How to fix Vape Leaking: The MIST step-by-step tutorial

Ever had a leaky vape? Then you’ll be familiar with the following scenario. It’s the first day at your new job. You confidently stroll through the office in that new suit giving off an air of success.

But something’s not quite right. Your new associates seem to be either smirking or awkwardly avoiding your gaze. You rush to the bathroom to gather your senses, and then you see it— the unsightly wet patch on your trousers. The curse of the leaky vape!

Don’t worry, most of us have experienced it at some point or another and there are many ways to avoid this sticky situation!

Our top 5 ways to fix a leaky vape are:

Make sure you’re filling your vape tank correctly
Check your vape tank is properly tightened
Try replacing your vape coil or pod
Make sure your voltage/wattage are at the correct levels
Check your tank to ensure it’s free of damage

1. Make sure you’re filling your vape tank correctly

By far the most common reason for a leaky vape is failing to fill the tank properly. Rule 101: never overfill the tank and always check the manual for how to properly fill your tank.

There should always be a pocket of air at the top in order to create a vacuum. This will stop the e-liquid from leaking out of the airflow holes of your tank.

For tanks that fill from the top, make sure you avoid pouring liquid down the hollow tube that runs through the centre of the tank.

This is called the chimney and is definitely not for e-liquid! It will just exit your vape pen out of the bottom and create a big mess. Be careful during this procedure and make sure you’ve followed all the necessary steps.

If your vape is making strange sounds, follow our guide on how to fix a crackling/spitting vape. You’ll be sorted in no time!

2. Check your vape tank is properly tightened

This should be your second port of call when assessing why your vape is leaking. If you haven’t screwed your tank on tight enough, the e-liquid will seep out of the joins.

Make sure the top and base of the tank are screwed tightly. But not too much! If you screw them too tightly it could lead to cross-threading, and you might not be able to take it apart again.

Also, it might not just be the tank that needs careful attention. Ensure that your atomiser is screwed in all the way, and push fit coils are pushed all the way in. An unfitted coil will mean there won’t be a seal, and most likely cause a leak.

3. Try replacing your vape coil or pod

One of the other reasons your vape might be leaking is because your coil is old. Often, before the dreaded dry hit even occurs, there could be other signs that your vape coil is ready to pack it in.

If you haven’t replaced it in a while and your tank is leaking, you should probably try this first of all. Coils will need replacing every so often (depending on the type of coil you have), we cover this in more detail in our guide to when to change your vape coils

4. Make sure your voltage/wattage are at the correct levels

Yes, I know all the information on watts, volts and ohms can be daunting but, for most of our purposes, it’s really more simple than it seems. If you have a vape pen with the capacity to adjust the voltage, it’s important to ensure your power is set to the optimum range of the coil you have inserted.

Firstly, check your atomiser. It most likely has the optimal range printed on it, so your best bet is to opt for somewhere in the middle. For instance if it says 5W-15W, go for around 10.

If you put the setting too high you could end up burning your wick and shortening the life span of your coil.

Conversely, if you end up setting the power too low for your coil, there won’t be enough power to produce vapour.

This means you will draw too hard which can force vape juice to leak from the bottom of your tank. Remember, moderation is key!

5. Check your tank to ensure it’s free of damage

Perhaps rarest of likelihoods, though it can happen. And for those of us prone to dropping our vape pens, it may have happened more than we’d like to admit!

Check if there are any cracks in the plastic or glass casing of your tank. Sometimes it only takes a small one for a leak to occur, so look carefully.

Additionally, when you take the bottom or top of your vape tank off, you’ll see small rubber seals. These are called o-rings. They are responsible for preventing leakages from between your tank’s components.

If you see these are broken or worn down then they won’t be sealing properly, and may need to be replaced.

Hopefully these recommendations will enable your vaping to proceed smoothly. One final tip: Don’t lay your vape-pen on its side! I know it seems obvious, but many of us fall prey to it now and again. Remember, nearly all vape pens have a flat base for a reason, so let them stand tall and proud and avoid those leaks!

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