Can you temporarily repair a pinhole leak in a gray flex supply line to a bathroom sink?
I have found a pinhole leak under a bathroom sink. The shut off valve just spins with no shutting off being done, so I’m shutting of the whole house between times it’s needed to be on…not often.
Can this type of line be temporarily repaired until I figure out how much of the vanity’s plumbing I want to renew..and pick it up at the store? I know the faucet will be replaced and the U waste line under the sink (a mess of calcium deposits and corrosion now)…and maybe the sink itself.
Just trying to buy a week or so of time.
Would the epoxy or clamping kits designed for metallic lines work for these flexible ones? The original construction of the sink was mid 1970’s. I’m not sure exactly what material the gray supply line is. Looks like semi-hard plastic.
Thanks
PS Can these red handled shut off valves be repaired? Most seem to be straight line designs. There are several others in the house probably in the same state. (The Main works fine.)
Replies
pin hole yes... crack no
if it is just a pin hole (which doesn't happen much) then you can seal/stop the leak by doing nothing more than screwing a drywall screw into the hole/leak IF however it's a crack all this will do is act as a wedge and open it up more
P
I wouldn't recommend driving in a screw in most plastic pipe -- you're apt to split it and cause a flood.
For a pinhole leak in a "clear" area of the pipe, where you can get around it, you can wrap the spot with tape (electrical tape or a narrow strip of duct tape would work, though some sort of rubber tape would be better), then install a spiral hose clamp around the spot. Depending on the quality of the tape used, this should make a fairly long-lasting repair.
But it seems unlikely that a pinhole leak would develop in such a "clear" area -- it would be far more likely near a fitting, and then this sort of repair is difficult or impossible, and replacement is the way to go.
But, assuming that you're talking about the line that goes from the shutoff valve to the faucet, replacement is fairly simple. Rather than get a plastic or brass replacement line, get one of the flexible braided hoses ("NoBurst" brand is a good one). These are very easy to install, and the only real problem will be accessing the fitting on the bottom of the faucet (for which a "
faucetbasin wrench" may be required).And, in case that doesn't work, get a cap to put on the shutoff valve fitting -- they are available at most hardware stores in one of those cabinets with drawers full of odd plumbing fittings.
As to why the shutoff valve doesn't work, it sounds like most likely the handle has come loose from the shaft. However, when you rework everything be sure to install new 1/4-turn shutoffs -- they work much better/easier than the old stuff.
I saw something on TV that came in an aerosol can. Sealed everything, leaking gutters, blown out garden hoses, leaky gas tank, swimming pool, bathtub drain, frozen pipe. Buy one, get the second can FREE! just pay additional shipping and handling.
Wow! Is that the way to go, or what?
We could spray the levees in in New Orleans, nuclear reactor cooling towers, kids' runny noses....the possiblilies are endless.
I wonder if it can fix a cracked engine block. Also NO PREPARATION to surface needed, and works on wet surfaces too!
Leaky basement? No problem!
It's a miracle!
And if you have some magic putty, why, you would need nothing else to fix anything!
The leak is in the middle of the line.
It was spraying against the back of the vanity and made a real mess of the ceiling over the shower stall in the floor below it. Not so much from volume but from time. It must have been finely spraying at least two days.
The bathroom faucet replacement has been on my to-do list for a few months so the line that sprung the leak is going to be replaced anyway. I think I'm not going to replace the sink, just the faucet, it's supply lines, and the waste U assembly below it.
So....all I was looking for was a fix for a week because it's all going to be replaced soon anyway.
I'm thinking the Tape and Hose Clamp fix might be the way to go.
Re: the shut off valve. While I'm sure the red handle has been stripped, I'm pretty sure it's frozen up inside too. I was just wondering if it's guts could be replaced as you would to a toilet supply line shut-off...leaving the shell of the valve and just replacing some interior valves, washers, etc, and the handle.
Thanks for the feedback.
Re: that spray rubber. I've seen the ads on tv. The stuff really does look cool. It would help some spots in my gutters for sure. But, you get 2 cans for 20 bucks plus whatever the shipping and handling is. Usually, the S and H is a deal killer for me. Hopefully it will be in the stores sometime soon.
TF
A cheap 30-40 year old shutoff valve is not worth trying to repair. The modern quarter-turn units are MUCH MUCH better -- they're easy to operate and shut off completely, whereas the old units would always leave a dribble.
But if the valve is frozen you can often get it moving again by loosening the packing nut around the stem. Loosen it, get the valve turning, then tighten it again.
Well, you could make a cut where the leak is and put a shutoff or coupler there to stop the leak.
Aside from the issue of accessing the faucet end, that would be more work/expense than just replacing the thing with flex.
I hate doing plumbing.
I tried the tape and clamp but I must have screwed up because it just started shooting out even stronger in the opposite direction. Maybe I clamped it too tight.
The hole was on the back side so I couldn't see it directly so maybe I missed. The clamp I used was not very wide either.
Now I guess I'll try to tape right next to the first with another clamp. If that doesn't work I guess put in a new supply line until I find a reasonable faucet price.
These faucet prices have really gone up since I bought my last one.
posted 2x sorry