When you discover a leak in a supply pipe, the first thing to do, of course, is shut off the water supply to the damaged section so you can proceed to plug the hole. An application of epoxy glue or plastic tape is the quickest emergency procedure. Various “bandages” or plugs are even better. But before trying any remedy, make sure the pipe surface is dry enough for adhesives or sleeves to hold. In the case of a leaking supply pipe that is not frozen, completely drain and dry the affected section if possible-an electric hair drier does a quick job. Damaged pipes that are frozen should be left unthawed and undrained until patching is completed. Waste pipes and traps, unlike supply pipes, are not under pressure and normally contain no water (apart from the trap seal) when not in use.
Larger Leaks
A hose patch.
An effective temporary patch can be made by splitting a section of rubber hose lengthwise so that it will fit round the pipe. Strong, flexible wire, such as that used for hanging pictures, will serve to secure the hose-make a series of loops along the patch, spaced about 25mm apart, and twist each loop tight with a pair of pliers.
Tiny Leaks
Plugging o hole with o pencil.
A good emergency plug for a small leak in a supply pipe is a pencil point jammed into the hole and broken off; the soft graphite point will conform to the shape of the opening and seal the leak.
Securing the plug. Dry the surface of the pipe if after the leak has been plugged, then roll heavy tape over the damaged area to hold the plug in place. Wrap the tape several centimetres to the left and the right of the leak.
Securing hose with jubilee clips.
To fix a hose patch with uniform pressure, use jubilee clips as on a motor car hose. These clips can be adjusted to fit virtually any diameter of water pipe. It is best to install at least three clips over the patch.
Epoxy Adhesive
Coating and bandaging o split.
Epoxy glue makes a useful emergency repair for a cracked pipe. First drain and dry the damaged pipe. Mix the glue-available in kit form from plumbers’ merchants according to the instructions and spread it generously over and around the crack. Bandage the pipe tightly with nylon or fibreglass tape and apply a second layer of adhesive. Leave the patch to dry.
Binding threaded pipes.
If a leak appears at a threaded joint, drain the pipe, dry the damaged area and apply epoxy cement over the leaking joint. Allow the epoxy to harden completely, according to the manufacturer’s instructions, before restoring water pressure. Epoxy also can be used on plastic joints.
Fixing o lead caulked joint.
If water seeps from a lead-caulked spigot and socket joint, use a hammer and chisel to tamp down the lead inside the socket of the pipe. Since the lead is soft enough to be reshaped over the weak spot, this simple procedure often is sufficient to reseal the joint. Check first, however, that the leak is not due to a crack in the socket. If it is, the pipe will probably need replacing, since tamping down the lead might simply widen the crack and worsen the leak.