How can I repair a pinhole leak in the elbow with the water shut off at the main?
Asked by Johan Hansen 
7 months ago
Last Updated: May 15, 2024
Hey there! So, good news – the plumber will be here in 3 days. We’re on city water and it’s been pretty chilly lately. The frost line in our area is 12 inches, and our water line comes into the house about 24 inches below ground. I’ve been keeping an eye on the basement and haven’t seen any signs of freezing, plus we keep the wood burning stove going every night in the winter (and on those chilly days below 50°).
I need some advice though – I noticed a pinhole leak in an elbow yesterday. What are my options for fixing this? Looks like we’ll have to get the water shut off at the main since it’s before the house shut off. Any ideas?
We’ll need to swap out the elbow and possibly add a couple of couplings to reconnect it. As a temporary fix, you could try using a rubber piece and a hose clamp.
Is the issue with the solder joint at the top? It could be tricky to secure it. That might worsen the situation.
Seems like there’s a split in the elbow.
We’ll need to cut it and put in a new one
Trim the upright pipe, eliminate the elbow, and thoroughly clean the area. Along with the new elbow, attach a coupling (make sure it doesn’t have a stop) to the upright pipe. Once the elbow is securely soldered, move the coupling back over the cut and solder it in place.
Have you tried JB Weld or Flex Seal?
Please refrain from messing with the plumbing
I’m going to call the authorities right now 😂😭🤣
LMAO!!! It was meant to be a joke… but hey, they could still work… Fiber Fix, now owned by JB Weld, is perfect for this exact situation… 😉 And if flex seal can patch up the entire bottom of a boat, then it can surely fix a small leak… LOL!!
Consider replacement as a solution. Are you unsure of your location? Maybe it froze.
Remember to shut off the water at the street before working on anything, especially if it’s before the house shut off.
Thanks Emily. I was hoping someone would bring this up.
Haha. I had to take a second look. It was mentioned “if it’s a larger project”. I thought to myself “wait a minute, this is definitely a larger project”. It startled me for a moment. Haha. 😂
Is spot on!👌😁✌️ I felt the same way until I read your post!
Try cutting it out and adding a fresh elbow
Considering a replacement might be the way to go, especially with CPVC
Turn off the valve above the elbow to prevent water from draining down. Shut off the house supply valve. Drill a 1/4 inch hole at the spot where the drip is in the photo to allow water to drain. Cut the copper about 3 or 4 inches above the elbow. Once the water has stopped draining, unsolder the elbow and remove it from the horizontal stub. Sand the stub until it is shiny. Sand the inside of the new elbow. Apply flux to both the stub and the new elbow. Attach the new elbow onto the stub. Sand the end of the remaining down piece until it shines and apply flux. Cut a piece of copper to fit into the elbow, leaving 1/8 inch short of the down piece. Sand a slip coupling, apply flux, and slide it onto the down piece. Sand and flux both ends of the patch piece of pipe. Rotate the new elbow about 30 degrees. Insert the patch piece into the elbow. Rotate the elbow upward
When we did something similar on a friend’s property, we opted for Yorkshire fittings which eliminated the need for a professional to do the joints. We simply positioned them, applied flux generously, and heated it until the solder came out of the joint
Although I do think shark bite fittings are quick and easy, I wouldn’t rely on them for high pressure applications like the shut off valve. Only time will tell if my concerns are valid or not
Myth: “SharkBite fittings are only suitable for temporary fixes and must be swapped out for permanent connections.”
Fact: SharkBite fittings are officially recognized by the Uniform Plumbing Code and International Plumbing Code for long-term use.
Myth: “SharkBite should not be used for underground or concealed installations.”
Fact: SharkBite fittings undergo IAPMO testing and are certified for concealed and underground applications.
This thing really does the trick
Check it out. Use a file to file it down. Then give it a tap with a hammer. If it pops, then you’ll need to replace the elbow regardless. Enjoy!🤓
Drill a hole, gather your rivets, silicone, and rivet it easily
Cut it out and solder in a new section. The extent of the pitting can be determined when the section is removed. Usually, there are only small areas of erosion or pits near turbulent sections of the pipe.
At some point, you will have to turn off the main water supply and replace the elbow. Since this elbow is likely the first one after the main line, it experiences a lot of turbulence. Consider using brass instead of copper for better longevity if it’s soldered correctly. In the meantime, a pipe repair wrap can serve as a temporary solution.
Make sure you have a torch and brazing rod handy before heading to Ferguson to check if it’s safe for potable water.
‘s brazing rod may be a bit much. Using solder could also work. Brazing rod will provide a permanent solution.
Pro press is another choice, but it requires special tools.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xn04V9yTvN4&pp=ygUTYnJhemluZyBjb3BwZXIgcGlwZQ%3D%3D
It might seem daunting, but the homeowner will just need to clean the pinhole with a wire brush and focus on the pinhole without removing the fitting. So a very small pinpoint can be fixed easily without soldering. They might consider using some heat putty to protect the area.
If you braze that pinhole, it will melt the solder in that joint and you will have to solder it again afterward.
There’s no harm in going back if needed, and most professionals would simply add a small cap around the two joints. If you’re unsure about the fitting being hot already, gravity will typically keep the solder at the bottom of the fitting. Desoldering that fitting cleanly enough for propress requires a lot more experience, and newcomers to the process are likely to get burnt. It’s all part of the learning curve for soldering. The best course of action is to hire a professional for around $200 if they can’t resolve it in less than an hour, especially since the top is made of CPVC.
Might not be due to a pinhole but rather an improper solder job at the start, so it just needs to be resoldered. It is probably necessary to disassemble and clean it. It’s best to hire a professional, since chances are the homeowner doesn’t have the key to open the street shut off and turn off the main valve.
If you’re not confident in your ability to remove and replace the elbow and solder it properly, it’s a good idea to contact a plumber. If something goes wrong and causes a flood in your basement, for instance, and your insurance finds that the work was not done correctly, they might refuse to cover the damages. It could be seen as negligence on your part.
If you don’t know how to solder, it’s best to call a plumber. The danger of turning off the water completely is that it doesn’t always work perfectly. There are ways to solder with a bit of water still running, but you have to be experienced. A skilled plumber can use a tool to press on a new copper fitting, making water flow irrelevant. In the meantime, pipe wrap can help.
Just a thought. How about hiring a professional plumber?
Why not consider calling in a plumber for this job?
Got a quick solution for you. Turn off the water at the meter. Then drain the pipes in the house at the lowest sink. Cut the pipe on both sides of the problem area. Grab a replacement piece and a Shark fitting that fits perfectly – unless you can adjust the pipe vertically by about half an inch, in which case two regular Shark fittings will work. If necessary, check out this slip fitting: https://www.amazon.com/SharkBite-Coupling-U3016LFA-Plumbing-Connector/dp/B002UPXRVM/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2I3S8BWJF4KBG&keywords=Shark+fitting+3%2F4+slip+fitting&qid=1705066011&sprefix=shark+fitting+3%2F4+slip+fitting%2Caps%2C108&sr=8-2
Since you’ll need to shut off the water for this task, consider adjusting the line a bit and possibly upgrading to a newer valve instead of dealing with those old blue ones.
Your main issue is figuring out why the pipe split in the first place. It seems like it froze, so are the pipes running through the cinder block and outside? You can install a new elbow easily, but it’s important to address the freezing problem first.
We encountered an issue and temporarily fixed it by using duct tape to catch any leaks until a plumber could install new plumbing a few days later. Due to our acidic well water, the plumber used PVC piping up to the acid tank.