In detail: do-it-yourself pipe repair from a real master for the site my.housecope.com.
Repair of water supply pipes in the apartment
Repair of water supply pipes in the apartment
Very often old pipelines in apartments are leaking. This is a sure sign that it is time to think about overhauling the water supply pipes, that is, about their complete replacement. But this is a rather lengthy procedure that requires a lot of money, effort and time. And if you are not able to completely replace the pipelines urgently, then you should take care of eliminating the leak at the place of failure. Moreover, it is better to do the work with your own hands, so as not to pay for the services of the housing office or some private organization. How to repair water supply pipes in an apartment will be discussed in today's article.
Note! If a high-quality repair is planned, then we cannot do without complete or partial replacement of pipes. The one who started such a repair is responsible for the water supply of the whole house, so it will be better if the ZhEK does the work (otherwise, he must at least be warned).
There are several ways to repair damaged sections of metal pipes.
Often, a section of the pipeline with a minimum pressure, that is, a drain, fails. If the drain pipeline is leaking, you can use the well-known "old-fashioned" method - wrapping the defective area with a cloth (gauze) with cement mortar. First of all, you need to close the shut-off valves on the main pipeline pipes.
Next, add water to the dry cement and mix the mass to a liquid consistency. We saturate the resulting solution with gauze, which we immediately wrap around the pipe in several layers (directly at the place of the leak and on both sides of it, until the total length of the cement repair lining is 30-40 cm). We are waiting for the solution to harden (it will take a day). The repair is complete, you can safely open the main water taps and start using the water supply without fear of leaks.
Video (click to play).
The main advantage "Old-fashioned way" of repairing water supply pipes - the strength and durability of the cement coating. It is simply impossible to tear off the gauze with your hands.
But there are also disadvantages... Pipes that fit tightly to the wall cannot be repaired in this way. And it is not recommended to repair the joints of pipes in this way, since, if necessary, it will be impossible to dismantle.
Wrapping the pipe with cement-impregnated gauze
There is also a more modern method of sealing leaks - use of cement mortar reinforced with durable asbestos fiber.
Note! In this case, the cement mortar may well be replaced with epoxy glue.
The embedding technology in this case is no different from the method described above (with cement mortar). Both when using epoxy glue and asbestos mortar, complete drying of the repair coating occurs in at least one day.
If the hole in the pipe is small, then it can be closed by screwing in a bolt of the appropriate diameter. Note that such "repair" work can only give a temporary result.
To begin with, we expand the hole in the pipeline to the size of a bolt using an electric drill, then screw a bolt with a massive elastic washer into the hole. If necessary, you can make a thread in the hole with a tap.
A small hole can be closed with a bolt
The next method is to apply a temporary bandage, tightened with elastic steel wire.As a patch, we can use rubber, thin sheet metal and even fiberglass. We wind the patch around the damaged section of the pipeline, we tighten the wire "for twisting". It is desirable to compress the patch in several places at once. When the clamps are removed, the band must retain its original shape and therefore prevent leakage.
The same procedure can be done with a steel strap and a rubber backing. The main thing is that the clamp is wide enough.
Steel clamps can be used instead of wire
Things are much simpler with a plastic pipeline. Even major repairs related to the replacement of individual sections of the highway, we will be able to do it ourselves. The pipes can be connected in one of two ways:
ordinary soldering when it comes to polypropylene pipes;
threaded inserts if metal-plastic is used.
Spike is a fairly easy procedure that even someone who has never held a soldering iron in their hands can handle it with an almost 100% chance of success.
Local work can be done in one of the following ways.
If the damage is minor, then it can be repaired even without an additional bandage. We just take electrical tape and wrap it over the damaged area in several layers. Most likely, after this, the pipe will be able to serve you for several months and even years (especially when it comes to the drain pipe).
Plastic pipes can be "repaired" with ordinary electrical tape
There is also a "handicraft" method of welding - to seal the damaged pipeline with its "own" molten plastic. To do this, we apply a red-hot metal object to the sealing site, although an ordinary lighter is also possible. But when performing this procedure, you need to be extremely careful, carelessness can lead to overheating of the pipe.
