Author: Scott McCarthy

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Case Study: Heavily Corroded Pipe Repair Keeps a District Heating System Running

Repair of a heavily corroded pipe in a district heating system made using a SylWrap Universal Pipe Repair Kit

Winter warmer – The corroded pipe repair which kept a local council’s district heating system running

After heavy corrosion caused several breaches to pipes in a district heating system, a local council in the United Kingdom required a repair method to avoid fitting replacement parts, a process which would have left residents without heating for days in the depths of winter

Case Study Data

Site
Domestic district heating system
Location
Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Repair Type
Leak repair
Defect
Breaches caused by heavy corrosion

Products Used

Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape
Flexible waterproof repair tape sealed the breaches on even the most inaccessible sections of pipe

SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage
Applied over the Wrap & Seal for an impact resistant layer of protection to the repairs and pipework

SylWrap Universal Pipe Repair Kit
Wrap & Seal and SylWrap HD were supplied in the Universal Pipe Repair Kit

SylWrap Pipe Repair Contractor Case
For future emergencies, a Contractor Case provides enough equipment for up to six live leak repairs to pipes of all types and diameters

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District heating is the provision of hot water for heating from a central source to several houses or flats, often managed by district councils. 

The hot water is usually derived from a conventional boiler, although it may also come from a variety of sources including solar power, an incineration plant or an on-site power station.

A network of pipes runs underground both to and from the source, delivering water to the boiler and then taking the hot water into properties where it is used for heating.

Such schemes were popular in the United Kingdom in the 1960s and 1970s. Most came with a 50-year guarantee, meaning that many district heating systems are now reaching the end of their lifespan and parts subsequently need replacing.

This was the issue facing a local council in the north of England. Subsidence, damage caused by roadworks and underground flooding had led to corrosion causing several breaches to pipework within a district heating system supplying heat for a number of council-owned properties.

Water was leaking from a breach at the bottom of this section of pipe, caused by corrosion

Unfortunately for the council, the problem reached its nadir in the depths of winter. Replacing the leaking sections was therefore not feasible as it would have meant shutting the district heating system down for several days, leaving residents without any heat.

The council needed a pipe repair method which could keep the district heating system fully operational until the Spring, when the damaged pipes could be replaced once warmer weather arrived.

Sylmasta recommended the use of a SylWrap Universal Pipe Repair Kit to provide repairs temperature resistant to 200ºC and with the flexibility needed for such a challenging application, given the location of the pipework.

The pipes were located underground, requiring a flexible repair method that was effective in confined spaces

The pipes requiring repair were situated underground in extremely tight workspaces. Initially, the council had researched the possibility of using pipe repair clamps, but they realised very quickly that there would be insufficient room to manoeuvre and attach a heavy, bulky clamp to the pipes.

Working in such confined space was not a problem for the Universal Repair Kit. There were however some complications to overcome; one of the leaks was close to a welded joint which had to be worked around. Another was in a ‘low spot’ section of tunnel which remained flooded for prolonged periods of time, effectively leaving the pipe underwater.

A leaking and heavily corroded pipe in a district heating system in the UK
The second section of pipe leaking from around a welded joint

This explained the considerable damage this section had suffered – several inches of insulation material surrounding the pipe had been eaten away – as the district heating system had not been designed to undergo such environmental stress.

Despite the numerous issues that needed mastering, the Universal Kit was able to successfully repair the leaking sections. Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape was applied to seal the initial breaches. The tape was stretched despite the space limitation to three times its length, after which it fused to form a solid rubber band over the leaking areas.

Successful repair of the first section of corroded pipe

A SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage was then wrapped over the top of the Pipe Burst Tape applications. SylWrap HD provided a rock hard, impact resistant layer to the initial repairs, helping to protect them from future damage caused by corrosion, building and maintenance works, or flooding of the tunnel in the low spot.

Any repair made with a Universal Pipe Repair Kit is permanent, giving the local council the option of relying on the SylWrap application if they wished to avoid going down the route of replacing the damaged section of pipe at a later date.

Repair to a welded pipe joint which was part of a district heating system in the UK
Wrap & Seal and SylWrap HD applied around the welded joint, sealing the leak on the second section

For future repairs to other district heating systems or pipes for which the council is responsible, Sylmasta recommended the use of the SylWrap Pipe Repair Contractor Case.

The Case contains enough products to make up to six live leak repairs at a cheaper cost-per-repair than buying individual Pipe Repair Kits. A Case can be easily stored on-site or on the van, meaning it is always to hand for whenever problems arise.

If you have an application you would like to enquire about, then please get in touch

Call: +44 (0)1444 831 459
Email: sales@sylmasta.com

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Case Study: Leak Repair of a Pierced 300mm Plastic Pipe in a Quarry Wash Plant

A pierced plastic pipe in a quarry wash plant undergoes a leak repair using a SylWrap Standard Pipe Repair Kit

Keeping it clean – a pierced plastic pipe in a quarry wash plant undergoes a rapid leak repair

A quarry in the United Kingdom needed to carry out a leak repair after a plastic pipe feeding the aggregate wash plant became pierced during day-to-day operations at the site.

