Tag: SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage

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Case Study: Leak Repair & Encapsulation of a Steel & Iron Welded Pipe Joint

Pipe repair of a central heating system in a church which had begun to leak around a welded joint suffering from corrosion

Good deed done – Sylmasta answer a church’s prayers with a welded pipe leak repair and encapsulation

A church central heating system had suffered heavy damage caused by corrosion and begun leaking at the point where a 100mm cast iron pipe met a 50mm steel pipe via a welded steel plate, leading to a challenging leak repair and encapsulation application.

Case Study Data

Site
Church
Location
United Kingdom
Repair Type
Leak Repair
Defect
Leaking welded joint between a 100mm cast iron pipe, a 50mm steel pipe, and a 6mm steel plate

Products Used

Sylmasta AB Original Epoxy Putty
Epoxy putty with two-hour work time allowing for careful application and watertight encapsulation of the leaking joint

Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape
Self-fusing silicone repair tape used initially to seal leaks on the 100mm cast iron pipe

SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage
Applied over Wrap & Seal to provide a rock hard, impact-resistant layer to the initial repair.

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Case Study Details

Several years previously, the central heating system in the church had undergone renovations when a 100mm cast iron pipe had been stepped down to a 50mm steel pipe.

To facilitate this, a 6mm thick steel plate had been attached to the end of the larger cast iron pipe with a hole cut into the middle, through which the smaller steel pipe was attached and welded.

Since the work had been carried out, the system had become badly corroded and was now leaking from numerous areas around the welded joint.

When a similar problem had developed on another heating pipe, the church had fitted a pipe repair clamp at considerable expense. Such a repair method was not possible on this occasion as the new leak was in a restricted space with no room for a clamp to be applied.

Initially, the church called in welders to try and fix the problem, but this just caused further leakage and left an even more uneven pipe surface needing to be sealed.

Diagram showing the repair in question

The main leak was between the steel plate and the 100mm cast iron pipe with particularly heavy corrosion at the point where they met. Once the corrosion was filed back, this was relatively straightforward to repair using a SylWrap Universal Pipe Repair Kit.

Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape was applied around the pipe, fusing to form a solid rubber band over the problem area to seal the leak. This was then overwrapped with a SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage, providing a rock hard, impact resistant shell to reinforce the initial repair.

More challenging was the repair of the joint between the smaller 50mm steel pipe and the steel plate. Here, leaking was caused by uneven welding, whilst a threaded section of pipe close by was also suffering from a leak.

It became clear that a softer repair material was needed to smear into the threaded section and to penetrate into the weld. Because of the complexity of the repair, Sylmasta recommended Sylmasta AB Original Epoxy Putty.

  • Leaking 100mm cast iron pipe prior to repair
  • Sylmasta AB Original Epoxy Putty used to encasuplate a leaking welded joint as part of a pipe repair application
    Completed repair with AB Original encapsulating the welded joint

AB Original is a smooth-setting epoxy with a two hour cure time. This longer working time allowed for the putty to be more carefully applied, encapsulating the whole section where the 100mm pipe, the 50mm pipe, and the steel plate all met.

The church were supplied with 1kg of Sylmasta AB, more than enough for their application. Unused AB Original stays fresh when left in its original packaging, ensuring the church has a supply of epoxy putty for any future applications.

Sylmasta AB Original putty was smoothed over the welded joint, filling in all imperfections and sealing all leak areas. It has excellent corrosion resistance, further protecting the pipe from future attack, and provided a smooth, ceramic-like finish to the application.

When the church first contacted Sylmasta, they had been looking for a repair method that would temporarily fix the leaking central heating system until funds allowed for either a longer lasting solution or for a new pipe to be installed.

Instead, the repair provided by Sylmasta will be permanent and was made at a fraction of the cost of other options, saving the church a considerable amount of money.

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: Stainless Steel Pipe Repair Inside a Biomass Plant Heating Tank

A stainless steel pipe in a biomass power plant at a UK farm required a different live leak repair using a SylWrap Universal Pipe Repair Kit

SylWrap and biomass – the repair of an inaccessible stainless steel pipe in a biomass plant heating tank

Small pieces of farmyard debris had inadvertently entered a Norfolk farm’s biomass plant as part of feedstock, breaching a stainless steel pipe at the top of a 20 feet tall heating tank which now required a flexible and lightweight repair carried out from a ladder.

