Water pipe leaking can cause a lot of problem. They will cause a lot of property damage, especially when gone undetected. Water leaks can rot out the wood floors and your ceilings board, and even worst when it cause electrical shorts which might cause fire hazard.

Pipe Leaking

How to deal with water pipe leaking? In order to tackle the leaking problem effectively, one needs to have basic understand on the above subject, followed by proper planning, identifier the source of leaking and fixing it. Pipe leakage can be anywhere, and randomly, therefore the first step to tackle the problem is to trace out the source of the problem and then taking necessary steps to repair the leaking section.
The first step in discovering the source of the problem is by monitoring the water meter measure. In order to do so, the taps in the house and garden have to be turned off and that all the related equipments like toilets, bathrooms, basins, etc are not in operation. Then take the water meter reading. Wait for about 15~20 minutes and then take another reading. The next step is subtract the start reading from the final reading. Multiply by six to determine the amount of litres of water lost per hour. If a leak is detected, fix it by following the subsequent steps.

It may be the pipe is leaking from the spout when the water is turned off. The vast majority of the time, the problem is a damaged seat, stem, or washer. Turn on the handle to drain residual water that might still be in the pipes. Cover the drain with a cloth or paper towel so you don’t lose any parts. Pop off the faucet caps with a small screwdriver if your faucets have them. Use a screwdriver to remove the screw in each handle. Now pull off the handle; if it won’t budge then take a pipe handle puller and place the side bars of the puller under the handle. Now turn the bar at the top of the puller so that the shaft is inserted into the handle. Tighten the bar and pull the handle. To remove the stem, place slip joint pliers around the packing nut and turn counterclockwise until it is loose. Lift out the stem and put it in a bag. Do the same with the other side.

Take the two stems to the hardware store. Having the stems with you will enable you to properly fit new stem washers and/or valve seats. To install new washers, use a screwdriver to remove the stem screw. Now pry out the old washer and put on a new one. Next, insert the stem screw and tighten. Do the same with the other stem.

When you replace a washer, you always need to replace the valve seat. You will need a seat wrench and Teflon tape. Using the appropriate size end of the seat wrench, insert it into the faucet body and turn counterclockwise. Now apply the Teflon tape counter clockwise onto the new valve seat. Then place the valve seat on the appropriate size end off the seat wrench and insert it into the body, turning clockwise to tighten the screws. Replace the caps. Make sure you always clean up the area where you have been working. Don’t cross-thread any of the nuts or the valve seat when reassembling the pipe. Turn on the main water valve again and double-check your pipes to be sure they aren’t leaking. If the faucet works correctly, pat yourself on the back and enjoy the double benefit you just earned; saving money from doing it yourself and gaining useful knowledge in the process.