Of Small Leaks And Great Ships

Drainage pipe manufacturers take every precaution to protect their products against the development of weak points that cause leakages within your plumbing water system.

The residential plumbing system is a great ship, which could easily sink thanks to the smallest of leaks. This explains the urgency with which a leaky system should be fixed. It might explain why you're considering the DIY way out rather than waiting for a plumber who never seems to answer to your service calls. Here's how not to get in over your head.

Know Your Metals

Before you begin any type of work on the plumbing system, you need to know exactly what you'll be working with. You need to establish the material used to make the drainage pipes so that you won't end up buying accessories (e.g. line fittings and valves) made of a different material. Brass, copper and steel are among the metals commonly used in plumbing systems.

Copper pipes will often have a red-brown colour while brass is known for its yellow hue that's somewhat gold-like. Steel pipes often have a shiny appearance unless corroded. Brass and copper are both non-magnetic. Pipes made of the two metals won't draw a magnet placed next to them. Being a magnetic material steel will draw the magnet.

The Most Plausible Option For Leak Repair

In many cases, fixing a leaky drainage system will involve cutting out damaged sections of the pipe network and replacing these sections with new pipes. This is especially true if you're looking at several leakages along a certain length of the pipe or if you're working with severely corroded pipes.

While this may be the most plausible course of action, you may question its necessity in the case of minor leakages considering that placing a pipe patch over the leaking area would be a much cheaper alternative.

By the time you notice the seemingly minor leak, the structural integrity of the leaking pipes has already been compromised. A patch-repaired pipe wouldn't be as efficient and/or as durable as a new pipe.

The Right Tools And Supplies

You can't save your ship from sinking without the right tools. In order to cut through pipes made using any of the three metals described above, you'll need the following at the very least:

• A hacksaw/ saw blades if the pipes are relatively thin
• Rotary cutting tools for thicker pipes
• Plumbing adhesives
• A clamping tool (to hold the pipe in place when being cut.

Leave the cutting to a professional if you're unsure of your ability to use the mentioned tools safely. For more information, contact a business such as Intracut.