Case Study Data

Site
Biomass plant on an agricultural site
Location
Norfolk, United Kingdom
Repair Type
Leak Repair
Defect
Damaged stainless steel pipe

Products Used

Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape
Repair tape with high pressure and temperature resistance to seal the leak

SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage
Provided an impact-resistant layer to protect the pipe from further damage

SylWrap Universal Pipe Repair Kit
The products were supplied to the farm in a Universal Pipe Repair Kit

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Case Study Details

Anaerobic digester biomass plants are becoming more common on farms in the United Kingdom. They turn waste organic material – known as feedstock – into gas used for fuel and nutrients for crops. Feedstock can include specially grown plant matter, other waste plant material and animal manure.

At the core of a biomass plant system is its digester. Here, the feedstock is fed into an airless container where it ferments. A gas called biogas is captured from the process and used for fuel. The farm uses this fuel to power itself and can even sell surplus energy to the national grid.

The remaining material is known as digestate and is separated into liquid and solid form. The liquid digestate is sprayed back onto the farm as fertiliser. The dried-out solids have multiple uses, including in animal bedding and creating fibre plant pots.

Before adding the initial feedstock to the digester, the biomass plant on the farm in Norfolk had a pre-heating tank. Here, the farm mixed feedstock with some liquid digestate and heated it to the same temperature as the main digester. This enabled them to avoid adding cold feedstock straight to the digester, which can impact on the fermentation process.

A leaking stainless steel pipe in a biomass power plant boiler is repaired with a SylWrap Universal Pipe Repair Kit
The damaged pipe was located high up the inside of the heating tank

Multiple stainless steel pipes were located around the inside of the heating tank. It was one of these towards the very top which had become damaged when small pieces of farmyard debris had inadvertently been mixed in with the feedstock and dropped into the tank from the inlet above.

The farm’s preferred method of dealing with pipe repair applications was to weld. This though was not feasible; the leaking stainless steel pipe was located in a confined space at a height of 20 feet with access only available via a ladder.

To repair the leaking pipe in the biomass boiler power plant, the farm therefore needed a flexible repair method involving lightweight materials which could be easily applied from the top of a ladder.

The damaged section of steel pipe was only accessible from the top of a ladder

Sylmasta recommended a SylWrap Universal Pipe Repair Kit for the application. Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape was wrapped around the pipe, fusing into a solid rubber band over the leak area for a high-pressure repair.

A SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage was then applied over the top of the Wrap & Seal. SylWrap HD features a water-activated resin. It cures within five minutes to provide a rock-hard, impact resistant layer to the pipe.

The materials in the SylWrap Universal Pipe Repair Kit are temperature resistant to 200ºC, enabling the repair to withstand conditions within the heating tank. To further protect the pipe, a steel deflector plate was tied to the top of the SylWrap HD Bandage.

A steel deflector plate was tied to the top of the SylWrap HD Bandage after completion of the repair

Completing the repair took less than 30 minutes, cutting downtime of the biomass plant to a minimum. It was carried out by the farm’s own engineers, negating the need to hire contractors, and cost a fraction of fitting a replacement pipe.

The engineer in charge of the repair told Sylmasta afterwards he was pleased with how straightforward the application had been. With pipes a huge part of biomass systems and agriculture in general, Sylmasta are now advising on other ways in which their pipe repair solutions could benefit the sector.

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: Argentina Oil Well 900mm Steel Pipe Surface Restoration & Repair

A 900mm steel pipe in an oil well in Argentina was badly corroded and leaking before Sylmasta carried out a repair

Well, well, well – A SylWrap pipe repair keeps the oil pumping at a well in Argentina

An oil well in Argentina needed to repair a badly corroded, ruptured 900mm steel pipe if they were to keep the oil pumping. When a pipe repair clamp failed because of the leak being positioned on a tee, they turned to a more versatile Sylmasta repair

Case Study Data

Site
Oil well
Location
Argentina
Repair Type
Leak repair and corrosion protection
Defect
Pitting and cracking on a 900mm steel pipe

Products Used

Superfast Copper Epoxy Putty Stick
Fast-working epoxy putty sealed cracks in the pipe and smoothed off pitting caused by corrosion

Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape
Repair tape with high chemical resistance used to reinforce the epoxy putty

SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage
Applied over the repair to provide a layer of protection to a vast section of pipe

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Case Study Review

The 900mm steel pipe pumped water into the well, filling it and in turn pushing oil towards the top for extraction. If the pipe was unable to supply the well with sufficient levels of water, then removing oil became extremely difficult.

Corrosion to the pipe had caused heavy pitting and a number of ruptures to appear. The oil well initially attempted to seal the pipe using two repair clamps.

