That’s the thing—patch jobs always seem like a quick win but never really hold up, especially with older copper. I’ve tried those epoxy kits too and, yeah, they’re more of a band-aid than a solution. One thing I started doing: after spotting a pinhole, I check the whole run for soft spots or green corrosion. If there’s more than one, it’s usually time to just bite the bullet and swap out the section. It’s a pain, but it beats tearing out moldy drywall later… trust me, that’s not a job you want twice.
Yeah, I hear you on the patch jobs. They’re tempting when you just want to stop the drip and move on, but with old copper, it’s usually just a matter of time before another spot goes. I’ve seen folks spend more on repeated “quick fixes” than they would’ve if they’d just replaced a few feet of pipe in the first place.
One thing I’ve noticed—sometimes people miss the signs like that greenish crust or even a little bulge in the pipe. If you see that, it’s not just cosmetic. That’s the pipe telling you it’s on its last legs. I’ve had to deal with a ceiling collapse from a slow leak that went ignored for months... trust me, that’s a nightmare you don’t want.
I get that replacing sections is a hassle, especially if it means cutting into walls, but honestly, it’s way less painful than dealing with water damage and mold down the line. Sometimes you just gotta rip off the band-aid and do it right.
I get where you’re coming from, but I’m not totally convinced that replacing sections is always the best move, especially if you’re on a tight budget. I just bought my first place and honestly, the cost of opening up walls to swap out a few feet of pipe can be brutal—especially if you’re not sure how far the corrosion goes. I did a patch job last month and yeah, I know it’s not a forever fix, but it bought me some time to save up for a bigger repair. Maybe it’s risky, but sometimes you have to balance the immediate cost with the long-term risk.
I did a patch job last month and yeah, I know it’s not a forever fix, but it bought me some time to save up for a bigger repair.
Honestly, I’ve seen more “temporary” patches turn into permanent features than I care to admit. Sometimes those quick fixes hold up longer than expected... until they don’t. The real kicker is when a small leak turns into a surprise indoor waterfall at 2am. I get the budget thing—nobody wants to rip out half their wall for a maybe. Just keep an eye on it and maybe stash a mop nearby, just in case.
I swear, half my job is showing up after a “temporary” fix decided to retire early. Here’s my usual checklist for patch jobs: 1) Check the patch every few days for dampness, 2) Watch for any swelling or discoloration in the wall or ceiling nearby, and 3) Keep a bucket handy just in case. Sometimes those patches hold, sometimes they give out when you least expect it... Has anyone here ever had a patch last way longer than it should? I once saw duct tape hold for nearly two years—no clue how.
