At Duran & Sons Universal Plumbing & Rooter, we know that copper water lines are typically used in Southern California homes. When a leak occurs, the most common way to fix it is by using brass compression fittings.
These are comprised of a valve body, a ferrule (a round copper ring), and a nut which screws to the valve body, compressing the ferrule as it is tightened. The compressed ferrule secures the joint, prohibiting leaks from occurring. When corrosion in evident in the pipes and the compression nut is unable to stop the leak, then a new ferrule may be necessary.
The necessary materials include:
- Compression fitting ferrule
- Emery cloth
- Pipe joint compound
- Pliers
- Towel
- Tubing cutter
- Two pairs of adjustable wrenches
The following are the steps to stop a leak using brass fittings:
- Shut off the main water valve in your home. Draw the water out of the system by opening all lower level faucets.
- Place a towel underneath the fitting in order to catch dripping water once it is disassembled.
- Hold the valve body with a pair of adjustable pliers, then unscrew the compression nut using the other pair of adjustable pliers. Don’t bend or kink the copper tubing.
- Extract the copper tubing from the valve body, with the old ferrule attached to the copper tubing.
- Using a pair of pliers, extract the old ferrule from the copper tubing. If you need to break the bond, twist the ferrule back and forth until it’s detached.
- Using a piece of emery cloth, clean the end of the copper tubing to remove dirt, rust and calcification. Careful not to remove too much material from the tubing.
- Slide a new ferrule onto the copper tubing. Add the pipe joint compound onto the end of the tubing and also onto the ferrule.
- As far as it will go, push the end of the copper tube into the valve body. Then push the ferrule against the valve body.
- By hand, screw the compression nut onto the valve body. Using one pair of the adjustable wrenches to hold the valve body and the other on the nut, tighten the nut.
- Turn the shutoff valve to the “off” position, then turn on the home’s water-main valve and inspect the joint for leaks.
If leaks still persist, speak to one of our San Fernando Valley plumbers by calling (818) 946-0545 for assistance today.