Plumbing Leak

[Mr_Cool]

I have a very small leak in my PVC where a piece of 1" pipe goes into a 90. (It's actually in the plumbing for the water softener I just install this weekend, but figured I could ask here. I DID do it myself!)

Is there any way to stop the leak without cutting out the elbow and putting a new on in place. An help would be appreciated.

[dmweise]

You could cover the joint in silicon. JB Weld also may do the trick but it may leach.

[Bill S]

If this is at house pressure, the answer is no. You'll have to redo the plumbing. Sorry for the bad news...

[LoneStar]

If this is at house pressure, the answer is no. You'll have to redo the plumbing. Sorry for the bad news...

yup

[carlinsa]

You could cover the joint in silicon. JB Weld also may do the trick but it may leach.

this is why houses flood.

why did you use pvc? in a house you really always want to avoid pvc just because it can break an in a house its a bad idea all together. like the other two have said the only way to fix is to take that joint out completly. use blue cement or a medium to heavy body cement. also did you prime all the joints? i only ask cause many DIYer do not cause they think you dont need too and the fact is you very much need to on pressure.

in 9 years i have seen MANY flooded houses do to patching so for saftey an a happy wife fix dont patch.

[TexasTodd]

Better yet, hire Carl to come fix it with proper pipe!

:)

[carlinsa]

Better yet, hire Carl to come fix it with proper pipe!

:)

that is great advice todd. :)

[Mr_Cool]

Thanks for the advice. I used PVC because I didn't want to deal with "sweating" the joints w/ copper pipe. The guy at Home Depot said that PVC would be just as good and cheaper, too.

(I did use the purple primer, but not the blue cement. I think it was the gold colored label.)

[carlinsa]

Thanks for the advice. I used PVC because I didn't want to deal with "sweating" the joints w/ copper pipe. The guy at Home Depot said that PVC would be just as good and cheaper, too.

(I did use the purple primer, but not the blue cement. I think it was the gold colored label.)

most guys at home depot an lowes for a better word are IDIOTS. i have been to houses that the profesionals at home depot said this or that an now i am fixing. pvc isnt the worst thing you could have used. personally i would have gotten 2 sharkbite connections and flex lines cause its a "steel" connection. sharkbites are the HO an plumbers greatest invention. its a fitting that you just push onto the copper, cpvc, pex what ever ALMOST and a guaranteed fit.

the gold can is usually just regular bodied clear glue. not bad just if your going to have pvc in a home i would strongly recommend (but its just my opinion an preferrence) med-heavy bodied clear glue or blue.

not trying to be a pain just a help

[Bill S]

Pretty much what Carl said. I'm assuming that 1) your house was pre-plumbed and 2) that it had a copper loop? If so, the connectors that Carl calls "sharkbite" are the way to go. They are usually where the water heaters are. They will connect from a raw copper pipe using a compression fitting, to your water softener. And they are pretty much bulletproof. Great invention.

[Mr_Cool]

Thanks for the input, guys. Here's the whole situation...

I've used the threaded fittings that just push onto the copper loop (once I cut the loop. Then, I used Teflon tape on the PVC elbows and glued the rest of the plumbing. I actually placed the softener about 10 feet from the "loop" because it put it in a more out of the way place. I couldn't put the softener right in front of the loop because the softener's bypass valve was higher than the loop, so the loop would have hit the tank. I didn't want to put it to the right of the loop because that's right next to the door into the house. It seemed to me like it would be in the way there. And, I didn't want to put it to the left of the loop because I was afraid the car door would hit the softener when opened. So, I placed the softener near the big garage door in the corner of the garage. I ran the PVC from the loop, down the wall, across the bottom of the sheet rock, and back up the wall behind the softener. I use 2 hole straps to secure the pipes, too. (Personally, I thought I did a pretty good job, except for the small leak.) I'll try to get some pics this weekend so you have a better idea of what I'm talking about.

[Darth-Tater]

I would say bite the bullet and hire Carl. He does do pretty good work :rofl: ( he has remodled two bathrooms for my family and does outstanding work) besides he stands on street corners with a sign saying " I will work for frags". All kidding aside he is a great plumber and treats every job like it was being done in his own house.


Tater

[carlinsa]

. (Personally, I thought I did a pretty good job, except for the small leak.) I'll try to get some pics this weekend so you have a better idea of what I'm talking about.

i am sure you did just in future now you have some different ideas. if you need anything send me a pm and i can help.

[Mr_Cool]

Thanks. Again, I'll post some pics this weekend so you can see for yourself.

[Mr_Cool]

Some Pics. The close up is where it is leaking. It's kind of hard to see, though. You can see the wet spot on the floor in the second pic.