PVC Waste Pipe Water Leak Stain

Whenever you're inspecting your plumbing waste pipe system, you're going to be looking for discolorations and staining on the pipes themselves. You will also be looking for water stains on other parts of the home also, like concrete, stucco, siding, flooring, and framing.

You will eventually train your eye to see any discoloration on any part of the home. This is usually your first clue for water, mold and other types of damage

The arrow is pointing to a rust colored water stain on a white plastic pipe. White pipes usually stain easier and most stains will be easy to find.

It looks like a loose coupling is causing the water leak. We can easily assume this, but if you notice the silver hose clamp is clamped around the white plastic plumbing coupling.

Home Repair Tip: Most rubber couplings are used to join to pipes together. They shouldn't be used to join a coupling flange to a pipe.

Something like this will usually create water leaks in your plumbing waste system. If you purchase an inch and a half rubber plumbing coupling with two hose clamps, one at each end, there's a good chance that this should only be used for inch and a half diameter pipes.

Don't purchase a 2 inch rubber plumbing coupling or connector and use it for inch and a half waste pipes. Some do-it-yourselfers think that they can tighten the hose clamp, until it wraps around the inch and a half diameter pipe, but this usually leads to leaks in the future.

Most plastic pipes can be fixed inexpensively with the same type of plastic pipes and fittings. I would always recommend using the same type of plastic materials that the waste pipe is constructed from, if possible, avoid using rubber couplings with hose clamps.