Knowing how to fix a pinhole leak in a copper pipe can save a lot of money in plumber's fees
Copper water pipes

A pinhole leak is i of the most common types of pipe repair that nosotros get asked about – and knowing how easy information technology tin can be to gear up ane can often salve you a small fortune in avoidable plumber's fees.

Most pinhole leaks in domestic copper pipes are a result of pitted corrosion on the inside of the pipe breaking through to the outside, causing the tiniest of cracks to appear. When this happens, water in the pipe begins to leak out of the damaged section.

Because it is impossible to protect the inside of pipework and control what is going on within systems, preventing pitted corrosion is extremely difficult.

Nobody is able to conclusively say what causes pitted corrosion, either. It could exist happening for a whole host of reasons; high levels of chlorine in your water supply; a problem with the water pressure; or corrosion particles escaping another rusted component, such as a boiler, and edifice up on the inside of the pipe.

Pinhole leaks are not just restricted to copper pipes corroding away. Accidentally drilling into a pipe can cause a pinhole in materials including steel and cast fe. Being able to ready a pinhole leak is a skill that can serve you well in any number of applications.

So, how exactly practise you lot fix a leaking pipe with a pinhole? Here are four easy methods.

Fix a pinhole leak using epoxy putty

Because pinhole leaks are small, the easiest repair method is to fill them with epoxy putty. The best tool for the job is an epoxy putty stick, which combines the resin and the hardener in a pre-measured format.

To use an epoxy putty stick, you tear off the corporeality of putty required and knead it by hand. The putty will apace turn to a uniform colour, at which signal you push button it into the pinhole. It will then cure and harden, filling and sealing the pinhole.

Repairs made with epoxy putty are long lasting but non permanent. To reinforce the pinhole pipage repair and turn information technology into a permanent solution, yous can overwrap the putty with a pipe repair bandage. When the resin infused in the bandage is activated, it will cure to provide a stone hard, impact resistant layer over the initial repair.

Repair a pinhole leak using pipe repair tape

1 downside of epoxy putty is that information technology will struggle to bail with pipes when water pressure cannot be turned off – the higher the water pressure, the less chance of a successful repair.

In these instances, a good alternative is a waterproof pipe repair tape. Such tapes are fabricated from self-fusing silicone and when stretched and wrapped around a pinhole, will form a solid rubber band over the leak area for a pressure resistant repair.

Just similar with epoxy putty, a pinhole leak repair fabricated with waterproof repair record can be reinforced with a piping repair bandage for an added layer of protection.

Fixing a pinhole leak with a pipe repair clamp

Pipe repair clamps provide another straightforward method of repair for a pinhole leak. They consist of a metallic sleeve with a flexible pad of rubber inside.

The clench is placed over the expanse of pipage requiring repair. When the screws on the clamp are tightened, information technology volition bolt down and cover the pipe, sealing the pinhole leak.

There are limitations to pipe repair clamps. Because they must encompass the pipe, they can merely exist applied to straight sections.

If the pinhole leak is on a tee or an elbow – as is often the case when pitted corrosion is the culprit – then a clamp will not provide an effective repair.

Replacing pitted pipes

If you are unfortunate enough to suffer from pinhole leaks on a frequent footing, so this is frequently a sign of extensive pitted corrosion throughout your pipework system.

In this case, you may be amend off replacing the damaged sections of pipe as high levels of pitted corrosion tin lead to much more serious issues than pinholes.

The older your pipes, the more likely they are to need replacing. The lifespan of copper pipe can exist anywhere between 20 and 50 years depending on the workload placed upon the system.

If your property is served by copper pipes over twenty years sometime and pinhole leaks are becoming a recurring result, and so it might exist time to consider pipe replacement rather than repair.