Can a leaky pipe burst?

Water supply pipes are commonly clay, concrete, plastic, or steel. Once a line has sprung a leak, it will begin to slowly lose water from its system, which is often very difficult to detect (at first). If left undetected for too long – the pipe may completely burst and cause damage to nearby objects, including flooding.

If you suspect that you have an emergency leak in your home’s piping system, the best thing you can do is contact a plumbing repair specialist as soon as possible. The sooner they start work on the broken pipe, the easier it will be to make permanent repairs before the problem worsens.

A leaking water supply line cannot usually be fixed with materials purchased at your local home goods store. Some products on the market claim to stop leaks, but they are not very effective at fixing broken pipes.

If the leak is minor, you may need a new rubber washer or gasket installed for between $50 and $100. A more permanent solution would be to call your plumber and have them come out to assess the situation. Before making repairs, they will first use their expertise to determine where exactly the problem lies.

Once your plumbing professional has taken care of the damaged section of the pipe, you should always leave it running at total capacity for 30 minutes or so to flush debris through out-of-house lines. This is especially important if you notice that you have lost water pressure since the burst.

If you are handy with tools and have a little plumbing experience, you may be able to fix a leaky pipe on your own without having to call in a professional. First, shut off the water supply valve to the entire house (or at least to the leaking section of the pipe). Next, use a wrench to remove the coupling nuts from either end of the line. If the nuts are corroded or rusted, you will likely need to cut them off with a hacksaw. Be very careful not to damage the threads on either end of the pipe while doing this.

Once the coupling nuts have been removed, use a screwdriver or pliers to remove the compression sleeves (if they are still in good condition) and discard them. Now you can slide a new compression sleeve onto the pipe and reattach the coupling nuts. Tighten the nuts by hand as much as possible, then use your wrench to tighten them further. If you have difficulty getting the nuts tight enough, you can use a pipe wrench or a vise grip to hold the nut in place while tightening the bolt with your other hand.

Once the nuts are tight, turn on the water supply valve and check for leaks. If there are any leaks, tighten the coupling nuts further until they stop. Once everything is leak-free, turn off the water supply valve and allow the pipe to cool down before reconnecting to any appliances.