That neighbor who said caulk fixes everything was wrong about a leaky pipe

My neighbor Bob (retired plumber, supposedly) told me to just slather plumber's caulk over a small drip under my sink in Denver. I did it three days ago and woke up to water all over the floor - the caulk just peeled off because the pipe was still pressurized. Has anyone here actually gotten a temporary pipe fix to hold with caulk or am I just an idiot?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_dylan1mo ago

Caulk's really just for sealing around fixtures and trim, not for stopping water under pressure. You need a compression fitting or a piece of rubber and a pipe clamp to get a temporary fix that won't blow out.

rowan22mo ago

Caulk's for sealing gaps, not stopping water under pressure (big difference).

ryan_ellis2mo agoOG Member

Yeah I read somewhere that hydraulic pressure can actually push caulk right out. @rowan2 makes a solid point there.