DIY plastic sewer pipe repair

In detail: do-it-yourself repair of plastic sewer pipes from a real master for the site my.housecope.com.

Reliable operation of the sewer system is a guarantee of a comfortable stay in any room, regardless of whether it is an office or a residential building. That is why it is so important to monitor the health of the collector and eliminate possible risk situations in time. But what to do if the repair of sewer pipes was suddenly required, and it is impossible to call the master for some reason, or there is simply a desire to cope with the problem on your own? In the material below, we will analyze in detail how to repair sewer pipes with our own hands and at the same time do everything correctly.

Important: self-repair of the collector can only be carried out if the system is plastic. Repair of a cast-iron sewer pipe can only be performed by professionals, since this part of the communication is heavy and requires certain skills.

Important: very often, sewer and water pipes are hidden behind decorative panels and shields. That is why, in the event of leaks or blockages in any of the communications, you will have to dismantle parts of the wall cladding in order to identify the exact place of the malfunction.

The most common breakdowns that happen to a sewer or plumbing are:

  • Congestion and plugs in the sewerage system. In this case, clear evidence will be stagnation of water with feces in the toilet or wastewater outlet in one of the other plumbing fixtures.
  • Leak in certain areas of a sewer or water pipe.
  • Cracks in plastic pipes.

Important: in any case, the repair must be started immediately, otherwise it threatens a global catastrophe both for the residents of a private house / apartment and for neighbors (in a high-rise building).

Video (click to play).

This type of malfunction is the most common, especially if the manifold is old or not used properly. That is, traffic jams and blockages in this case are formed not so much in the central pipe as in the siphons under the bathtub or sink. Hair and other fibrous debris usually form the blockage. Connecting with sebum and dirt, they cling to the bridges of the siphon and prevent the outflow of water. If this occurs in your sewer system, then a simple plunger can be used to clear the system.

  • Water is collected in the sink or bathtub. The device is installed in such a way that its rubber cap fits snugly against the drain hole, and sharp and firm movements begin in the up and down direction. The vacuum that the plunger creates must either pull the debris out or push it further down the system.

Important: if there is an overflow in the sink and bathtub, then they must be closed during the plunger treatment. Otherwise, it will not be possible to create a vacuum.

  • If the plunger does not cope with the cork, then you can use an aggressive chemical agent that will simply corrode the cork formed in the system. The drugs must be used very carefully, exactly following the instructions. As a rule, the dry product is poured into the drain of a sink or bathtub and poured into a glass of water. The electrolyte mixture is left for 30-40 minutes, after which it is washed out with very hot water. The jam should go away.
  • As a tool to clear the blockage, you can use a flexible wire with a ruffled tip. It is launched into the sewer pipe and promoted until the blockage. With a rotating motion, the cork is crushed or taken out. Sewer pipes are flushed with plenty of water.

Important: for cleaning plastic pipes, the tip on the cable must be rubber or similar de plastic. Otherwise, there is a risk of scratching the pipe from the inside and after that, debris will accumulate in it.

If you find a leak in one of the sections of the sewer pipeline, then you should urgently take measures to eliminate the problem.

As a rule, most often the leak is formed at the joints of the cuffs and corrugated sections of the pipeline. This indicates an inaccurate and leaky fit of one element of the system to another. In this case, you just need to replace the rubber gasket and properly tighten the connection. To be sure, the joints need to be covered with sealant.

  • A leak in a section of a plastic pipe can be eliminated by replacing a section of the line and its high-quality docking with the main manifold using couplings and seals. After that, the pipe does not leak.
  • If a leak is found on a section of a cast-iron pipe with cement putty, then the work here will be a little more difficult. First of all, the entire layer of cement is completely knocked down. Residual pieces of packing are removed from the slots and the place is thoroughly cleaned of debris. Now you need to lay a new layer of packing made of a mixture of cement, asbestos and water. The solution is prepared in a ratio of 7: 3 plus the amount of liquid that will allow you to obtain a suspension of the consistency of soft plasticine. The top of the cast-iron pipe joint can be covered with cement mortar, which is kneaded in proportions of 1:10 (cement: water).
  • Lead pipes (if they are leaking) are treated like cast iron pipes. Only here all the old lead is removed from the joint and new pieces of material are laid. It is very convenient to use it with just a chisel.

Important: Lead or asbestos packing for cast iron pipes can be replaced with a liquid glass gasket. It is made from standard bandages and a mixture of cement and liquid glass. The technology of work looks like this:

  • The cleaned joint of the sewer cast-iron pipe is wrapped with a bandage soaked in the prepared mixture. Considering that liquid glass dries very quickly, you need to work without delay. After a couple of months, such a winding can be successfully painted in any color.

A crack is the most dangerous of sewerage problems. At first glance, such a small nuisance can bring very big problems in the form of a gradual increase in clearance and an unexpected burst of the sewer. Needless to say what will follow next? Therefore, it is better to replace the pipe section immediately after detecting a crack. Especially if it's plastic. To replace cast iron pipes, you will have to invite professionals.

If there is no time or opportunity to replace the pipe section at the moment, then you can cover up the crack for a short time. But for the shortest possible time.

