Repairing Leaks In PVC Fittings

  • 1-2 hours
  • Beginner
  • 75-125
What You'll Need
PVC Primer
PVC Glue
Caps And Plugs
Shop-Vac
What You'll Need
PVC Primer
PVC Glue
Caps And Plugs
Shop-Vac

PVC fittings will occasionally leak. Not only can it be a nuisance, it can be expensive to fix if you need to cut out the fittings. There are a few methods to fix leaky PVC fittings without cutting any of the fittings, and they are easy for anyone to do. Here is just one of them.

Step 1

Start by inspecting the pipe and isolating the leak. Identify how many caps and plugs you will need to seal every opening. Then purchase the caps and plugs at a hardware or home improvement store.

Step 2

Seal all but one of the openings using your caps and plugs. You will need to keep the opening nearest to the leak open for the vacuum. Secure the vacuum to the opening in a way that will allow you to pull suction through the entire system. You may need to use a special fitting on the end of the vacuum to achieve this depending on the opening.

Step 3

With the vacuum secured in place, switch it on. With the vacuum on check the spot where the PVC is leaking. The suction will tell you where the hole is. Use your primer and brush to apply primer to the point where the leak is. The vacuum will suck the primer into the leak. Allow enough primer into the leak to prepare the joint and then promptly turn off the vacuum.

Step 4

Applying the PVC glue is the same process as applying the primer. Brush the PVC glue over the same place where the primer went. You will want to make sure you switch the vacuum off as soon as the glue is in place. If you don’t do this, you will end up pulling the glue right back out of the leak and you'll have to start over.

Step 5

Allow the glue plenty of time to set before you use the system again. Once enough time has passed, you'll want to test the system for leaks. If you find another leak, follow the above procedure to fix it. If the same spot is still leaking, go over the primer and gluing again. It doesn’t always take the first time. If it still leaks, then you will need to replace the fitting which is a much more difficult repair.

Repairing a leaky PVC fitting is something you can do without any cutting in a matter of hours, even if you don't have a lot of do-it-yourself experience.