How to Repair a Slow Leak on a Copper Fitting Pipe
- 1). Turn off your main water supply. For houses on municipal water supplies, this valve is located on or neat the water meter. If your water is supplied by a well, the main cutoff should be located on or near the bottom of your pressure tank.
- 2). Drain the water from your plumbing. Open all the faucets in your house and allow them to drain. The presence of water in a copper pipe will prevent it from becoming hot enough to melt solder.
- 3). Remove the leaking fitting. Heat the fitting with a propane torch. Grasp the adjoining pipe gently but firmly with adjustable pliers and pull. When the fitting is heated sufficiently, the solder will melt and the pipe will pull free of the fitting with only a small amount of force.
- 4). Allow the fitting to cool.
- 5). Clean the inside of the fitting with a round wire brush. Insert the brush into the fitting and twist it several times. Remove the brush and inspect the inside of the fitting. Repeat the brushing as necessary until the inside of the fitting is uniformly shiny.
- 6). Sand the outside of the pipe with fine grade sandpaper. Remove as much old solder as possible. Continue sanding until the surface is clean and smooth.
- 7). Apply soldering paste to the inside of the fitting and the outside of the pipe. Place the end of the pipe back into the fitting.
- 8). Unroll and straighten 6 inches of silver solder wire off the coil.
- 9). Heat the fitting with a propane torch. Hold the end of the solder on the pipe at the edge of the fitting. When the pipe is heated to the melting point of the solder, the solder will flow into and fill the joint. Place a coffee can half-full of water underneath the joint to reduce the risk of fire or accidental damage to the surface underneath your work area. If there is not enough clearance underneath the pipe to fit a coffee can, a damp cotton rag can be used.
- 10
Turn the torch off and allow the joint to cool at least 10 minutes before turning the water back on. - 11
Turn the water supply on and inspect the fitting for leaks. If you are new at sweating copper, this may take more than one try.