Another way to repair a plastic pipe
The third method is suitable for connecting pipes of different diameters. To do this, grease the smaller pipe with glue (if necessary, you can additionally wrap it with fiberglass) and insert it into a pipe of a larger diameter. We squeeze the joint with an iron bandage.
Note! Even the highest quality glue should be “secured” with a bandage, since during operation the connection collapses over time and loses its tightness.
As already mentioned, if you decide to carry out a high-quality repair of the pipeline, then it must necessarily be major. It is not easy, and the welding work must be done. Nevertheless, the task is feasible.
Overhaul of pipes begins with the selection of the pipe material with which we will replace the old line. The choice here is not very wide, there are only three options.
Plastic pipesmost accessible. What's more, they are corrosion resistant, easy to install and lightweight.
More durable are considered steel pipes, but only galvanized. The advantage of such pipes is their excellent technical characteristics, which are completely overshadowed by extremely complex installation work. So complex that it is impossible to carry them out on your own.
The best option is considered copper pipes... They are easy to repair, they can withstand temperatures up to 250 degrees, the service life of such pipes is measured in centuries.
In short, we would recommend that you use copper pipes. But in view of their main drawback (high cost), not everyone will allow themselves to make such a purchase.
Selecting a new pipeline
Before proceeding with the installation, you should:
decide where the new pipeline will be located;
purchase pipes and fittings for it, acquire tools;
dismantle the old pipeline.
It is important to observe exactly the proposed technological sequence of actions, regardless of whether the hot pipeline needs to be replaced or the cold one.If you start dismantling without first purchasing a set of pipes, then the repair work will take more time.
Marking a new water supply
So let's start with the markup. You can mark out directly on the reference surface using a marker or chalk. Calculate the required linear footage of the line, the number of tees, adapters and fittings. In other words, while we are marking up, we are also calculating future costs.
After the purchase and calculations, all that remains is to dismantle the old pipeline. The procedure is as follows:
we shut off the water using the "apartment" valve or the common valve in the basement of the house;
we cut off all the pipes from the supporting surfaces using the "grinder", then we take them out of the apartment.
Note! When cutting pipes, those sections that pass through the walls can be left, they will later serve as "tunnels" for our pipeline.
At the final stage of the repair work, it remains to mount the pipes together and connect them with fittings, or by welding. If copper pipes are used, then they must be welded by gas soldering. To do this, we degrease the joint, insert the end of the pipe into the fitting, heat it with a gas burner and wrap a wire around the joint, maintaining a constant temperature.
Steel pipes are welded without any fittings, all fixings are butt-welded. With regards to the X- and T-shaped inlays, we make them in the same way. For work, not only gas, but also electric welding can be used.
Plastic pipes are connected to each other by a diffusion welding machine. Almost everyone can handle this procedure, since it implies the following actions:
we put the pipe with the coupling on a special nozzle;
turn on the device;
set the required temperature regime;
we warm up all the details;
we press them into each other.
This welding method allows you to obtain a high-strength tight connection.
We offer you some practical tips to ensure that your pipeline will last as long as possible.
Take care of the external condition of the pipeline. Eliminate drips, stop the spread of corrosion in a timely manner, prime them, paint.
Do not allow the outdoor piping to freeze. Ice can easily disable the entire line by bending or bursting the pipe.
If freezing does occur, then immediately reheat the pipe.
Do not block the drain line. To do this, periodically pour a couple of buckets of hot water into it, which will clean the pipes from dirt. Also, clean the bins regularly.
Do not allow condensation to form on cold pipes.
In order not to rust the cast-iron pipes, they can be treated with one old folk remedy (red lead + iron red lead + drying oil (3: 3: 1)).
If you operate the water supply pipes correctly, then repairs will not be required soon.
Use the piping correctly, otherwise ...
The sewerage, heating, and plumbing systems of most apartments and private houses mainly consist of steel and cast iron water pipes. Everyone knows that both steel and cast iron are iron-based alloys that corrode over time. Therefore, sometimes there are situations associated with leaking pipes due to damage of this kind. In other cases, pipes may leak as a result of mechanical stress or improper operation. Such situations lie in wait for the owners of pipelines mounted on the basis of plastic pipes.
If a pipe burst, do not panic, it is enough to know the simplest ways to eliminate such malfunctions.
