Had a similar situation last winter—pipe started dripping late at night, and I thought plumber's tape would hold it till morning. Nope. Woke up to a bigger mess than I started with. Epoxy putty is definitely better, but even that's hit or miss depending on the pipe condition. If it's corroded or older, you're basically gambling.
Also, good call on knowing your shut-off valve location. Learned that lesson the hard way when my kitchen faucet decided to become a geyser... took me a frantic 10 minutes of running around before I found it behind some boxes in the basement. Now I make sure everyone in the house knows exactly where it is.
Temporary fixes are fine if you're stuck, but honestly, if you have any doubts about your DIY skills or the pipe's condition, just bite the bullet and call someone. Better to pay a bit extra upfront than deal with water damage later... trust me on this one.
Totally agree on the epoxy putty—it can buy you some time, but it's no miracle fix. One thing I'd add: keep a couple of those rubber pipe clamps handy. They've saved me from midnight plumbing disasters more than once... at least until morning.
Good call on the rubber clamps—they're definitely underrated. Epoxy putty is handy, sure, but it's more of a band-aid than anything else. I've seen plenty of DIY fixes hold up overnight, but honestly, if you're dealing with a serious leak or something pressurized, it's usually smarter (and cheaper in the long run) to bite the bullet and call a pro. Still, having those quick fixes around can save your sanity at 2 AM... trust me, I've been there.
"Still, having those quick fixes around can save your sanity at 2 AM... trust me, I've been there."
Yeah, learned that the hard way myself recently. Thought epoxy putty would hold my kitchen sink leak overnight—spoiler alert: it didn't. Ended up calling a plumber anyway. You're probably right about biting the bullet early, but I still keep some clamps and tape handy... just in case. Live and learn, I guess.
I've had mixed luck with epoxy putty too—sometimes it holds surprisingly well, other times... not so much. Did you rough up the surface first to help it bond better? I've found that can make a big difference. Still, for plumbing leaks, especially under pressure, tape and clamps are usually more reliable for a temporary fix. But yeah, knowing when to call in the pros is half the battle, isn't it?
