Busted a pipe trying to fix a drain
DIY plumbing attempts often backfire due to tight workspaces, overzealous plunging, or miscalculated cuts, turning a simple clog into a ruptured pipe or damaged disposal. This unexpected collateral damage prevents homeowners from finishing the repair themselves and forces them to call a professional for much higher costs.
What the numbers show
Counted from the threads quoted below. How we count
- Most of it landed at once — the busiest month was September 2026, with 6 people.
- It is not one crowd: 8 people on Reddit and 1 on Stack Exchange ran into the same thing.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1Using drain cleaners like DranoDid this help you?
- 2Boiling water and using a shop vacDid this help you?
- 3Snaking pipesDid this help you?
- 4Using compressed airDid this help you?
- 5Hiring a professional plumberDid this help you?
- 6Using a shielded Fernco coupling instead of solvent weldingDid this help you?
- 7Cutting back further behind the trap to make the coupling easier to fitDid this help you?
- 8Leaving it as is if it is still holding up without leaking.Did this help you?
- 9Renting an air compressor from home improvement stores like Home Depot or Lowe'sDid this help you?
- 10Connecting the compressor to the small test cock on the side of the backflow preventer using a special adapterDid this help you?
- 11Soldering on a new diverter or spoutDid this help you?
- 12Cutting open the wall/surround to access the pipesDid this help you?
- 13Using SharkBite caps to temporarily cap the water supplyDid this help you?
- 14Leaving the dented pipe as is if it is not currently leaking, relying on the low water pressure and safety marginDid this help you?
- 15Replacing the copper pipe entirely to prevent potential future pinhole leaksDid this help you?
- 16Shutting off the mains water supplyDid this help you?
- 17Posting pictures of the damage online for adviceDid this help you?
- 18Taking photos of the setup before touching anythingDid this help you?
- 19posting photos to online forums for feedbackDid this help you?
- 20redoing the installation using alternative pipe configurations and fittingsDid this help you?
- 21cutting back black ABS pipes and using couplings or 45-degree elbows to correct alignment and slopeDid this help you?
- 22using duct tape and hose clampsDid this help you?
- 23using Flex SealDid this help you?
- 24placing a bucket under the trapDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“I'm also not a plumber, so I busted a pipe trying to snake a drain.”source ↗
“I also tried plunging the sink and blew out the garbage disposal.”source ↗
“The fucking most miserable shit ever. Tell me how awful I did so I can redo it”source ↗
“It’s a very tight and awkward spot so I had to hand saw and accidentally cut too low at one spot.”source ↗
“I was thinking of using a shield fernco as a last resort, is this considered a permanent fix? This is in my living room ceiling so I don’t want to fix the drain and patch the drywall just for it to happen again”source ↗
“Had this pipework repaired, the bottom white compression looks wonky, so does this mean cross threaded? Can we leave it like this, or what's the best course of action?”source ↗
“So was in a rush and trying to replace the diverter on this delta shower valve and slipped with my pliers and mangled the part where the diverter button screws in.”source ↗
“These are back to back showers in an apartment building so no access from the rear. Is there any way to make this work or only option is new valve ?”source ↗
“Here’s what I initially tried to do but couldn’t get it to line up with the black abs”source ↗
“No. Its real. Had a dishwasher that broke. So I just cut all the hoses that went to it. It is leaking where the duct tape is. Fuck. Im not a plumber.”source ↗
“While I was putting it on I tightened too much, and I'm now seeing a dent where the screw was put at. The dent is not through and the copper pipe is not leaking, when I open water now, but I'm wondering if this is still safe to use now?”source ↗
“Is this something I can realistically fix myself, or am I calling a plumber?”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 126How to fix a leaking water pipe in a tight space
- 46Why does my new plumbing still have bad water pressure and risky joints?
- 4Can I fix a broken sewer pipe myself?
- 5Where to cut a cramped water heater cold line?
- 3How to deal with failing and rusted galvanized pipes
- 7Kitchen tap internal pipe disconnected with no slack