A 900mm steel pipe in an oil well at Argentina with a pipe repair clamp applied
The initial repair using a pipe repair clamp failed

Problematically, the leak area was located close to a tee and a welded joint, preventing the repair clamp from working effectively.

A more flexible repair method was required and so the oil well turned to Sylmasta for a solution. Superfast Copper Epoxy Putty was used to plug the holes in the pipe and to smooth off the damage caused by corrosion, restoring the surface profile of the pipe.

A 900mm steel pipe showing signs of serious surface damage caused by corrosion
Surface damage caused to the steel pipe through corrosion
Superfast Copper Epoxy Putty applied to a leaking steel pipe in an oil well
Superfast Copper Epoxy Putty applied to seal cracks and restore surface profile

Because the exterior of the steel pipe was extremely oily, the oil well decided to reinforce the Superfast Copper with Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape.

Combining a self-fusing silicone repair tape like Wrap & Seal with Superfast Copper increased pressure resistance and chemical protection.

The entire repair was then overwrapped with SylWrap HD Pipe Bandage. The flexibility of SylWrap HD meant that it could be easily applied to the pipe around both the tee and the welded joint.

Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape applied to a 900mm steel pipe
Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape provided further pressure and chemical resistance
SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage applied to a badly corroded, leaking 900mm steel pipe at an Argentinian oil well
The repair of the 900mm steel pipe was completed with SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandages

SylWrap HD provided an impact-resistant, rock-hard layer to the repaired damage area, protecting a vast section of pipe from future corrosion, breaches, and general wear and tear.

Despite the size of the pipe and the challenges posed by the tee and welded joint, the repair was a complete success.

Within two hours, water was again filling the well. Oil extraction could resume at a fraction of what a replacement pipe would have cost in new fittings, installation and downtime whilst the oil well was out of operation.

Although this particular repair was made with Superfast Copper, Superfast Steel Epoxy Putty Stick would have been equally effective had it been available at the time.

Superfast Steel, Wrap & Seal Pipe and SylWrap HD can all be purchased as part of the SylWrap Universal Pipe Repair Kit for fixing live leaks.

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: 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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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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Case Study: Pinhole Repair of a Steel Pipe in a Furniture Factory Sprinkler System

The repair of a leaking pipe in a sprinkler system at a British furniture company's workshop carried out using a SylWrap Standard Pipe Repair Kit

Sylmasta’s sprinkler pipe repair saves a furniture company from burning money on a section replacement

After a sprinkler maintenance company informed a furniture company that the only solution to a pinhole leak on a tee in their factory’s sprinkler system was to replace a damaged section of steel pipe, the furniture company instead sought out Sylmasta to provide a cost-effective and convenient repair.

Case Study Data

Site
Furniture Factory
Location
Southern England, United Kingdom
Repair Type
No pressure pipe repair
Defect
Pinhole leak on a steel pipe tee

Products Used

Superfast Steel Epoxy Putty Stick
Superfast Steel was used to plug the pinhole leak in the steel pipe

SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage
SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage was wrapped around the tee junction to reinforce the repair

SylWrap Standard Pipe Repair Kit
The repair was carried out using a Standard Pipe Repair Kit which contains both items for no pressure repairs

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The furniture company needed a quick repair for a number of reasons. There were two safety elements to consider; the first being the very obvious dangers that come with a faulty sprinkler system and the second that the leaking pipe was located high up in the roof of the warehouse, next to the incoming electricity supply.

Any water which passed through the leaking section was therefore in danger of coming into contact with the electrics. There was also the danger that water escaping from the pinhole would cause damage to the furniture being stored and manufactured below.

A steel pipe in a furniture factory's sprinkler system located in the roof developed a pinhole leak
The location of the tee junction high in the roof of the factory made fixing the pinhole leak challenging

Initially, the furniture company contacted their sprinkler maintenance company. After inspecting the problem, the maintenance company decided to try and repair the leak with a pipe repair clamp. This proved impossible however due to the pinhole being directly below a tee junction in the steel pipe.

After this failed attempt, the sprinkler maintenance company advised that the only solution would be to replace the leaking section of steel pipe, at great cost to the furniture company and forcing the closure of the factory whilst the work was undertaken.

A pinhole leak on a steel pipe tee junction prior to being repaired using Superfast Steel Epoxy Putty
The pinhole leak marked on the steel pipe

Understandably, this was a road that the furniture company did not wish to go down, and so they decided to seek out alternative repair methods, leading them to Sylmasta. Because the pressure was turned off in the damaged section of the sprinkler system, Sylmasta were able to recommend a SylWrap Standard Pipe Repair Kit for the repair.