Case Study Data

Site
Quarry
Location
United Kingdom
Repair Type
Leak repair
Defect
Pinhole leak in 300mm plastic pipe

Products Used

Superfast Copper Epoxy Putty Stick
Fast-working epoxy putty used to seal the hole in the plastic pipe

SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage
Composite wrap reinforced the repair and protected the pipe from further damage

SylWrap Standard Pipe Repair Kit
Superfast Epoxy and SylWrap HD are supplied together in the Standard Pipe Repair Kit

SylWrap Pipe Repair Contractor Case
Contains enough products to make up to six live leak repairs, the perfect kit for keeping on-site in harsh environments like a quarry

Case Study PDF

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Case Study Details

One of the plastic pipes feeding the aggregate wash plant in the quarry had become pierced, resulting in a jet of highly pressurised water shooting out of a pinhole leak.

The quarry needed to carry out a repair to keep downtime to a minimum. To replace the damaged section of pipe would have been extremely disruptive to operations on the site.

A pierced plastic pipe in a quarry wash plant before undergoing a rapid leak repair with a SylWrap Standard Pipe Repair Kit
Pierced plastic pipe prior to undergoing repair

Sylmasta supplied the quarry with a SylWrap Standard Pipe Repair Kit. The Standard Kit enables any user to fix a leaking pipe where water pressure can be turned off.

Superfast Copper Epoxy Putty Stick was used to seal the pinhole in the plastic pipe. The epoxy putty is supplied in a pre-formatted stick which is kneaded by hand and pushed into the hole whilst soft.

Following the application of the epoxy putty, the pipe was then wrapped with a SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage SYL633HD for pipe diameters 150mm to 300mm.

SylWrap HD is a composite repair wrap with a water-activated resin which sets rock hard in minutes, providing an impact resistant layer of protection to pipework.

When used in conjunction with Superfast Copper, SylWrap HD creates a reinforced repair with pressure resistance up to 30 bar, more than enough to withstand the pressure that the plastic pipe operated under.

Pierced plastic pipe at a quarry wash plant repaired using a SylWrap Pipe Repair Kir
Completed repair overwrapped with SylWrap HD

With pipe failures at quarries being a frequent occurrence due to the abrasive nature of the contents of slurry being moved around, Sylmasta have since recommended that the quarry take stock of the SylWrap Pipe Repair Contractor Case.

Each Case contains enough products to make up to six emergency live leak repairs in under 30 minutes. The Case is easy-to-store on-site, meaning that next time pipework at the quarry is damaged, all the materials needed are at hand for an immediate repair.

If you have an application you would like to enquire about, then please get in touch

Call: +44 (0)1444 831 459
Email: sales@sylmasta.com

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Case Study: Repair and Reconnection of a Ruptured 20bar Cast Iron Water Supply Pipe

A ruptured cast iron water supply pipe is removed, repaired and then reconnected to the water network in a Sylmasta pipe repair

The Only Way is Sylmasta – A complex pipe repair in Essex reconnects a block of flats to their water supply

After removing a damaged section of water supply pipe connected to a block of flats, a contractor discovered new fittings were not available – they now needed a repair for the initial rupture which could hold up to 20bar and to reconnect the pipe with the rest of the line.

Case Study Data

Site
Block of Flats
Location
Essex, United Kingdom
Repair Type
No pressure repair and pipeline reconnection
Defect
Ruptured 70mm cast iron water supply pipe

Products Used

SylWrap Pipe Repair Contractor Case
The complexity of the application required the multiple pipe repair products available in a Contractor Case

Superfast Steel Epoxy Putty Stick
Epoxy putty sealed the holes in the pipe which caused the rupture

Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape
Increased pressure resistance of repair and provided watertight seal for reconnecting the damaged section to the supply line

SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage
Provided an impact resistant protective layer over the damaged section and the entire length of pipe once reconnected

Case Study PDF

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Case Study Review

Corrosion had caused the 100-year-old 70mm cast iron water supply pipe to rupture, resulting in a high-pressure leak that was losing a considerable amount of water.

Upon inspecting the pipe, the contractor in charge decided that it was too badly damaged to be repaired and so they removed the effected section with the intention of carrying out a replacement.

It was only once the pipe had been cut away that the contractor discovered replacement fittings of the size and type required were no longer manufactured because of the age of the pipe.

Whilst the damaged section remained unrepaired and disconnected from the supply line, the block of flats was disconnected from the public network and therefore had no water.

  • The leaking pipe was losing considerable amounts of water
  • Contractors cut away the damaged section from the supply line

The contractor needed to find a rapid repair method for the rupture capable of withstanding the 20bar pressure which the pipe was normally under and a way to reattach the removed section to the supply line so that service could be restored to the flats.

