I have been seeing small puddles of water in the kitchen. On further investigation I see this water line sticking out from the wall. I don’t see an individual shut off for this and it just started leaking.
Any suggestions?
I’m assuming it’s an old cap that needs to be replaced, but what are my options for a quick/lasting fix?
First, check to see if there is a shutoff under the sink that would control this copper tubing.
Secondly, that is a compression fitting with a cap on the end of it. You'll need two adjustable wrenches or open ended wrenches. Place one wrench on the middle, base, piece and try tightening each of the two end pieces. It might take a little force. Hopefully, that will stop the leaking.
The valve at the head of this line is likely in a basement or crawl space (if it's not in a nearby cabinet). It's also likely to be a flimsy puncture-type saddle valve, where closing it may just move the leak to that location. See what happens.
If the valve leaks or won't close completely I'd repair the plumbing to eliminate it. A clean pair of cuts at the puncture and a Sharkbite coupler may make quick work of it.
If you cannot find the valve, or can't bother finding it, just bend the pipe really tight and it will pinch off all flow. Worst case you might get a single drop of water every month. They use the same technique on residential-grade refrigerators to hold the refrigerant in, although they use a special tool called pinch-off pliers.
If the pipe gets broken or you are sure you won't be using the pipe, just cut it off (keep it long for potential future use) and cap it with a Sharkbite brass cap or a clone of the Sharkbite made by competitors.
