very slow leak, epoxy putty won't seal: why and any alternative?

Tony_23

Blasphemy ! :) Real plumbers don't use it.(or admit it)

Wire brush it. Then use denatured alcohol or acetone (nail polish remover) to chemically clean it. Work the putty into the joint and feather it out. Let it set. Done. All this was in the instructions packed with a tube I bought years ago :) Worked on a gasoline tank w/ many pinholes and lasted for 3+ years, leakfree.

<A HREF="http://www.heatinghelp.com/getListed.cfm?id=384&Step=30">To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"</A>

John Ketterman

I apologize for asking another plumbing question on this heating forum, and I appreciate the indulgence of experts on this forum. This one's about galv pipe, not copper.

I have a VERY slow leak where a galvanized fitting screws into a pipe. Maybe one drop a minute. I ran out and got some plumbers' epoxy putty. I turned the water off and made sure the area was dry before applying the epoxy. I pushed it as hard as I could into the edge where the fitting meets the pipe. I let it harden for an hour (they say 20 min)...No dice, the leak just moved to the edge of the epoxy. I put some more epoxy around the first batch, same deal.

This has actually happened to me before. Epoxy putty just doesn't seem to stop slow water leaks, although it worked fine once as a temporary fix on a slow gas leak.

Is there a trick I should be using? I can chisel off the epoxy and start again. I'd hate to have to disassemble and replace the fitting, though.

Unknown

is its old

It is old glav pipes? Threads may be corroding away and no "metal" left.. Time to replace the pipe/fittings... Expony are made for temp fixes

Empire_2

Why not....

Replace the fitting and pipe? I can see epoxy for some things, but replace the fitting. Also, a gas leak??? and epoxy was used? Put down the epoxy and slowly back away from the glue....;-)

Mike T. Just having fun with ya.;-)

David Sutton_6

Two old time tricks

check with your supply house for lead wool, pack it in with a sharp fine chisel, or try using sea salt pack it on the fitting and it may rust it shut...David

To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

John Ketterman

Yeah, it's a very old house. Replacing the fitting is easier said than done, it's a four-way (don't know the right tech term but there are four pipes going to or from it). Lots of work to disassemble everything.

Sorry I mentioned the gas leak! The gas company guy advised me to do it. It was a small leak causing only a faint smell. The smell went away after I used the epoxy putty. We no longer live there...

Unknown

figured

Figured it was old pipings,, that leaky fittings is giving you a fair warning of what will happens in near future.... Leaky pipes/fittings all over... I've done a lot of repiping in old homes and its a challege but can be done... Reason why your'e not at the home with gas leak? Did it blow up?

hr

If it's worth doing, it's

worth doing right! Could be you are at the end of the lifecycle of that connection. As others have mentioned the threads could be corroded away. This is an excellent time to cut out the section and check the condition of the fitting and surrounding piping.

if it is just one bad connection you could consider some dresser couplings for a better fix than band-aids

If all the piping looks bad, or thin, invest in some rolls of pex and start over. Usually these leaks snowball, especially when you start wrenching on things.

hot rod

To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

John Ketterman

> Blasphemy ! Real plumbers don't use it.(or

> admit it)

>

> Wire brush it. Then use denatured

> alcohol or acetone (nail polish remover) to

> chemically clean it. Work the putty into the

> joint and feather it out. Let it set. Done. All

> this was in the instructions packed with a tube I

> bought years ago Worked on a gasoline tank w/

> many pinholes and lasted for 3+ years,

> leakfree.

>

> _A

> HREF="http://www.heatinghelp.com/getListed.cfm?id=

> 384&Step=30"_To Learn More About This

> Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in

> "Find A Professional"_/A_

John Ketterman

that did the trick, many thanks!

> Wire brush it. Then use denatured

> alcohol or acetone (nail polish remover) to

> chemically clean it. Work the putty into the

> joint and feather it out.


Yes, that did the trick, many thanks!

I think it was the wirebrushing that made the difference. There was some rust where the water had been dripping and that probably prevented the expoxy from sticking there.