The seriousness of the problem was such that the contractor drove from Essex to Sylmasta HQ in West Sussex first thing in the morning to collect a SylWrap Pipe Repair Contractor Case. Sylmasta recommended the use of the Case rather than a Universal Pipe Repair Kit because of the complexity of the repair.

A 100-year-old cast iron water supply pipe which was badly ruptured prior to having a Sylmasta repair carried out
Corrosion had led to the cast iron pipe rupturing

A Sylmasta Contractor Case contains enough products for up to six live leak pipe repairs but on this occasion, the additional Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape and SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage were to be used for reconnecting the pipe after the initial repair had been made to the ruptured section. It was in effect two repairs in one.

Superfast Steel Epoxy Putty Stick was used to seal the rupture in the cast iron pipe. The putty was kneaded by hand and pushed into the cracks where it hardened, plugging the leaks. Because of the high pressure that the water supply pipe comes under, it was decided to reinforce the putty with an overwrapping of Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape.

Superfast Steel Epoxy Putty used to seal a ruptured cast iron water supply pipe as part of a Sylmasta repair
Superfast Steel sealed the rupture in the pipe
Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape provides a high-pressure repair to a ruptured cast iron water supply pipe
The epoxy putty was reinforced with Wrap & Seal, increasing pressure resistance
A SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage provides a protective layer to the repair of a leaking cast iron water supply pipe
Initial repair is overwrapped with a SylWrap HD Bandage

Wrap & Seal is made from self-fusing silicone and stretches by three times its length, fusing into a solid rubber band. Layers of Tape can be built up to provide a repair which is pressure resistant up to 30bar.

Using Wrap & Seal and Superfast Steel in conjunction increased the pressure resistance of the application in a similar manner. The initial damage repair was completed with a SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage, providing a rock-hard, impact-resistant protective layer to the Superfast Steel and the Wrap & Seal.

Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape used to reconnect a section of cast iron water supply pipe to the rest of the line following removal
Wrap & Seal applied at the joints to reconnect the cut-out section to the supply line
SylWrap Pipe Repair Bandage used to reconnect a section of cast iron water supply pipe with the rest of the line
Additional SylWrap HD used to encompass the entire pipe

For stage two of the repair, further Wrap & Seal was used to reconnect the damaged section of pipe to the supply line. The Tape provided a high-strength, watertight seal between the joints. To further protect the connections between joints and the initial damage repair, another SylWrap HD Bandage was applied.

This final Bandage encompassed the entire pipe; the section which had been removed and the rest of the water supply line which had remained in place either side. Once cured, the bandage was painted black to make it a uniform colour with the rest of the pipe.

The completed repair and reconnection of a ruptured cast iron water supply pipe using a Sylmasta Pipe Repair Contractor Case
SylWrap HD is painted black to appear uniform with the pipe and complete the repair

The entire repair was completed in under two hours, after which water supply to the block of flats was restored. The contractor estimated that replacing the damaged section with specially fabricated new parts would have cost £12,000. Thanks to Sylmasta, the repair was completed for under £300.

Case Study Video

If you have an application you would like to enquire about, then please get in touch

Call: +44 (0)1444 831 459
Email: sales@sylmasta.com

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Leakage in the UK hits record low levels thanks to innovation and pipe repair

Leakage has hit its lowest levels on Britain's water network since records began thanks to technology, innovation and pipe repair

Leaks on the water network were cut by 7% in 2019-20

Leakage levels in the United Kingdom hit a record low in 2019-20 as technology, innovation and pipe repair saw the amount of water lost on the nation’s water network cut by 7%.

216 million litres of water were saved per day – enough to fill 86 Olympic sized swimming pools – to bring the volume of water being leaked down to 2,954 million litres, the lowest since records began in the mid-1990s.

Britain has over 215,277 miles of water pipes, enough to go around the world eight-and-a-half times. Maintaining such a vast network provides a significant challenge for the nation’s water companies, who have been set an ambitious target of cutting leaks by 16% over the next five years by the industry regulator Ofwat.

The 16% figure forms part of a broader target of halving leakage figures from their current levels by 2050.

To achieve this, water companies are adopting the latest technology and innovation to both identify and repair leaks quicker. The faster that a damaged pipe on the water network is logged and fixed, the less water that is lost to leakage.

Smart pipes capable of data capture, noise loggers which listen out for leaks, satellite technology and thermal imaging drones are being used by various water companies for the purposes of leak detection.

SES Water have partnered with Vodafone to create an intelligent water network which helps them detect and fix leaks while Yorkshire Water are currently piloting the UK’s largest smart water network.

Northumbrian Water have begun using satellites to detect and pinpoint leaks in Suffolk and Essex and Anglian Water have adopted thermal imaging drones for the same purpose.

Affinity Water had the best published leak reduction results across the industry, cutting their amount of lost water by 15%. Affinity achieved their figures through data capture and analysis, state-of-the-art technology and innovative ways to find leaks.