  • For a plastic pipe, a sealant is used with which the gap is treated. From above, the crack is closed with tape.
  • The cast-iron pipe will have to be "treated" more seriously. To do this, you need to widen the gap and degrease it. The resulting lumen is coated with a mixture of phosphoric acid and copper in a ratio of 2: 3.

In this case, doing the repair of sewer pipes with your own hands will be more time consuming, since a larger section of the collector is located in the ground. And here, in case of leaks, you will have to replace the worn out collector of the outer part either with the implementation of voluminous earthworks, or with the use of one of two technologies:

  • Berstlining. In this case, the old sewer pipe is dug out of the ground and simply cut lengthwise in place. Sections of the disassembled collector are pressed into the walls of the soil, and a new pipeline is installed in the vacant space.
  • Relining. This method is even simpler. In this case, a corrugated pipe of a smaller diameter is pulled into the inside of the worn-out pipe directly in the ground.

Thus, it is possible to quickly and reliably eliminate the depressurization of the outer part of the collector directly in the ground.

In order to avoid the forced and costly repair of the water supply or sewerage system in the event of a leak, it is better to take preventive actions in time with respect to the system. Namely, observe the following rules for the operation of the sewage system:

  • Do not flush into the system bulk construction materials such as cement, asbestos, sand, small stone fragments, etc.
  • Do not run rags and personal hygiene items into sewers.
  • Place grease traps under the sink and dishwasher.
  • Periodically clean the pipeline using hydrodynamics (water supply under high pressure), thermal (hot water) or chemical (aggressive drugs) treatment. This is done by specialists.
  • If cracked, the pipe section must be replaced as soon as possible to prevent leakage.
  • It is advisable to change the old cast iron sewer system in an apartment building to a plastic one, since plastic has a lot of advantages, such as durability, inertness to aggressive media, ease of maintenance and installation, environmental friendliness and strength.

And remember, it is always better to prevent a leak than to correct its consequences.

The knowledge of how to eliminate a sewer pipe leak will be needed by everyone, regardless of where a person lives, in a private house or in an apartment. This type of hole is always unpleasant. But in addition to the bad smell, a large number of pathogenic bacteria enter the living space. Therefore, the issue must be resolved promptly and efficiently.

Sewer pipes have found a large number of uses. There are three main types of material from which they can be made:

The first type is used more and more often and is explained by the long service life of polymers. Cast iron pipes are still manufactured and installed in many houses that were built a long time ago. The latter option is practically not used anymore, although, if we do not take into account the fragility, it had rather high indicators of durability.

Several methods of elimination of fistulas will be common to all configurations. Others will require a specific approach to a specific situation.

All defects that can cause unpleasant situations can be divided into several categories.

Corrosive effect. This option applies more to cast iron pipes. Constantly being in the environment of waste water with various chemical detergents, the metal wall becomes thinner, which can lead to its complete destruction. In addition, there is an external influence. It is due to the temperature difference. You may have noticed that water droplets collect on the pipe. This happens when the temperature in the room is lower than that inside the pipe. Such formations lead to the appearance of rust with the subsequent failure of pipes. Another source of damaging effects can be a connected ground. Due to the flow of electric current, reactions occur that lead to a decrease in the wall thickness. Although unlikely, ceramic pipes can be destroyed by hydrofluoric acid if someone decides to flush it down the drain.

Physical impact. This can damage all of the above products. Plastic and ceramic pipes are especially susceptible to it. Such situations arise during the installation process or when carrying out other repair work near the fan risers.

Manufacturing defects. Due to errors in the technological process, cavities can form in the material, which are subsequently washed out and leaking.

The main places where a fistula can form:

  • at the junction;
  • in a straight horizontal or vertical section.

If the first option takes place and there is an opportunity to contact those who carried out the installation, then you can present them with claims, because these are always the consequences of a wrong installation.

There are many options for solving the arisen situation with metal pipes. The applicability of each will depend on what is at hand at a particular point in time. Most often, such risers are not under pressure, so there will be no gushing fountains. The first way is a wooden chop.

  • An element in the form of a cone is made from any wooden block or board (you can even use a wooden clothespin). Its sharp part should have such a diameter that it fits into the hole formed.
  • The workpiece is inserted inside and by light tapping with a hammer it is compacted until the water stops seeping out. Over time, the wood will swell and form an airtight joint.
  • To prevent the plug from falling out, it is reinforced with a wire or thread wrapped around it.

Rubber gloves, which housewives use when cleaning or washing dishes, may be within walking distance. To apply it correctly, you need to do the following:

  • Using scissors, the upper gum seal is cut off.
  • Further, moving across the product in a spiral, you will need to cut a tape 2 cm wide.
  • The resulting segment must be superimposed on the breakdown site. You need to start a few centimeters lower or higher. The first turn is done with fixing the starting edge. You should advance so that the material is well stretched. Be sure to overlap, so you get an airtight patch.
  • The second edge can be secured with a wire.

You can purchase a factory-made clamp and use it to repair the leak.

