Few things are more annoying than reaching into your bag for a vape pen and pulling out a sticky mess. High end vapes can be fairly expensive, so it’s pretty frustrating to find out it’s leaking. Whether you use vape cartridges, or have a vape mod with a tank, leaks do occasionally happen.
Read on to discover why it happens and how to stop your vape from leaking.
Common Reasons for a Leaking Vape
Why is my vape leaking juice? It happens for a lot of reasons, and the cause and solution depend on where the leak is coming from.
Vape Leaking From Air Hole
Is your vape leaking from the air hole? This is a common problem, and rather than leaking, this is a flooding issue. If the oil is too thick and you have to suck really hard to move it through the airhole, it’s possible to draw too hard, causing an excess amount of oil to flood into the airhole. The oil eventually cools down and hardens, and now you have a clogged pen again.
Vape Leaking Into Mouthpiece
Why is my vape leaking into my mouth? This happens in response to a flooded air hole. Since the hardened oil has now clogged the airflow, you have to suck extra hard as you heat the oil to clear the clog. Sometimes this causes excess oil to come out of the mouthpiece and into your mouth. Not a pleasant experience, so be careful if you are trying to clear a clog.
Vape Leaking From the Bottom
Why is my vape leaking from the bottom? Well, it seems obvious, but have you checked that it is sealed correctly? Even the slightest misalignment of the threading can cause a vape pen to leak from the bottom. Alternatively, if the cartridge is overtightened, it may have cracked the glass. This is an annoying problem because the oil can leak onto the coil and battery, which is a real mess to clean.
How to Stop My Vape from Leaking
The first thing to consider if you have a leaky vape is the quality of the cartridge. Cheap, plastic cartridges will likely break or leak, and if the cartridge is cheap the oil probably is too. First and foremost, shop from reputable suppliers with glass tanks and test results for their extracts.
Secondly, be sure to use the vape correctly. Thread it carefully and don’t over tighten or slip a thread. If your pen is leaking, check for cracks. If your tank cracked, sadly you’ll need to throw it away. Work on your vaping technique by inhaling slowly and steadily. It’s not a cigarette, there’s no need to hit it hard.
Lastly, store your vape upright. If it’s constantly rolling on its side, it will probably leak eventually. Keep it stored upright in a room temperature environment. If you are planning to travel with a vape, be sure to take empty tanks or cartridges, or travel with disposable.
If you don’t want to risk leaky at all, consider disposable cartridges. No heat settings to manage, coils to replace, or tanks to refill. Disposable cartridges very rarely leak and are discreet, convenient, and easy to use.
Is it Bad or Unsafe to Hit a Leaking Vape?
Don’t panic if you get a bit of extract in your mouth because of a leaky vape. If you shop from a quality extraction company, the oil shouldn’t contain any harmful chemicals, contaminants, or residual solvents. However, it’s going to taste bad and might lead to coughing. Raw oil is not a very tasty treat, that’s why it’s best vaporized in a pen or on a dab rig.
Not to mention, it’s highly potent. It’s unlikely that you’d be consuming a large amount of oil from a leaky vape, but it is possible to consume enough to get you very high. Remember that cannabis extracts may contain upwards of 80%. If your vape is leaking, look to solve the problem as opposed to ignoring it.