Detecting leaks is only half the job; once a leak has been found, it must also be fixed. Sylmasta’s pipe repair technology is helping in the battle against leakage, having been approved for use by Anglian Water, Southern Water and Affinity Water.

Anglian, Southern and Affinity contractors are now carrying SylWrap Pipe Repair Contactor Cases on their vans. More water companies are set to follow suit in the coming months as pipe repair becomes a pressing issue if those ambitious leak reduction targets are to be met.

SylWrap Contractor Cases enable up to six permanent repairs to be carried out to leaking pipes of all types and sizes, even when pressure cannot be turned off.

A repair can be made in less than 30 minutes, significantly cutting the amount of time which a damaged pipe is leaking water for. With a cost-per-repair as low as £18.77, SylWrap Kits provide excellent value-for-money.

Their versatility means they can be deployed in tight spots for difficult repairs, making them more user-friendly and lightweight than traditional pipe repair clamps.

Commenting on the leakage figures, Water UK Chief Executive Christine McGourty said,“Enormous progress has been made in tackling leaky pipes, and that’s brought leakage levels down significantly in the last year.”

“But the water industry is committed to doing much more, and companies are putting innovation and technology at the heart of a commitment to radically reduce leakage over the long-term”

“Intelligent networks, smart sensors, satellite technology and drones are all part of the armoury that’s being deployed to detect and fix leaks faster than ever and at lower cost.”

The improved picture on leakage in the UK came as part of a wider update published on the Discover Water website. It was also revealed that interruptions in water supply were now down to an average of just 12 minutes and the amount of water used per person has fallen slightly from 143 litres to 142 litres per day.

Pipe Repair Contractor Case

The Pipe Repair Contractor Case is easily stored on the vans of water company contractors. When a live leak is detected, vans equipped with a Case can carry out an emergency repair to pipes of any size and type in 30 minutes.

Cases contain enough products to make up to six live leak repairs. They provide a lightweight, user-friendly and much more versatile alternative to traditional pipe clamps.

SylWrap Pipe Repair Contractor Case
Easy-to-store, robust red case with enough SylWrap Pipe Repair products to make up to six permanent live leak repairs

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Preparing your business for a safe reopening after lockdown from a pipes point of view

Business owners should take some steps to ensure their pipes are in good working order ahead of a safe reopening

Three pipe repair and maintenance tips to get your business ready for reopening

As lockdown restrictions in the United Kingdom continue to be lifted, business owners including those who run pubs, restaurants and cafés are preparing for a safe reopening of their doors.

The government have issued COVID-secure guidelines which must be followed to ensure a safe return to work. These directions deal with how to prevent the spread of the disease, but not much attention seems to have been paid to other dangers caused by the extended shutdown of premises, shops, and offices.

We all know that copious amounts of hand sanitiser will be required for clean and healthy hands to stop transmission – but not what should be done to ensure that pipework systems for example do not end up causing health problems after laying unused for over three months.

Here are some steps that business owners should take to ensure a safe reopening relating to pipes.

Flush out your pipes to prevent Legionnaires disease

Legionnaires disease poses a very real threat for businesses whose premises have been completely shut throughout the three-month lockdown period.

Legionella, the bacteria which causes the fatal disease, grows and thrives in stagnant water between 25°C and 45°C. If a business has left water to lie in pipes and tanks for three months, then conditions will have been ripe for legionella to form – especially given the warm weather of recent months.

People contract Legionnaires disease when they inhale droplets of water containing legionella through mist or vapour. Individuals with underlying health conditions, weakened immune systems, respiratory problems and lung disease are most at risk. One in 10 people who become sick with Legionnaires disease will die due to complications from their illness.

Removing legionella from pipes and tanks ahead of a safe reopening for business is thankfully straightforward. By turning on your taps for between 10 and 30 minutes (depending on the size of the premises), you can flush out any stagnant and contaminated water so that it does not come into contact with customers or employees.

Beware of lead leaching into water

Another threat posed by pipes being out of use for a significant period of time comes from lead. If your business is located in an older building which still contains lead pipes somewhere in the system, then you need to flush stagnant water in the same way as the method for removing legionnaires.

Lead leaches into water which it has extended contact time with. This can happen in as short a time frame as overnight, so a three-month period in which water has not moved presents a huge risk when it comes to contamination.

Exposure to lead is harmful to infants and children in particular with studies showing adverse effects on their mental development and behaviour. Subsequently, the World Health Organisation advises that exposure to lead is kept at a minimum.

The British government prohibited the use of lead in many products with the ban encompassing water supply pipes in 1970. Most business owners will therefore not be effected by water contaminated with lead, but if you have any doubts about the makeup of your pipework system then it is advised to flush them ahead of a safe reopening.

General pipe repair and maintenance

Three months is a long time for a business to have been shut and while your pub, restaurant, café or shop has been in lockdown, problems might have developed within pipework systems.

That PVC plastic pipe which needed repair because of a small leak might have developed a larger leak. Issues that were seen as minor back in March may have become more pressing over the course of the last 15 weeks.

