That little word can send a homeowner into a spin and heading for the nearest bucket to fill, but before you grab for the rubber boots, here are some quick fixes for common household leaks scenarios:
A pipe in your basement is leaking and the puddle is growing larger by the minute.
Try not to panic. Turn off the main water supply (usually found in the basement or crawl space) and clean around the leak. Cut a small length of garden hose, wrapping it around the pipe and using two hose clamps, bind the hose around the pipe as tightly as possible.
Your basement pipes are showing signs of cold water pipe condensation causing you to worry about mold.
Cut some foam-pipe insulation to length and apply it to the pipes you can reach. By osmosis, this will diminish the condensation or sweat on the other lengths of pipe you can’t reach.
The heat is off in the middle of the winter and you’re worried about the pipes bursting.
In a pinch, grab a heating pad and apply it to different areas to thaw and warm the pipe. You can also warm freezing pipes with a portable hair dryer. The best fix is to head to your local hardware store to purchase some pipe-heating cable or wire.
You hear a banging noise from your pipes whenever you flush the toilet or let off pressure from the garden hose nozzle.
This is simply the result of high water pressure, a serious problem that can erode washers and cause leaks as well as premature wear and tear on appliances such as the dishwasher and washing machine. Try adjusting the pressure regulator on the incoming waterline to between 55-65 psi and never exceeding a water pressure reading of 90 psi for a home. To check your home’s water pressure, connect a pressure gauge to the nearest exterior faucet.
You installed a Garbage Disposal and made sure to tighten the under sink pipes but they still seem loose.
You’ve probably mixed PCV washers and nuts with metal parts. Be sure these connection parts are made of the same materials throughout the system.
When you turn on your outside water faucet, it makes noisy vibrations and stops only when you adjust the water flow.
Shut off the water to the outside faucet by closing the ball valve (usually found in the basement or crawl space) on the pipe leading to it. Remove the large nut below the handle to gain access to the interior of the faucet. Check that the washer at the end of the faucet’s valve system is held securely in place by a small roundhead brass screw in the center. If the screw is corroded, the washer may be loose or defective. Simply replace it.
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