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Updated about 10 years ago, 11/22/2014
How to fix this leaking spigot
It's leaking whenever the water is turned on and I have a pic below to illustrate the leak. I'm wondering if there is any type of bonding cement/sealant I could use to patch the leak as opposed to having to replacing the piping or even cutting off the pipe and capping it.
Did it crack due to recent freezing temperatures? Nothing in that picture looks "frost free" :)
#1 Foreclosures Contributor
- Real Estate Professional
- West Palm Beach, FL
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#1 Foreclosures Contributor
- Real Estate Professional
- West Palm Beach, FL
Replace the whole set up, it's flimsy. That copper pipe coming out of the ground isn't strong enough, unsupported.
There is some tape that can be purchased at Ace Hardware that is coated with a really strong hardening compound. I can't remember the name of it but it works well. I would change the valve at bare minimum but the tape would work as a cheapo solution.
No, there is nothing you can just smear on there and fix the leak. If you're just looking for a quick fix, use a torch to remove the leaking section at the elbow. Copper pipe can be re-used, fittings are better replaced. So, at a minimum you would replace the elbow, the ball valve that appears to be damaged and the short section of pipe between them. Easy fix, and certainly do-it-yourselfable. Less than $20 of parts to do the minimal fix, though you will need some tools. Torch, brushes, sandpaper, solder, and flux. Search on youtube for videos on how to correctly "sweat copper pipe".
For that matter, though, I see ZERO point to the ball valves. They just don't provide any useful function. The hose bibs must be leaky and someone added these to avoid the leaks. Better to replace the hose bibs. But better still to dig down to the main line and replace this whole mess with a sturdier setup. When you start attaching hoses and pulling on them you're really stressing this piping. Its not meant to be structural. So more damage is inevitable.
I assume there is a cutoff somewhere upstream that allows these valves to be shut off during the winter and drained. If they have water on them during a freeze, and I know if freezes in DFW, they will break every time. That looks like what's happened. Assuming the can be shut off and drained do that before it gets cold. I notice the broken valve is in the OFF position. An easy mistake is to turn a ball valve off when the water is on. That traps water inside the ball. If you get a freeze, that slug of water inside the ball will break the valve. So, after you shut off the water upstream, go back and open all these valves to release the trapped water.
It did crack recently thanks to this very early winter blast that we all loved *rolling my eyes*. I want a quick fix without having to alter the pipes in any way. Is there no type of epoxy or cement or anything that I could use to seal the small crack?
I'll insulate the pipes as well once I figure out a fix to hopefully prevent this from happening a second time :)
Just saw your post Jon. Thanks for the detailed answer!!
@Jon Holdman is right, 1) you should get rid of those ball valves, and 2) the whole setup is not good. It looks like you've got copper to galvanized, which isn't a great idea, and yeah, that copper pipe isn't meant to hold up that whole getup.
If this is from your main water line (not a well), then you should already have a ball valve in the house that turns water off, so those extra ones are not necessary. The one inside the house should shut that off, so you can keep open the bib and keep the water inside that line from freezing.
If you don't want to change out the copper underground, a handyman should be able to cut that off the damaged part attach new copper pipe pretty cheaply. You can learn how from YouTube and some practice, but after buying the other tools you'll need (pipecutter, propane, solder, etc), most of which you'll never use again, you'll end up paying as much as hiring a handyman.
Insulate by itself will not help at all. You would need to add a heat source, such as a "heat tape" under the insulation.
Sorry, but you're going to have to do some plumbing. The quick and dirty way to prevent further damage, assuming you don't have an upstream cut off, would be to dig down, cut that copper that's coming up out of the ground and cap it off.
Sweating copper is really quite easy. I used to hate plumbing. Then I came to the conclusion I just hate galvanized pipe.
#2 Contractors Contributor
- Severna Park, MD
Unless its a necessary item , find the turn off source , turn off the supply and then run over that mess with an old lawn mower . If its necessary then install a frost free hydrant .There are no magical pastes to repair .
real easy. purchase 2 items from any home depot etc.
1 copper pipe cutter (10 bucks?)
2. sharkbite cap. (10 bucks?)
cut pipe at the copper with pipe cutter (looks like a 2 inch by 2inch cutting wheel you keep turning around the pipe and tightening until the pipe is cut), (turn off water first). slam shark bite cap on copper end you cut until you hear it click tight. (probablt 1/2 inch)
problem solved, 20 minutes of your time.
on second thought, that is coming out of the ground?? I thought that was coming out of a wall from the angle. Find the pipe inside the house that leads to that non sence and cut that piece of copper and cap it. the easiest way to deal with this is to make it disappear.
however, you could also just cut that pipe and replace it with a sharkbite valve instead of a cap, do all the same stuff I already posted, and have access to water still assuming you really want it.
No patching/taping allowed. Redo/sweat and change the fittings for the copper piping. Its really pretty easy. Eliminate all those unecessary valves.