The furniture factory reached the damaged section of pipework using a tower. Once up in the rafters, a Superfast Steel Epoxy Putty Stick was mixed by hand and used to plug the pinhole leak. The Putty hardened within 5-10 minutes, after which it was overwrapped with a SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage.

Repair of a pinhole leak in a steel pipe completed using a SylWrap Pipe Repair Bandage
The repair was completed using a SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage

The bandage was applied over the pinhole leak and around both sections of the tee junction to provide maximum coverage and pressure resistance. One of the furniture factory’s concerns was that the pressure in the sprinkler system can be as high as 8 bar and they needed a repair method that could withstand such levels.

This was no problem for the Standard Pipe Repair Kit. The cured Superfast Steel and SylWrap Bandage are suitable for repairs up to 30 bar. Within an hour of the repair being completed, the system was put back into use at a fraction of the cost of the section replacement recommended by the sprinkler maintenance company.

Following the repair, the furniture company’s maintenance manager got in touch to say: “I found the repair putty and the bandage very easy to use and will no doubt be using Sylmasta products again.”

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: Underground Heating Pipe with Insulation Lagging Repair on a Farm

Repair of a leaking hot water pipe on a farm carried out using a SylWrap Universal Pipe Repair Kit

The heating pipe with insulation lagging repair which will keep a farm’s hot water on until the cows come home

A farm in the United Kingdom was undergoing building work when contractors accidentally drilled through an underground heating pipe with insulation lagging supplying the farmhouse’s hot water, which subsequently required a rapid repair to keep the hot water on

Case Study Data

Site
Farm
Location
United Kingdom
Repair Type
Live leak pipe repair
Defect
Pinhole leak in an insulation lagged pipe

Products Used

SylWrap Universal Pipe Repair Kit
The contractor was supplied with a Universal Pipe Repair Kit to carry out the repair

Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape
The high temperature resistance of Wrap & Seal made it ideal for repairing a heating pipe carrying hot water

SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage
SylWrap HD provided an added layer of protection to the pipe from the continuing building works

Case Study PDF

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The contractors were working on a paved yard between two buildings when they came across what they believed to be a disused drainage pipe. It was only once they cut into the pipe using a hole saw that they realised it actually contained two pipes with a layer of insulation lagging which supplied hot water from an outbuilding to the main building on the farm.

After an initial inspection, it looked like replacing the pipe would be both extremely difficult and very expensive. The pipe would have to be dug out from the ground, and the outer pipe and a huge amount of insulation lagging cut away just to access the heating pipe which was leaking.

A leaking pinhole in an underground heating pipe on a United Kingdom farm which required a live leak repair
The hole on the inner pipe caused when the contractors accidentally drilled through

To carry out a replacement, the farmhouse’s hot water supply would have to be shut off, leaving the occupants to go without any hot water or heat. In an industry such as agriculture, that would have been a nightmare.

Instead of this complex, time-consuming and inconvenient replacement, the contractors turned to a SylWrap Universal Pipe Repair Kit to fix the problem in a fraction of the time and for minimal cost. The Universal Kit allows repairs to take place on live leaks, which also meant that water pressure did not need to be turned off.

Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape used to repair a live leak on an underground heating pipe
The outer pipe and lagging were cut away from the inner pipe before Wrap & Seal was applied
Wrap & Seal Pipe Repair Tape successfully used to seal the leak

The contractors began the repair by removing a minimal amount of lagging. Once they could access the heating pipe, Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape was wrapped around the pipe, fusing into a solid rubber bound to seal the live leak. With pressure resistance up to 30 bar and temperature resistance to 200°C, Wrap & Seal was more than suitable for a repair involving a hot water installation.

A SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage was then wrapped over the initial repair to provide an impact resistant layer to the Wrap & Seal. This protective covering was vital in this application to reinforce the initial repair against any further complications during the building works.

SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage used to add another layer of protection to an underground heating pipe on a farm in the United Kingdom
SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage offered a further layer of protection to the pipe

Both Wrap & Seal and SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage have WRAS approval, meaning that they are safe to use with water which might be consumed by humans. This was another important consideration for the repair, given that the pipe supplied a domestic property.

The entire repair was completed in less than an hour, a significant reduction on the amount of time it would have taken had the contractors needed to dig out the pipe to replace it. The speed and ease of the repair ensured that there was minimal disruption to the hot water supply in the farmhouse and saved the contractor the expense that would have been incurred by a having to replace the pipe.

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

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