It’s not magic, but sometimes it saves me from having to bust out the plunger or snake.
That zip tie trick really does work better than I expected—funny how the simplest hacks stick around. I’m with you on plumber’s tape for leaks, but honestly, if you’re seeing the same spot drip over and over, it’s worth swapping out the fitting. Sometimes you just can’t band-aid it forever.
As for slow drains, I swear by the baking soda and vinegar routine too, though I’ve found it only buys time if there’s a bigger clog lurking. Snakes aren’t fun, but they save a fortune versus calling a pro. Mesh covers are gross to clean, but way better than dealing with a full-on backup.
Totally agree on not just slapping plumber’s tape on the same leaky joint over and over—learned that the hard way with my old brass pipes. Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and replace the whole thing. I’ve also had decent luck with a wet/dry vac for stubborn clogs, especially in old cast iron drains... messy, but it works. Mesh covers are gross, yeah, but they’ve saved me from fishing out hairballs the size of small animals.
Had a place once where I kept patching the same copper elbow with tape and sealant... just made the mess worse every time. Ended up cutting out a chunk and sweating in new pipe. Not fun, but at least it stopped leaking for good. Mesh covers are a must, even if they’re gross—beats snaking the drain every month.
Cutting out the bad section and sweating in new pipe is always the most reliable fix, even if it’s a pain. Those temporary patches just never seem to hold up under pressure, especially with older copper. I hear you on the mesh covers—yeah, they’re kind of gross to clean, but they really do save you from way worse clogs down the line. I’ve tried those enzyme drain cleaners too, but honestly, nothing beats just keeping the hair and gunk out in the first place.
Really appreciate your practical approach here. Cutting out the damaged copper and sweating in new pipe is definitely the gold standard, even if it’s a bit of a hassle. I’ve done my share of “quick fixes” over the years—epoxy, those clamp-on repair sleeves—but they always seem to buy you time at best. Old copper especially doesn’t forgive those shortcuts.
On the drain side, I’m with you about mesh covers. They’re not fun to clean, but they save so much hassle in the long run. I tried one of those enzyme cleaners after a friend swore by them, but honestly, if you’re already using a hair trap, it almost feels redundant. Prevention really is key—less gunk going down means fewer headaches later.
If you ever do have to deal with a stubborn clog, I’ve found a manual drain snake works wonders compared to chemicals. Takes a bit of elbow grease, but at least you know it’s cleared properly.
