A leak can happen very quickly. A bad gesture while tinkering, wear of the ducts, a pressure problem, poor workmanship… there are many reasons for such an incident. If it is essential to have the leak repaired by a professional as soon as possible, it is desirable to know how to fill the leak by clogging to deal with the most urgent. This temporary technique has the merit of allowing you to limit the damage and giving you time to organize yourself to plan your final repair. Before a plumber can change the fitting or seal or even weld your pierced piping, here are the first emergency actions to apply to your pipe.
How to equip yourself to repair a leak by clogging?
If a leak occurs, it is important to have something to act on immediately. If your first instinct must be to cut off the water supply, you will not be able to stay in this situation for long without another solution. Here is what you need to repair the leak by plugging:
- The patching element (epoxy putty, flexible tape, repair paste, etc.)
- A wire brush
- protective gloves
How to repair a leak by clogging? The steps to follow
If repairing a leak by clogging is relatively simple, including for a beginner handyman, you still have to do the right things. Here are the steps you will need to follow to achieve this smoothly and effectively.
Step 1: turn off the water
Before any intervention, in the event of a leak, your first instinct must be to cut off the water supply. This is the kind of element that we rarely think about, but it is nevertheless important to know how to locate it in order to act as quickly as possible in the event of an incident.
By cutting off the water supply, you will avoid flooding, whether visible or invisible, and will greatly limit the damage. In addition, you will not be able to intervene if you do not perform this operation beforehand.
Once the water supply has been cut off, open the taps to properly drain the entire circuit and eliminate any remaining water.
Step 2: dry the area
To seal the leak, you must first dry the damaged area well. Without this step, the sealing product will not be able to adhere.
To facilitate the adhesion of the product and make it effective, rub the area well with a metal brush.
Step n°3: we make the sealing mastic
Before applying your patching product, it may be necessary to prepare it. If you opted for mastic, put on gloves and cut a piece of each stick, in equal parts. Mix the two pieces well to form a uniform paste by kneading them between your fingers.
Step 4: plug the hole
With the paste, form a bead that you will apply all around the pipe, at the level of the leak. Do not hesitate to make it overflow on the sides of the hole to avoid any new overflow. Press the paste against the pipe.
Then wet your fingers and smooth the surface of the putty. Finally, let it dry well for the time indicated on the manufacturer’s instructions, generally 1 to 2 hours.
If you’ve opted for patch tape, tightly surround the damaged area with multiple layers of tape, making sure they overlap each other.
You can then turn the water back on and contact a plumber to have the pipe repaired.