaks happen to good people, too. If you want to hire someone to give your plumbing the once over, it might be a good idea. In particular, if the home is old or you are new to it and are unsure how old the pipes actually are.

It can be amazing what small little household items can save the day when we least expect it. There’s all kind of uses for many different products, and we just showed you a few for your plumbing mishaps.

It’s never fun having to call a plumber, but it’s always good to know one. While you are waiting for him to arrive, here are some fun pictures to amuse you.

Weirdomatic is the place where all weird things come to life through the amazing world of photographs – a corner of our wild imagination or the whimsical face of the reality?