Don’t Use This TikTok 'Hack' to Fix a Leaky Pipe

Photo: IanRedding (Shutterstock)

You won’t beryllium capable to spot what’s going on

The fashionable Tiktok repair video recommends inserting a shot of kneadable plumbing epoxy into the h2o enactment and utilizing h2o unit to propulsion the epoxy shot into spot implicit the hole. This is simply a rotation connected what plumbing contractors telephone “trenchless” tube repair, but it relies connected the h2o unit doing the positioning of the epoxy alternatively of utilizing tools to manipulate it into position. Hiring a nonrecreational with tools and a camera to bash the repair is simply a acold amended prime than tossing a shot of epoxy down the drain and crossing your fingers.

Your h2o unit mightiness not beryllium precocious enough

There are a mates of things astir the epoxy shot method that mightiness origin problems, but the astir evident crushed it whitethorn not enactment is your h2o unit mightiness not beryllium precocious capable to propulsion the epoxy securely into the hole. If the epoxy wanders done the tube and adheres determination else—like astatine a seam oregon crook successful the pipe, each you’ve done is origin a imperishable clog successful the system. This could trim h2o unit connected the different broadside of the clog arsenic good arsenic stressing joints successful the parts of the strategy earlier wherever the epoxy shot got stuck owed to the accrued pressure. Digging up your pipes to regenerate a conception owed to an epoxy blockage is the other of a elemental fix.

It mightiness not marque a bully seal

Because epoxies are not ever wholly watertight until they cure, utilizing an epoxy shot successful a tube filled with flowing h2o mightiness pb to dilatory oregon incomplete curing, affecting the seal. This could perchance pb to cracks oregon to the epoxy coming loose, causing the leak to recur oregon for bits of epoxy to participate the h2o line. While a plumber mightiness person tools to marque definite that the process goes arsenic planned, if you don’t person a scope you won’t beryllium capable to get a bully look astatine the seal.

You mightiness take the close benignant of epoxy

The different happening to enactment astir a DIY epoxy resin hole is that epoxies tin merchandise toxic chemicals into the h2o arsenic they cure. While food-safe epoxies bash exist, these are usually lone harmless aft they cure. To effort and cure the epoxy successful an progressive h2o enactment without the requisite cognition and instrumentality could effect successful vulnerability to the toxic curing agents successful the patch.

Your repair mightiness not beryllium up to code

The past important happening to enactment astir epoxy patches for h2o lines is that determination mightiness beryllium gathering codes successful your country outlining the types of materials and investigating required for a h2o enactment fix. Sometimes, harm tin hap arsenic the effect of a leak that would necessitate you to excavate the country surrounding the pipe. A certified plumber volition beryllium capable to assistance you find the grade of the harm and what is really needed to repair it. You shouldn’t effort a DIY hole unless you’re definite you tin spot adjacent harm and are acquainted with section gathering codes pertaining to plumbing and h2o quality. Ignoring these regulations could effect successful a hefty good oregon a much costly hole down the road.