The last thing any business owner wants is to be affected by pipework problems, especially if they are then force to scale back services or close altogether just a matter of days after a safe reopening.

You can avoid that fate by checking your pipes before reopening to make sure everything is in good working order. If you spot any holes, cracks, leaks of problems then take steps to fix them now before throwing open your doors rather than risk a bigger problem down the line.

The SylWrap pipe repair and maintenance range contains products for fixing leaking pipes and strengthening and protecting old and worn pipework systems.

SylWrap pipe repair solutions are easy-to-use, do not require the costly services of a plumber or other expert and are effective inside 30 minutes, making them ideal for preparing a business’ pipes ahead of a safe reopening.

To speak to a Sylmasta technician about how your business pipe repair and maintenance needs before reopening after lockdown, then please contact Sylmasta via email or on +44 (0)1444 831459.

Leaking Pipe Repair in Under 30 Minutes

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Case Study: Leaking Cast Iron Wastewater Pipe Repair at a London Hotel

Pipe repair carried out to a wastewater pipe made of cast iron in a central London hotel

Getting a room – Sylmasta solve the problem of a leaking cast iron wastewater pipe in an iconic London hotel

An iconic central London hotel faced having to shut one of its most prestigious rooms after a cast iron wastewater pipe located in the ceiling above developed a large circular crack which initially proved impossible to repair.

Case Study Data

Site
Hotel
Location
London, United Kingdom
Repair Type
No pressure pipe repair
Defect
50 x 25mm hole in a cast iron wastewater pipe

Products Used

Superfast Steel Epoxy Putty Stick
Superfast Steel was formed into a disc shape and used to seal the crack

SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage
The Superfast Steel was overwrapped with a SylWrap HD Bandage, reinforcing the initial seal

SylWrap Standard Pipe Repair Kit
Superfast Steel and SylWrap HD can be purchased together as part of the Standard Pipe Repair Kit

Case Study PDF

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Case Study Review

Several attempts had been made to repair the leaking cast iron wastewater pipe, but its location within the hotel made it particularly troublesome. The pipe was crammed into a gap between the floor of one level and the ceiling of another, leaving virtually no room to work.

The hotel’s initial repair attempt had seen them try and wrap the pipe with a repair bandage. Although the crack was successfully covered, it was not successfully sealed and so began leaking again once pressure was turned back on.

A cracked cast iron wastewater pipe repair which had failed at a hotel in the United Kingdom
The failed first repair of the pipe
A 50 x 25mm crack in a cast iron wastewater pipe which required repair
The 50 x 25mm crack was located on an elbow joint

The 50 x 25mm hole therefore required an alternative repair method. To complicate the repair further, the crack in the cast iron wastewater pipe was on an elbow joint.

Sylmasta decided that the most effective pipe repair product to seal the hole would be Superfast Steel Epoxy Repair Stick. The size and the position of the crack still possessed some challenges, which were eventually overcome by some out-of-the-box thinking by the Sylmasta technicians.

The Superfast Steel Stick was hand kneaded as normal, but rather than being pushed immediately into the crack it was instead formed into a disc larger than the hole in order to completely cover it. This disc of epoxy putty was then attached to a strip of polythene sheeting.

Steel epoxy putty used to seal a crack in a leaking cast iron wastewater pipe
Superfast Steel formed into a disc and applied over the crack

The sheeting would support the epoxy putty whilst it was stretched over the crack in the pipe. Once in position, the edges of the disc were pushed tightly down onto the cast iron pipe to form a good seal with the surface of the pipe.

Once the epoxy putty was in place, the whole repair was overwrapped with a SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage. SylWrap is water activated and sets rock-hard to provide an impact resistant layer over the initial repair. It does not need to be stretched for an effective application, meaning that it could easily be applied to the cast iron pipe despite the space constraints.

A SylWrap Pipe Repair Bandage applied over a cracked cast iron wastewater pipe in a London hotel
The Superfast Steel was overwrapped with a SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage

After the repair was completed, the hotel was able to reopen to the public the popular room which had been affected by the leaking wastewater pipe. The solution is permanent and was carried out at a fraction of the cost of hiring a plumber or replacing the damaged pipe.

It also saved time with the repair being effective in less than an hour. Sylmasta have since recommended that the hotel take stock of the SylWrap Pipe Repair Contractor Case, a kit which contains enough products to carry out up to six pipe repairs.

A Contractor Case can be easily stored on site, enabling an emergency pipe repair to be carried out as soon a pipe related problem arises for the hotel in the future. All the products included in the Contractor Case are WRAS approved, making them safe to use with drinking water.

If you have an application you would like to enquire about, then please get in touch

Call: +44 (0)1444 831 459
Email: sales@sylmasta.com

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Case Study: Repair of a Cracked PVC Pipe in a Swimming Pool Filtration System

Repair of a plastic PVC pipe which formed part of a swimming pool filtration system in a leisure centre

The swimming pool filtration system repair which helped to keep a Welsh leisure centre’s head above water

When a section of plastic PVC pipe which formed part of the swimming pool filtration system in a Welsh leisure centre developed a 50mm crack, a repair looked impossible until Sylmasta swam to the rescue.