  • You need to step back about 1 cm from one edge and make a mark.
  • The plate is bent along the indentation line. This can be done by holding it in a vice and knocking with a hammer.
  • 2 notches are made with a center punch. Holes are drilled with a suitable drill.
  • The workpiece is wrapped around the pipe to fix its shape, and also to mark where the second collar needs to be made.
  • At the second end, 2 holes are drilled so that they coincide with the previous ones.
  • A rubber patch is placed in the place of the leak and pressed with a homemade clamp.
  • Bolts with nuts are inserted into the holes and tightened well.

In the same way, you can solve the problem if you use factory pipe clamps. But in this case, you will need 2 of them, because the width of their tape is small. A piece of rubber is applied to the fistula, after which it is pressed along the edges until the leak disappears.

The following method has been used for a long time, but it can be slightly modified. Of the components, you will need a wide bandage and silicone (or epoxy resin).

  • First of all, the bandage unfolds and is well impregnated with silicone.
  • Until the moment when the setting begins, it must be wrapped around the damaged area. This must be done with a certain tension.
  • For a short period, you may need to press down where the hole is.

After hardening, such a patch will last long enough.

Cold welding can be an excellent assistant in this situation. This is the name of a two-component plastic composition, which is used for various purposes.

For the patch to have an effect, you must do the following:

  • Wipe the pipe dry.
  • Sand with sandpaper to remove all paint and rust to bare metal.
  • Cut off a small part of the glue from the total mass.
  • Stir thoroughly while warming so that the components penetrate into each other.
  • Wipe the pipe dry again and glue the resulting layer. In order to speed up the process, you can use a regular home hair dryer.If it was not at hand, then temporarily you need to fix the patch with a piece of elastic and wire. This is done so that polymerization occurs, and until this moment the composition does not fall off.

There is another polymer mixture that contains metal shavings (for example, Weicon). It can seal the hole so well that it will take a long time to replace the entire riser.

After hardening, it practically does not change in volume and lends itself well to processing. For its application, it is important to observe the following sequence:

  • First, the components of the active polymer are mixed until a homogeneous mass is formed. It is best to use a small metal spatula for this.
  • The pipe is stripped as in the case of cold welding.
  • With the same metal spatula, rubbing the glue is applied to the fistula. It is necessary to smooth it until it begins to harden and the water stops flowing.
  • Until the moment of full seizure, the patch can be formed with gloved fingers and the process can be accelerated with a hairdryer.
  • Next, the components of the fixing layer are mixed. It should be applied with a gap of 2-3 cm from the edge of the hardened part.

In the case when not just a small hole has formed on the pipe, but a whole crack, then all the above methods can be used, but in the case of two-component compositions, it will be necessary to slightly expand the breakdown site and clean it well so that the glue can penetrate into the middle and grab the ends walls, which will provide the best effect.

If the problem arose at the junction in a cast iron sewer pipe, then there are also several ways to solve it. The first involves the use of sanitary flax or tow.

  • If possible, you should ask your neighbors not to use the sewers.
  • The gap in the joint is carefully cleaned out so as to remove cement and some of the sulfur from it, which usually burned through the joints.
  • A small braid of tow is detached.
  • Using a thin screwdriver, it is pushed into the vacated space.
  • A good layer of silicone is laid on top.
  • After 5 hours, you can freely resume using the drain.

Alternatively, flax can be immediately moistened in an aqueous solution of PVA glue and cement, after which it is laid, as described above. In this case, the use of the sewage system can be resumed every other day.

It will be useful to have a sealing tape in the house. It is a polyethylene base on which an aluminum layer is applied. The composition contains additional strengthening fibers. When glued, it interacts at the molecular level, forming a homogeneous mass. Its installation does not take much time and effort. It is enough just to clean well the planned processing site, degrease it and wind the material with an overlap, you can make several layers crosswise.

If it happens that for some reason the plastic pipes have suffered, then all the methods that have been listed can be applied on the straight section. Another solution would be to use a special repair plug. In order to install it correctly, you will need to do the following:

  • An element is selected that will not go too deep into the pipe.
  • A hole is drilled at the site of damage with a drill, its diameter should be equal to that on the repair kit.
  • A rubber seal is put on the plug, and it is coated with silicone sealant.
  • The element is installed in its place.

Another way to carry out repair work would be to use a coupler. In this case, it will be necessary not to use the sewage system for a certain time.

  • Using a hacksaw for metal or another tool, a section of the pipe that has been damaged is cut out.
  • Markers are made on the branch pipes to what depth they will go into the joint.
  • The adapter is installed in place.
  • If the damage occurs closer to the area where the pipe enters any fitting, then an expansion joint can be used. A part of the pipe is cut out, this sleeve is put on it and stretched a little more than necessary. After that, the riser is guided into the opening of the fitting and the sleeve is pulled together until it fits into the tee or elbow.

In most cases, the usual replacement of the damaged area is more effective. If a leak has formed at the junction of a plastic pipe, then, of course, you can use various pads, clamps, and so on, but it is better to disassemble the joint and replace or fix the rubber band.

Hopefully this article will serve as a practical guide to repairing leaks and other holes. We are interested in what methods you personally managed to use. Share your solutions in the comments.

See how the expansion joint is installed: