Repairing a Hot Water Leak: Steps to Follow

Water leaks are a fairly common occurrence in our homes. However, you have the option of temporarily fixing it until the specialist arrives. If you find yourself in this situation, keep calm and call a professional. Here are the steps to follow to repair a hot water leak.

Turn off the main water supply

As soon as you notice a water leak, the first thing to do is find out where the leak is located. Next, you need to turn off the main water supply to your home. This will stop the water leak from dripping.

A water leak in your home can come from a variety of places. If yours is located in a buried or concealed pipe, you should seek the advice of a plumber. They will be able to help you better in this case.

Repairing a water leak on a fitting

If your water leak is on a connection between two pipes, you can repair it yourself. All you need is two suitable wrenches. One will help you hold the male fitting steady, and the other will help you tighten the female fitting.

You must be careful not to use only one wrench for this task. Using only one wrench can distort the pipe and worsen the hot water leak. After tightening, if you find that the fitting is still leaking, you don’t need to change the whole thing. You will only need to replace the gasket.

Fixing a water leak in a pipe

When the leak is in a pipe, it can be caused by a variety of things. It may be due to a crack or a loose weld in the pipe. In this case, you can simply use an anti-leak tape. It will allow you to temporarily repair your water leak in a simple and effective way.

Drain the water system of your home

In order to repair your leak safely, you will need to drain the water system in your home. To do this, find the drain valve and turn it on. Indeed, you will not be able to carry out a good repair of the leak if there is still water in the circuit.

Use a pair of plastic gloves

Leak-proof tape is a kind of chemical resin tape that can be used only once. You can use it to temporarily repair your water leak. Before starting the repair, pay attention to the instructions on the package. It also contains a pair of gloves, which must be put on before handling.

Clean and dry the section of pipe to be repaired

In order to properly repair a hot water leak, the pipe must be completely clean and dry. On a dirty and wet pipe, you will not be able to make an effective repair. Also, if the pipe to be repaired is painted, the paint must be removed. To do this, you will need to scrape off the paint over a length of 10 cm. Then clean it with a non-greasy product such as methylated spirits. To make sure the pipe is dry, you can use a hair dryer.

Apply the leak-proof tape according to the instructions

To use the leak-proof tape, you must follow the instructions in the manual. To begin with, you must immerse the tape in water for the exact time indicated in the instructions. Then, you must quickly place it on the crack responsible for your hot water leak.

Finally, let your repair dry according to the instructions on the package. Make sure to stretch it all around the pipe to close the leak properly by wrapping the crack tightly. This repair should hold until a plumber arrives.

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