SharkBite Push-to-Connect : To the rescue
A lot easier than finding a plumber on a holiday weekend!!!
Know what’s more annoying than finding a leak in the basement on a holiday weekend? Trying to find a plumber to come and fix it.
Fortunately, with no-solder plumbing technology from companies like SharkBite, we didn’t have to worry about finding a plumber. Literally, the fix was just: cut, push, and click.
The Problem
We unintentionally discovered a very slooooooow drip in the basement, which we think must have been dripping for months. The accumulated water made a mess of the utility shelving unit, but we couldn’t see the drip itself until we took all the boxes off the unit. Once we did, though, it was pretty obvious.
Gross but helpful—for finding the source of the leak
The current problem did not require us to shut the water off immediately, but it did require immediate attention. This is because the very slooooooow drip (pipe on the left) would eventually create a hole big enough for the drip to become a spray.
Pipe on the left: bad. Pipe on the right: good. Who knew?
The Cut
The pipe was up high, but reachable with a step ladder. There wasn’t a lot of room in which to work, but there was enough to get a cutter around the pipe and cut off the leaking section.
The steps for removal of the “problem end” was straightforward:
- Turn off the water
- Cut off the old end cap
We used a “close quarter” AutoCut pipe cutter because the tool will automatically tightens as it is turned—no knobs to twist, no need to keep adjusting the cutter.
This thing is awesome!
We took off an extra 1/2″ above the visible corrosion just to be sure the SharkBite had a clean surface to work with.
Rest in corroded peace, pipe end.
The Fix
The hardest part of this DIY was going to Home Depot to get the part…really 🙂
There are very few times where sharks are your friend, but this definitely is one of them.
Below is a better look at the end cap. The pipe is gripped by the inside O-ring seal. SharkBite warranty their fittings for 25 years when used with SharkBite tubing.
Just shove it on the pipe. Seriously. This might be magic, we don’t know.
The entire DIY took less than 10 minutes:
- turn off the water,
- remove the leaky end cap,
- push on the SharkBite end cap,
- acknowledge that Bob’s your uncle!
The end cap is removable with a tool from SharkBite if it ever becomes necessary.
All dressed up and exactly where it’s supposed to go.
SharkBite: push-to-connect tech for plumbing. Absolutely worth it!
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