In any pipeline, leaks may appear on straight sections, at the joints of pipes of the same or different diameters, as well as at the points where the pipeline is connected to the equipment.
As a rule, the installation of the sewerage system is made with cast-iron pipes. Such pipelines are under low pressure, so this type of leakage is quite easy to eliminate.
One of the fastest methods is the application of a bandage of cement mortar and bandage. Do-it-yourself pipe repair is carried out in the following order:
stir the cement with water until a homogeneous mass with the consistency of thick sour cream is obtained;
soak the bandage in this solution;
wrap the problem area with a bandage several times. Moreover, each new turn should overlap the previous one by a quarter;
the procedure is repeated, achieving 3-4 layers of the bandage.
The bandage will help to seal the leak in the pipe - Photo 03
After the end of the day, the sewer can be used again. This solution creates a very strong connection, so this method can be applied to steel water pipes. You should not only use it in the places of threaded connections, which will be problematic to disassemble after the composition has completely set. The combination of bandage-cement can be replaced with epoxy glue and fiberglass, in which case careful surface preparation is required.
The bandage can also be applied using assembly tape or a strip of soft rubber, which is tightly wrapped around the pipe. The rubber is additionally fixed with clamps or wire. This method also has a significant disadvantage - the impossibility of imposing a bandage in the case of a tight fit of the pipe to the wall. With this arrangement, you can apply a patch or caulk a crack.
Any pipe, including plastic, can be repaired by applying a patch. To eliminate the leakage, water is drained from the pipeline section. Further, the place of leakage is cleaned from old paint and rust. Cleaning can be done with a wire brush and sandpaper. Then the defective area is dried and degreased. Next, epoxy resin and a patch of fiberglass are applied to the problem area. Make sure that the glue penetrates the material of the patch, and then gives it an aesthetic appearance. If necessary, the place of repair is strengthened by additionally wrapping it on top with mounting tape. After 24 hours the pipeline is ready for operation.
Rubber patching process - Photo 05
At the joints of pipes made of cast iron of large diameter (usually a riser), leaks are also not uncommon. To repair a pipe with your own hands, you need to remove fragments of the old packing, and then install a new one, from strands of asbestos soaked in bitumen. From above, the packing is closed with a cement mortar, also reinforced with an asbestos strand.
In this way, cracks in cast iron pipes can be repaired. Its essence lies in driving lead cones into the resulting gap. Lead, being a very soft metal, flattens in all directions, filling the smallest voids in the pipe. Thus, the flow is stopped.
On straight pipe runs, the rupture can be repaired with a patch or bandage, similar to cast iron pipes. However, in view of the fact that pressure lines are usually made with steel pipes, the following methods are more efficient and reliable.
If a small diameter fistula (up to 4 mm) occurs in the pipe section, you can use a self-tapping screw, screwing it with effort into the place of the burst. With a hole of 5 mm or more, do-it-yourself pipe repairs must be performed in compliance with the following steps:
drain the water from the main;
drill the leak to level the edges;
tap the thread in the drilled hole;
install a rubber gasket on the bolt of the required size;
screw the hardware into the pipe, clamping the leak.
A section that has been carefully repaired with a bolt can function for a long time.
Sealing the hole with a self-tapping screw - Photo 07
The small diameter of steel water pipes allows you to repair a metal pipe with your own hands, both with the help of clamps produced by the industry in the form of repair kits, and with clamps made with your own hands.
The installation of such a device is quite simple: a rubber seal is applied to the leak, the clamp itself is installed on it and tightened using the fasteners supplied.
If you do not have a factory clamp, you can use several hose clamps of the required diameter and a strip of soft rubber.
The use of a clamp to eliminate leaks - Photo 08
Non-straight lines, as well as sections of pipe joints of different diameters, can also be repaired using clamps. Sometimes the factory clamp can only be installed skewed. The main thing is that it reliably eliminates the leak. A purchased clamp can be replaced with a pipe holder of the desired size. When using it, it is important to cut out the rubber seal with a margin of 1-2 cm.
You can make good home-made clamps of the required width yourself, using a strip of sheet metal of the required size and drilling holes along its edges to install the tie bolt.
