Yeah, rubber clamps can get you through the night, but honestly, they're not always as reliable as people think. I've seen them slip or loosen up if there's any pressure fluctuation in the pipes. Personally, I'd keep a roll of self-fusing silicone tape around—wrap it tight enough and it'll hold pretty well until a plumber arrives. Still temporary, sure... but way less messy than epoxy and easier to remove later.
I've tried that silicone tape trick once when our basement pipe sprung a leak... it actually held up surprisingly well overnight. But does it work as well if the leak's near a joint or elbow? Seems like those tricky spots might need something sturdier.
Silicone tape can be surprisingly effective, but you're right—joints and elbows are a different beast altogether. A straight pipe leak is simpler because you can wrap it tightly and evenly. With an elbow or joint, there's less surface area and more angles, so the pressure distribution isn't as even. I've had better luck with epoxy putty or a pipe clamp in those tricky spots. Curious though, did your silicone tape fix hold up long-term, or was it just a quick overnight patch?
"Curious though, did your silicone tape fix hold up long-term, or was it just a quick overnight patch?"
Honestly, silicone tape's always been more of a temporary fix for me—especially on elbows. Had one hold up for maybe a week tops before it started dripping again. Epoxy putty's definitely the way to go for tricky angles... learned that the hard way!
Interesting, epoxy putty's usually solid for leaks, but I've had mixed results myself—sometimes it just won't bond properly if the surface isn't perfectly clean. Curious if you've tried any of those fiberglass repair wraps? Heard good things about them handling tricky pipe angles and high-pressure spots, but never got around to testing one myself...