Case Study Data

Site
Leisure Centre Swimming Pool
Location
South Wales, United Kingdom
Repair Type
Live leak pipe repair
Defect
50mm crack in a 200mm PVC plastic pipe

Products Used

Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape
Wrap & Seal was applied around the damaged area of pipe to seal the live leak

SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage
Used to provide an impact-resistant layer over the Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape

SylWrap Universal Pipe Repair Kit
Both items were supplied to the Leisure Centre in the SylWrap Universal Pipe Repair Kit for live leak repairs

Case Study PDF

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Case Study Review

The section of pipework in question had for many years been resting on a steel bracket. Over time, this had caused the PVC to weaken and sag, which ultimately is what led to the crack developing.

What made the leak so challenging was the location of the pipe. It was only 76mm above the ground and surrounded by other components of the swimming pool filtration system, making access for a repair extremely difficult.

Once that problem had been overcome, the next challenge as the crack itself was at the bottom of the pipe, facing towards the ground. This severely restricted the type of pipe repair that could be carried out, not to mention that if the pressure was turned off, the person carrying out the repair from above could no longer tell exactly where the crack was without the guidance of water gushing from the hole.

A crack in a PVC plastic pipe in a swimming pool filtration system at a leisure centre in the United Kingdom
The 50mm crack in the PVC plastic pipe had to be repaired as a live leak

The maintenance company responsible for the leisure centre would normally have two repair methods for a leaking pipe in a swimming pool filtration system. The first would be to remove the damaged section and plastic weld it. If the damage was too severe, they would simply replace the pipework.

To remove this particular section of pipe however would have required the disassembly of half the filtration system. It would have been a time-consuming and costly exercise which would have required the closure of the swimming pool to complete.

What the maintenance company needed was a product which could carry out a permanent, live leak repair within a confined space. After seeking technical assistance from Sylmasta, we were able to supply a Universal Pipe Repair Kit to fix the leaking PVC plastic pipe.

Wrap & Seal Waterproof Pipe Repair Tape used to seal a crack in a PVC plastic pipe in a swimming pool filtration system
Despite the lack of space around the pipe, the user was able to successfully apply Wrap & Seal to seal the leak

Because water pressure needed to be maintained during the repair, Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape was used to seal the leak. It is normally recommended that Wrap & Seal be stretched to the maximum of 300% of its length to provide a tight seal around the leak area, where it will fuse into a solid rubber band capable of withstanding pressure up to 30bar.

With just 76mm to play with between the pipe and the ground, the maximum stretch was unachievable. Not that this mattered as the pipe repair tape was still more than capable of repairing the leak. It was then overwrapped with a SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage, which set rock hard in 30 minutes for a permanent solution.

A SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage used to fix a leaking swimming pool filtration pipe made of PVC plastic
The repair was completed using a SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage

The impact resistant layer provided by the Bandage ensured that the steel bracket would cause no further damage to the PVC plastic pipe. To strengthen and protect the pipe from future wear and tear, it was decided to wrap the entire length in further bandages.

So impressed were the maintenance company with the speed and ease of the repair that they have subsequently recommended that leisure centres and swimming pool servicing companies take stock of SylWrap Pipe Repair Kits for any future emergencies.

The group technical manager said: “Leaks often occur at times when spares are challenging to obtain, such as evenings and weekends, so I suggested they consider stocking SylWrap products as a solution for fixing a leaking pipe quickly as soon as it is reported.”

These companies have since benefited from taking stock of the SylWrap Pipe Repair Contractor Case. Each case contains enough products to carry out up to six repairs at a cheaper cost-per-repair than when buying individual Universal Pipe Repair Kits. They are easy to store either on site or on the van, providing an on-hand solution for whenever emergencies arise.

If you have an application you would like to enquire about, then please get in touch

Call: +44 (0)1444 831 459
Email: sales@sylmasta.com

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What is epoxy putty, how does it work and what is it used for?

Epoxy putty is a repair compound with many uses in DIY, maintenance and plumbing

Welcome to the wonderful world of epoxy putty

Epoxy putty is one of those repair materials that every household should have a supply of. Why? Because it is so versatile that you can use it in almost any job you can think of.

Need to fix a leaking pipe? Use putty to plug the hole. Have a cracked concrete paving slab that requires repair? Use putty to fill the gap.

Bathroom tiles or ceramics that are chipped? Epoxy putty. Wood that could do with filling in? Epoxy putty. Hole in metalwork caused by rust? Epoxy putty.

It is a powerful adhesive. It bonds to virtually any surface. It is waterproof. It can be shaped, moulded, sculpted, drilled, sawed, cut and painted. And perhaps best of all – it is one of the easiest repair compounds to use.

What is epoxy putty?

