Quick and easy permanent pipe repair without hiring an expensive plumber
When pipes burst or start leaking, the money involved in repairing them can soon add up. Hiring a plumber is not cheap, which is why more people are turning to DIY pipe repair kits when they need the tools and know how to fix a leaking pipe.
The Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdowns it brought saw an increase in those willing to take on DIY repairs in all kinds of areas, including pipes. Homeowners sought out pipe repair kits to permanently fix leaks and bursts without requiring a plumber to enter their property.
DIY repairs have remained popular in the post-lockdown world – and it is easy to see why. Whereas a plumber can charge up to £60 an hour plus an emergency call out fee of £120 (according to Checkatrade), a SylWrap Pipe Repair Kit capable of sealing a live leak on your average domestic copper pipe is available for under £20 including delivery.
Repairs are quick and easy to make and permanent with no training required. You simply follow the instructions provided and within 30 minutes, leaking pipes of any size and material can be sealed – even when pressure cannot be turned off should be unable to locate your stopcock or isolate the pipe for another reason.
We will now take you through the two-stage process of how to fix a leaking pipe using a SylWrap Pipe Repair Kit. All the products contained within the Kit are WRAS approved, meaning they have been certified to British standards as safe to use on pipes and fittings which come into contact with drinking water.
Stage one: Seal the leak
Stage one of making a DIY pipe repair involves sealing the leak. If you can turn the pressure off and the pipe is dry, then this is done using Superfast Epoxy Putty. If you cannot turn the pressure off and water is leaking from the pipe, then this is done using Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape.
Firstly, the no pressure repair method. Epoxy putty consists of two components, resin and hardener. Both these parts are soft until mixed together, after which a chemical reaction takes place to turn the putty into a material as hard as steel.
Superfast Epoxy comes with the resin and hardener in a pre-formatted stick. To use, you simply cut enough putty from the stick to cover the hole or crack in the pipe and knead it by hand.
Within a few minutes, the putty will turn to a uniform colour. Whilst soft, it is then pushed into the hole or crack. After 5 to 10 minutes, it will harden, filling the hole or crack and sealing the leak.
Epoxy putty is pressure resistant up to 30 bar. The highest that most home water systems operate at is 3 bar, so Superfast is more than capable of repairing any domestic and most industrial pipes, easily withstanding the pressure.
For live leaks, Wrap & Seal is instead used. This waterproof repair tape is made from self-amalgamating silicone and stretches by up to 3 times its length. When wrapped around a leaking pipe, it will fuse to form a solid rubber band over the hole or crack, sealing it.
The more Wrap & Seal Tapes you use, the greater the pressure resistance. One Tape is normally more than capable of holding 3 bar on a domestic pipe. To know how many Tapes are needed to fix a leaking pipe of larger diameters, Sylmasta have produced a Wrap & Seal Calculator for calculating the quantity needed for bigger repairs.
One Wrap & Seal Tape will take less than 10 minutes to apply. Once you have completed stage one of the repair using either the Tape or Epoxy Putty, then comes stage two – reinforcement.
Stage two: Reinforce the pipe repair
The repair is made permanent by reinforcement using a SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage. SylWrap HD is a composite wrap with a water-activated resin. It is dipped in water, wrapped and then smoothed around the area of the pipe which had been leaking.
Within minutes, the bandage will begin to harden. Once fully wrapped and cured, it provides a rock hard, impact resistant sleeve encompassing the pipe and protecting the initial seal.
Choosing the right Kit for your pipe repair
There are two SylWrap Pipe Repair Kits – the Standard Kit contains only Superfast Epoxy Putty and SylWrap HD Bandage and makes repairs to pipes where pressure can be turned off.
The Universal Kit includes Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape along with Epoxy Putty and the Bandage. This Kit repairs live leaks where pressure cannot be turned off.
Once you have identified which Kit you need, then each product page contains a drop down list with various pipe diameters. Simply select the size of the pipe you are wanting to fix, and it will tell you the specific sized Kit you need.
Step-by-step instructions are supplied with every Kit and if you need any further assistance, then there are several videos showing how to fix a leaking pipe on each of the Kit pages.
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.
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SylWrap Standard Pipe Repair Kit£19.22 – £187.60 inc. Vat -
Universal Pipe Repair Kit – For Live Leaks£22.37 – £216.47 inc. Vat
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