Case Study: Repair of a Cracked 90-year-old 70mm Malleable Iron Water Supply Pipe

Case Study Data

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Site
Domestic property
Location
United Kingdom
Repair Type
No pressure pipe repair
Defect
Cracked 90-year-old malleable iron water supply pipe

Products Used

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Superfast Steel Epoxy Putty Stick
Fast working, steel-filled epoxy putty used to seal small holes and large cracks in pipework

SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage
Composite repair wrap with a water activated resin which sets rock hard to encompass pipework in a protective sleeve

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

Case Study PDF

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Case Study Details

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The 70mm malleable iron pipe connected a property with the public supply network. When the homeowner was alerted to a potential leak, excavation revealed an awkward-shaped large crack and several smaller holes through which water was now escaping.

Because the pipe was 90 years old, replacement fittings of the correct size and type were no longer manufactured. The crack and holes therefore had to be sealed, otherwise the entire section would need digging out and replacing with a new line at considerable expense.

Sylmasta recommended a SylWrap Standard Pipe Repair Kit for the application. All products in the Standard Kit have WRAS approval, meaning they are certified as safe to use for the repair and maintenance of pipes carrying drinking water.

Pressure was turned off and the malleable iron pipe cleaned and dried as best it could be prior to the two-stage repair.

First, Superfast Steel Epoxy Putty Stick was used to seal the pipe. Superfast Steel is a fast working putty in an easy-to-use stick format which makes permanent repairs to steel, iron and other ferrous metals.

For the smaller holes, the required amount of epoxy was cut from the stick and kneaded by hand. It was pushed into all visible holes in the pipe, where it hardened within five minutes to plug all leaks.

To seal the large crack, Superfast Steel was formed into a disc bigger than the area of the pipe the crack covered. This guaranteed no part would be missed when sealing.

This epoxy putty disc was then stretched over the entire crack area. Once in position, the edges of the disc were pushed tightly down onto the pipe, forming a good seal with the surface.

Once the putty had become firmer but not completely cured, the entire repaired section was tightly wrapped with a SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage to compress the putty into any remaining gaps.

SylWrap HD is a composite repair wrap with a water activated resin which sets rock hard in minutes, providing an impact resistant protective layer around the pipe.

After the application was completed, pressure was turned back on. The pipe had ceased leaking and could therefore be re-buried.

The homeowner said the repair went “fantastically well”. They were pleased at how straightforward it was and delighted with the significant cost saving compared to replacement.