Epoxy putties are made up of two soft parts. When these two parts are mixed together, a chemical reaction takes place, causing the putty to harden.

Whilst soft, epoxy putty can be kneaded by hand and moulded into use for the repair or bonding task it is required for. By the time it has cured and set, you have a material which can be as hard as steel when measured using the Shore rating.

How does epoxy putty work?

The key component in an epoxy putty is the hardener. The chemistry of the hardener determines how quickly the putty will cure. Some users may want a rapid working putty while others carrying out larger projects or more detailed work might need longer to work with the material.

Take Superfast Steel Epoxy Putty. It has a cure time of five minutes, offering a rapid repair solution for steel, iron and other ferrous metals. It is the perfect epoxy putty for when time is of the essence.

When epoxy putties are used by model makers, sculptors and restorers, they in contrast require time to be able to shape the putty and carve intricate details into their creations.

Over on Sylmasta’s craft, restoration and model making site SylCreate.com, the putties on sale therefore come with a much longer working time of up to two hours – Green Stuff, Magic Sculp and Geomfix Original A+B.

AB Original is Sylmasta’s super-strength repair putty. It also comes with a two working time, allowing for more putty to be mixed without wastage for use in large-scale repair and maintenance tasks.

Because the cure speed of epoxy putty is impacted by heat, putties with long working times are more suitable for warmer climates. AB Original has proven a popular product with Sylmasta’s pipe repair customers in the Middle East.

Types of epoxy putties

Different epoxy putties are formulated for different tasks and use on certain materials. Specialist wood putty for example is coloured brown and will often be wood-filled, allowing it to bond more effectively.

Concrete putty cures to grey to match concrete. Milliput, a Welsh epoxy putty manufacturer, produce a terracotta putty which can be used to repair terracotta and clay ornaments.

Epoxy putties are not just formulated for colour. Specialist formulations are produced for high temperature applications, such as Titanium High Temperature Epoxy Putty which is resistant up to 280°C for use with steam pipes and other pipework in industry.

When it comes to epoxy for domestic plumbing, then finding a putty which is WRAS approved is vital to guarantee the safety of the repair. WRAS approval means that the material in question has been certified for use with drinking water.

Using putties that are not WRAS approved and which encounter water designated for human consumption could lead to contamination – the last thing anyone wants when it comes to fixing a leaking pipe.

Epoxy putty formats

Epoxy putties can come in several formats. The two most common formats are the putty stick and the two-part putty.

The Putty Stick is the easiest to use. It combines the two parts in one handy stick with the hardener running through the middle.

You simply cut off the required amount of putty and knead by hand until it feels ready to apply. Because the Putty Stick is pre-formatted, there is no need to worry about the mixing ratios of the two parts.

Some epoxy putties will come with the two parts kept separate. When this is the case, you take the required amount of each part and mix them together. This allows for greater control over the mixing ratio; including more hardener for example will quicken the working time and can lead to a less sticky putty.

Having such command over the properties of the putty is desirable when it comes to model making, sculpture and other creative tasks. It is much less important in the majority of general repair tasks however, which is why putty sticks are suitable for most maintenance jobs.

One alternative format is the epoxy putty tape or reel. The two parts are combined in one easy-to-store reel and just like with the stick, you cut off the required amount of putty and knead it by hand.

How to use epoxy putty

The biggest selling point of epoxy putty is how easy it is to use. Once you have mixed it by hand, you simply apply it to the material or area requiring repair.

It is soft enough to push into holes and cracks, fixing leaking pipes and creating watertight seals around faucets, drains, and other plumbing parts.

Repairing cracked and chipped masonry and concrete is equally straightforward; just mould the kneaded putty into place. As an adhesive, it can be used to stick one material to another in the same manner that you would apply blue tac.

Once the putty has cured, you can do practically anything to it. Paint it, drill it, saw it. It won’t shrink or pull away.

When you have finished carrying out the repair job or task at hand, then you can keep the remaining putty. All epoxy putties will stay fresh when kept tightly sealed in their original packaging, ready and waiting to serve you again in the future.

Sylmasta Epoxy Putties


If you have any questions about which product is most suitable for your repair or require technical assistance, then please contact Sylmasta via email or on +44 (0)1444 831459 and a technician will be happy to advise you.

Epoxy putty repairs

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No plumber, no problem: How to fix a leaking pipe in coronavirus lockdown

A leaking pipe may be hard to fix durng coronavirus lockdown as plumbers begin downing tools

Burst pipes are bad news at the best of times. During Covid-19 coronavirus lockdown, a leaking pipe can quickly turn into a disaster as plumbers and other tradespeople across the United Kingdom down tools.

In theory, all trades can continue with call-outs as their work cannot be carried out from home. They are also offering an essential service when it comes to emergency repairs.

In practice though it’s a different story. Many are choosing to shut down to help prevent the spread of the virus as well as protect themselves and their families from catching Covid-19.

This is a sensible course of action as Britain attempts to battle the pandemic. But it might leave households and businesses in something of a quandary about what to do if a pipe on their property develops a leak during lockdown.

