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Luckily,
pipes do not literally "burst" very frequently. More often
a leak develops first which, if ignored, can lead to a burst. The
resulting damage can be messy and expensive.
The
lesson is that no lick should be ignored.
Leaks
in drain pipes and water supply pipes can be stopped up with epoxy
glue. If possible, shut of the water to that section of the pipe
either at the stop, or at the mains. Then clean around the leak
and allow it to dry before applying the epoxy. Thorough drying is
essential to get a good repair. If using a 2-part epoxy, mix it
very thoroughly and paste on to a section of absorbent material
such as cotton. Bandage the leak with this glue-soaked fabric. If
using ordinary epoxy, wrap several layers of cloth soaked in plenty
of glue, around the pipe. If water is still in the pipe you will
have to wrap it securely to stop the leak until the epoxy has a
chance to set. Same leaks may need to be reinforced with a C-clamp
while they set. Bandage as described, then wrap a piece of rubber
or other non-porous material around the repair and fix the clamp
to the rubber. (This stops the clamp becoming glued to the repair.)
If
you have no epoxy handy, a temporary measure is to wrap the crack
or hole with several layers of rubber (even cut from a child's balloon
will do) and clamp tightly until a more permanent repair can be
made. Use a block of timber to hold the rubber in place. Splitting
a length of rubber house and clamping it in place with hose clamps,
also helps. A small leak can be stopped for the time by bandaging
the effected part with waterproof tape. Ensure that the tape covers
several centimetres each side of the hole or crack.
Epoxy
repairs cannot be used in joints, where leaks frequently occur.
Sometimes the threads on galvanized pipe joints can work loose,
allowing water to seep out. Wrap some Teflon tape around the treads
of the pipe. This will tighten up the joint and may stop the leak.
Start to screw the pipes together by hand to ensure that the joint
goes together freely and not cross-threaded. Use a pair of stilsons
to tighten up the joint, one turned in each direction. If this doesn't
stop the leak, there is a special pipe sealing compound witch you
can buy to reseal this joint. The compound helps form a watertight
seal and stops the fittings "freezing" together so they
can be removed later on if required. A leaking joint should be gently
loosened with a pipe wrench or still sons, the compound applied and
the joint re tightened. Also check any connections each side of
the repair, as you work may have loosened other joints. A compression
fitting may only need a slight tightening to stop a leak. However,
if copper tubing leaks at a joint, the joint usually has to be resoldered.
This involves shutting off the water supply, draining the pipe completely
(this is very important as an explosion can occur if the steam is
generated in the pipes), and cleaning away the old solder before
applying new solder. Steel wool is good material to use, to insure
the pipes are thoroughly clean. Always apply a flux to the pipe
to ensure a good bound between solder and pipe. Apply heat to the
joint until the solder melts, ensuring the solder runs freely around
the joint. Always fit the joint before heat is applied. Unless you
are skilled at soldering, this probably best left to a plumber.
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