Fix broken plumbing to keep your home leak-free.
To fix broken plumbing, you'll first determine the type of plumbing pipe in need of repair. This can include copper pipe for water lines and plastic drain pipe. Fix broken copper pipes by cutting the pipe at the leak and then installing a compression fitting and a new section of pipe. Broken plastic pipes can be fixed by cutting off the bad pipe and then joining new sections of pipe together. Both projects are within do-it-yourselfers' capabilities. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
Cutting Copper Plumbing Pipes
1. Make a mark on each side of the leak in the copper pipe with a felt-tip marker.
2. Set the pipe cutter over one of the marks.
3. Tighten the handle on the pipe cutter until the blade on the cutting wheel just touches the surface of the pipe.
4. Make one revolution around the pipe with the pipe cutter. Tighten the handle and make another rotation around the pipe. Repeat this process until you have cut through the pipe, and repeat the process again for the other mark on the pipe.
Install Compression Fitting
5. Place a nut and compression ring onto each end of the cut pipe.
6. Insert a new section of pipe into the new plumbing connection.
7. Slide the compression ring over the new section of pipe and then hand-tighten the nut onto the threads.
8. Tighten the nut with the adjustable wrench to secure the compression fitting.
Fix Plastic Piping
9. Cut the bad section of pipe off with the hacksaw.
10. Insert a pipe fitting over the existing pipe to make sure it will fit correctly. Mark the location of the joint with a pencil.
11. Apply PVC cement to the inside of the pipe fitting and to the area of the existing pipe below the pencil mark.
12. Insert the new fitting over the pipe and wipe off any excess PVC cement. Wait for the PVC cement to dry before using the plumbing pipe.
Tags: section pipe, pipe cutter, pipe with, around pipe, broken plumbing, compression fitting, compression ring
