Epoxy putty sticks actually work better than I expected, at least for small leaks or cracks. The stuff hardens pretty fast, and it’ll hold up under pressure way better than tape. The catch is, it’s not great for anything you might want to undo later—once it’s on, it’s basically permanent. I keep one in the toolbox just in case, but honestly, for anything major, I’d rather just cut the water and swap out the busted section. Tape’s fine for a drip, but not much more in my experience.
Had a similar situation last winter when a copper pipe split behind the washing machine. I reached for the pipe tape first, just because it was what I had on hand, but honestly, it barely slowed the leak. Ended up using the epoxy putty too, and that stuff set up like concrete. You’re right about the “permanent” part—had to saw the section out when I did the real fix. I still keep tape around for tiny jobs, but for anything more than a drip, it’s just not enough.
Honestly, I’ve had better luck with pipe tape than most folks seem to. Maybe it’s just the smaller leaks I’ve dealt with, but for a pinhole or a loose thread, it’s saved me from calling a plumber more than once. Epoxy’s great, but it’s not always worth the hassle for a quick patch, especially if you’re trying to keep costs down. Guess it depends on the size of the mess you’re dealing with.
Pipe tape’s fine for a quick fix, but I’ve seen it fail under pressure—literally. For anything more than a drip, I’d rather use a clamp or a proper coupling. Ever had it hold up on a pressurized line for more than a week?
I’ve had pipe tape limp along for a few days on a low-pressure line, but anything with real pressure behind it—forget it. I’d rather deal with a little water now than a ceiling collapse later. Ever tried those self-fusing silicone tapes? Curious if they’re any tougher.
