- 1). Locate the source of the leak and mark the pipe if the leak is small and easily overlooked. Turn off the water that supplies the house and bleed the pipes by opening up all of the faucets. This should cause the water in the pipes to drain out allowing you to work on the broken pipe without getting wet. When the pipes are empty, close all the faucets again.
- 2). Cut the pipe with the hacksaw right where the leak is. Try to make the cut as straight as possible. Dry the two new ends of pipe inside and out with the rag and if desired clean the PVC with the cleaner, following the directions carefully on the container.
- 3). Apply the PVC cement to the ends of the cut sections. Lather it on in a band around the outside of the end of the pipe. The cement will melt the PVC slightly so that when it comes into contact with another piece of PVC pipe, and the cement sets, the two pieces are bonded as one.
- 4). Choose a coupling that best suits your needs. There are a few different types of couplers that can be used, but all of them achieve the same result. A regular PVC coupler slips over one of the ends of the cut section of pipe and then the other section is inserted into the other end of the coupler. The PVC cement on the ends of the sections will bond them to the inside of the coupler, sealing the leak in the pipe.
A neoprene coupler is similar to a regular PVC coupler but instead it is made of what looks like black rubber and at each end of the coupler are hose clamps. Slip this coupler over the ends of the cut PVC pipe and then use the screwdriver to tighten the hose clamps down.
A compression coupler may be slightly more expensive than other couplers and is a little bulkier as well. This coupler slips over the ends of the cut pipe and tightens down by using the channel lock pliers to screw each end of the compression coupler to the pipe. - 5). Wait the recommended time for the PVC cement to dry and then turn on the water to the house. Check to make sure that the repair job has been successful.
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