My buddy swore by duct tape for a leaky pipe, so I tried it.

Last Saturday my kitchen sink pipe started dripping right where the two sections connect. A buddy of mine, Mike, said just wrap it in duct tape, it'll hold for weeks he told me. So I did about 5 layers, tightened it up, and it actually stopped the leak for maybe 3 hours. Then around midnight I heard a splash and walked into a puddle covering half the linoleum floor. Has anyone else had duct tape fail that fast on a pressurized joint?

3 comments

3 Comments

zara_hill462mo ago

Duct tape works fine for holding things together temporarily but it can't handle water pressure for long. Water always finds the weak spot eventually. A proper pipe clamp or a coupling would have held up way better for that kind of repair.

hugo_jones2mo ago

Toss that tape idea out the window. @zara_hill46 called it right, duct tape can't handle steady water pressure at a pipe joint. I had a similar fail fixing a garden hose connection, it just blew apart after an hour. You need a proper pipe clamp or a repair coupling from the hardware store. That tape is only good for holding a tarp down, not stopping leaks.

dakotacraig7d ago

Yeah @hugo_jones, I learned the same way when my RV's drain pipe started dripping. Duct tape held for a hot minute then popped right off. Swapped it out for a simple hose clamp from the auto parts store and it's been bone dry for two years now. Have you tried those rubber repair couplings yet?