How to Repair a Plumbing Leak Inside the Wall, a Tale of Adventure
I have a lot of projects on tap before the infernal summer heat comes to Arizona. This is not one of them. After chasing down the source of a leak feeding our guest bathroom's bathtub, (here) and punching through the soggy drywall, the first order of business was repairing the plumbing.
With the section of pipe cut out of the wall, I had to plug the end and blow on it to find the minuscule pinhole that had been wreaking havoc on our home. It wasn't a failed solder joint, but a hole right through the elbow, near a tiny dab of corrosion.
Check out the pics. The whole crazy adventure with failures and successes is on the blog.
With the section of pipe cut out of the wall, I had to plug the end and blow on it to find the minuscule pinhole that had been wreaking havoc on our home. It wasn't a failed solder joint, but a hole right through the elbow, near a tiny dab of corrosion.
Check out the pics. The whole crazy adventure with failures and successes is on the blog.
Here's the leak. That minuscule hole caused so much damage in the wall.
The fresh cut, dry fitted section.
After a initial horrendous failure, I started fresh, out in the driveway.
Fresh new Dijon mustard looking flux...
... and of course, FIRE!
Again and again, I returned to the fray, spewing blue hell-fire and molten metal into seam after seam, each time better and faster than the last. I attacked my task, in front of that filthy, unwashed Honda, beneath the deepening desert sky. Frustration was a thing of the past; I actually began to enjoy the battle.
Success!!!
I found these neat push-fit couplings at the home center. No torching in the wall, they slip right on,...
... and worked perfectly!
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
Comments
Join the conversation
1 of 12 comments
-
Good for you! Now you get to patch/replace the drywall. Then there's the ....
Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?