Which is where Sylmasta come in. We’re still accepting orders and despatching them via next day delivery.

If you need to carry out an emergency pipe repair, then order a SylWrap Pipe Repair kit before 2pm Monday to Friday and within 24 hours you’ll have all the products and equipment needed to fix a leaking pipe, depending on courier performance during Covid-19 coronavirus lockdown.

There are two versions of the SylWrap Pipe Repair Kit. The Standard Kit contains Superfast Steel Epoxy Putty Stick and SylWrap Bandage and is used for repairing leaking pipes where water pressure can be turned off.

The Universal Pipe Repair Kit includes Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape in addition to the products in the standard kit. It is used to seal live leaks when flow cannot be turned off.

Both kits are easy to use and come with full instructions. The Superfast Steel Epoxy Putty Stick is hand-kneaded and used to plug holes. Wrap & Seal is a self-fusing silicone tape which stretches by 300%, providing maximum pressure when wrapped over the leak area.

The repair is then overwrapped with a SylWrap Bandage. When activated using water, the resin soaked bandage sets rock hard to provide a permanent, impact resistant layer.

SylWrap Pipe Repair Kits come in a variety of sizes depending on the diameter of pipe requiring repair. They are effective on pipes of all materials in domestic and industrial settings and are WRAS approved, meaning they are safe to use with drinking water.

If you suddenly find yourself needing to perform an emergency pipe repair and you can’t get hold of a plumber due to the Covid-19 coronavirus lockdown, then please get in contact with us today.

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Copper pipe repair – 4 ways to fix a leaking copper pipe

Being able to repair a copper pipe is a task that most homeowners will need to be able to carry out at some point in their life

Copper is one of the most frequently used materials for pipe systems in the domestic home. Which means that at some point in our lives, most of us are going to have to attempt to repair a copper pipe.

To the uninitiated, this can seem like a daunting task. Your first reaction might be to reach straight for the phone and call a plumber under the mistaken belief that only a trained expert can fix the problem. And they will charge you an average price of £100 for the privilege.

There is another way. Or several other ways, to be more precise. Fixing a leaking copper pipe can be a straightforward task carried out by anyone willing to spend a few pounds on one of the many pipe repair products available on the market.

Copper pipe repair epoxy putty

Copper repair epoxy putties provide one of the easiest ways to fix a leaking pipe. Epoxy putties consist of two components, a resin and a hardener. When mixed together, these components form a material that can be used to plug holes before setting into a hardened material.

The Superfast Copper Epoxy Putty Stick combines the two components in one ready-to-use stick. You simply break off the amount of putty required and mix it by hand. Once the epoxy putty has been completely mixed, the two contrasting colours will blend into one.

When mixing has finished, the putty can be placed over the area requiring of copper pipe requiring repair. It will fill the hole or crack, offering a complete seal within one hour.

Pipe Repair Tape

If you need to fix a leaking copper pipe which cannot be turned off, then the water pressure running through it may make a repair with epoxy putty difficult. If this is the case, then pipe burst tape can be used to seal the live leak.

The most popular types of pipe burst tape on the market are those which self-fuse as well. These tapes are made from silicone and other advanced polymers and will seal the leak by forming a tight rubber band around it.

Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape is one of the most effective pipe repair tapes on the market. It stretches by 300% and is extremely easy to apply.

You start by anchoring the Wrap & Seal next to the leak area before stretching the tape to its full length and wrapping it around the copper pipe until the leak is sealed.

Repairs can be carried out in under 30 minutes. There are however limitations to where pipe repair tape can be used; it can be difficult to achieve the required stretch around inaccessible copper pipes which are positioned up against walls or inside cupboards.

Pipe Repair Bandages

For a longer lasting repair of a copper pipe, then you should overwrap either the epoxy putty or the pipe repair tape with a SylWrap Pipe Repair Bandage.

These bandages are fibreglass wraps coated with a water-activated resin. Once dipped in water, they set rock hard in less than 30 minutes to provide an impact resistant layer over the original repair material and a permanent repair.

For convenience, Sylmasta now sell Superfast Copper Epoxy Putty Stick, Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape and SylWrap Pipe Repair Bandages in one Pipe Repair Kit for fixing a leaking copper pipe. All of the products in the Universal Pipe Repair Kit are WRAS approved, meaning that they are safe to use with drinking water.

Soldering

Another way in which you can repair a leaking copper pipe is through soldering. It’s harder work than the other three methods which we’ve listed and it does require a degree of practical ability, but it can provide a permanent solution to fix a copper pipe.

Before soldering, you have to shut off the main water valve and then drain the pipe in question from below where the hole is. Any sitting water needs to be removed before you begin the soldering process.

Clean the damaged area with an abrasives pad and then add the flux which you will use for soldering to the pipe. Heat the flux with a blowtorch until it changes colour and then add solder into the hole. This will block up the hole, sealing the leak and returning the pipe to full working order.