If you have a minor leak in a water pipe -not in a flexible hose- you can easily repair it using a pipe repair clamp. Sometimes called a hose repair clamp, the clamps are available at irrigation supply stores, most big box hardware stores, and online. They do not repair significant breaks or leaks at pipe joints, but they can handle iron, copper, and PVC piping.
One of the great things about the clamps is that you do not need to turn off the water to do the repair, and the only tool required is a wrench capable of tightening the one nut that is part of the clamp kit.
The process is simple, assuming you have the correctly sized clamp. All that is needed is to open the clamp wide enough to slip it around the pipe at the point of the leak. You then flip the bolt with the nut into place, so the clamp tightens as you turn the bolt or nut. When the nut is tight, you have finished the repair, and the water stops leaking. The clamp works so well because the metal parts of the clamp are often powder-coated or stainless steel, while the portion contacting the pipe is a pliable rubber gasket, so it conforms to the pipe.
