I'm sure most everyone remembers the late great Billy Mays, the TV pitchman who hawked so many different products in his loud and unforgettable voice. One of the most recognizable of these products has to be Mighty Putty the versatile fix all wonder epoxy clay. One of the great uses for Mighty Putty, as Billy would demonstrate, was repairing plumbing leaks.
Yes sir, you just pull a little Mighty Putty off the stick, put it right on the leak and Presto! The leak is plugged and permanently fixed.
While looking under the kitchen sink during an inspection the other day I spied what looked like the infamous Might Putty on the drain pipe. The water was running in the sink above and examining the pipe there were no leaks to be found.
Wow, I thought, that stuff must be the real deal. That was until something else caught my eye lying on the bottom of the sink cabinet.
FIX-it-STICK
Could this be a cheap knock off of the one and only Mighty Putty? It would seem that FIX-it-STICK is just that, an imitation, but with a focus on plumbing repair.
Call me crazy, but to me gobbing putty onto a leak seems like putting a band aid on a large gash. It may stop the bleeding temporarily, but it hasn't repaired the wound.
Of course there is another alternative when Mighty Putty or FIX-it-STICK may not be right for the job which I also happened to find in the same house.
A paint can hung under the leak works great too.
My advice; call a plumber and leave the putty for the kids.
James Quarello
SNEC-ASHI President
NRSB #8SS0022
JRV Home Inspection Services, LLC
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