Two Ways to Stop Leaks in Flexible Plumbing Supply Lines
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Flexible Plumbing Supply Lines
Two basic types of flexible supply lines are available – tubing or braided hoses. Plain and corrugated copper tubing and plastic tubing require ferrules and nuts for connections to the stop valve. The fixture ended differs for faucets or toilets. Braided flexible supply lines – either plastic or stainless steel – have attached nuts (different for faucets or toilets) at one end and nuts for stop valves at the other. Braided lines are the easiest to use. Make sure you buy lines of an appropriate length. Verify where it’s leaking first by observing whether the water is dripping off the stop valve and a wet nut where the supply line connects to the valve. That could be a loose connection.
Try this solution:
Tip #1 Tighten the Nut
Often the solution is as simple as tightening the nut at the point where you see a leak. Take care not to over-tighten – you can crack the nut or strip the threads. Use only adjustable wrenches, not pipe wrenches. If the leak persists, loosen the nuts and re-coat the threads or ferrules with the plumber’s tape or pipe joint compound.
Tip #2 Shut Off the Water and Drain the Line
If you are working with a tubing-and-ferrule connection, remove the nut and pull the line out of the valve. Take care not to kink it. Wrap the ferrule with plumber’s joint tape or coat it with a joint compound. Hook it back up, tighten, and test.
If these measures fail to solve your problem quickly, it could be the fault of the old line. Buy a new flexible line, apply joint tape or joint compound to the male threads, and screw it on. Tighten both ends and test.
Images provided by HomeDepot.com
Published on: January 14, 2015
Updated on: February 14, 2021
Stop Leaks in Flexible Plumbing Supply Lines
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I loved reading that your top solution for preventing a leak is to simply tighten the nut at the point where you see the leak appearing. I would imagine that a simple fix like that would be achievable by even the most inexperienced of homeowners. That being said, I am sure that finding a good plumbing supply store before trying to do any work would still be a good idea, in case something does go wrong along the way.
– You need to turn it off inside a clockwise direction (DO
NOT OVER TIGHTEN). Local plumbers in Santa Cruz will tell you all you have to
know concerning the cloudy water inside tub. One in the best ways for finding a reliable plumber iis to ask
friends annd family whether they can recommend
anyone to you.
One single braided flexible line on a dishwasher cost me over $500 in destroyed cork floor. No labour in that, just floor. Never use them on equipment that moves! Soft copper with ferules is the only true long term non-leaking means of connection dishwashers and ice makers. The new replacement braided line leaked too at the connection if you moved it ever so slightly at all tightnesses. 35 years of plumbing experience. Yes you can get good flex line. I use them plumbing commercial equipment and they NEVER leak. I have installed in normal and high radiation service! The consumer grade garbage, particularly the fake ferrule connections should never be used on anything but a toilet unless you are a lazy plumber wanting return trips and business for flooring buddies, lol. As soon as the poor sap of a homeowner moves the DW or fridge, chances are it is going to start dripping and flood the area.
Hello, I’m having a hard time accessing the point where the hot and cold braided lines connect to the base of the fawcett.
I removed the fawcett with the jot and cold braided lines attached like tentacles.
When I originally connected the two lines all I did was manually twist them in a clockwise direction until I met resistance.
Thinking the water pressure from the mains inlet might be forcing water out a loose seal I tried to tighten the two lines but twisting the lines no longer has any impact on the little nuts actually making contact with the base of the fawcett.
I need some special pliers or something to access to two little nuts as I can barely get a finger in the limited space.
Thank you.