Leaky pipe
 

Hello,

Upon cleaning out the cupboards ready for christmas the misses has found a
large area of damp and mould in the one under the sink...

Having had a look around, I have found the cause - a leaking lead - copper
wiped joint which is hidden in away in a bas-tard place. Is there a quick
easy fix for such a dipple? It is leaking fairly slowly and I reckon it has
been for nearly a year now as I must have disturbed it when I fitted the
bathroom.

Is there some kind of tape that I can wrap around the pipe? I don't want to
be redoing the joint!

Cheers
Scott

"Scott" wrote in message
...
Hello,

Upon cleaning out the cupboards ready for christmas the misses has found a
large area of damp and mould in the one under the sink...

Having had a look around, I have found the cause - a leaking lead - copper
wiped joint which is hidden in away in a bas-tard place. Is there a quick
easy fix for such a dipple? It is leaking fairly slowly and I reckon it
has
been for nearly a year now as I must have disturbed it when I fitted the
bathroom.

Is there some kind of tape that I can wrap around the pipe? I don't want
to
be redoing the joint!

Cheers
Scott



A temporary solution on the lead pipe is to take some thickish bare copper
wire and a match stick. Break the match stick to fit over the weep on the
pipe, leaving a bit more to sit slightly either side passed the leak. Wrap
the copper wire around the pipe and the match stick, pulling it tight as you
go. Once you've covered the match stick with copper wire, bring the ends
together and wind them round each other with a pair of pliers until it pulls
the wire tighter around the pipe. Do this gently not to snap the wire to
quickly.

You can also use a bit of rubber matting and an earth bonding strap to do
the same sort of thing.

Hopefully this should stop the leak for a good while, or at least until you
can get round to making the joint properly again.

In article , BigWallop
writes

"Scott" wrote in message
...
Hello,

Upon cleaning out the cupboards ready for christmas the misses has found a
large area of damp and mould in the one under the sink...

Having had a look around, I have found the cause - a leaking lead - copper
wiped joint which is hidden in away in a bas-tard place. Is there a quick
easy fix for such a dipple? It is leaking fairly slowly and I reckon it
has
been for nearly a year now as I must have disturbed it when I fitted the
bathroom.

Is there some kind of tape that I can wrap around the pipe? I don't want
to
be redoing the joint!

Cheers
Scott



A temporary solution on the lead pipe is to take some thickish bare copper
wire and a match stick. Break the match stick to fit over the weep on the
pipe, leaving a bit more to sit slightly either side passed the leak. Wrap
the copper wire around the pipe and the match stick, pulling it tight as you
go. Once you've covered the match stick with copper wire, bring the ends
together and wind them round each other with a pair of pliers until it pulls
the wire tighter around the pipe. Do this gently not to snap the wire to
quickly.

You can also use a bit of rubber matting and an earth bonding strap to do
the same sort of thing.

Hopefully this should stop the leak for a good while, or at least until you
can get round to making the joint properly again.



What's wrong with wrapping a lot of self welding PVC tape round said
pipe?....
--
Tony Sayer

What's wrong with wrapping a lot of self welding PVC tape round said
pipe?....

It won't stick to the pipe. The crucial thing is, is this an incoming water
main (i.e. under pressure), or under modest pressure like a supply from a
header tank, or a waste pipe which doesn't see water much of the time, and not
much pressure. That gooey tape used for bodging leaking roofs will do the last
one. Indeed ordinary PVC tape may work, if you clean and dry the surfaces and
can wrap it round several times under tension. The "plumbers" epoxy stick that
you knead to mix will do the others, but it's best if you can get the lead
reasonably clean, and take off the pressure to do the repair.

"Scott" wrote in message
...
Hello,

Upon cleaning out the cupboards ready for christmas the misses has found a
large area of damp and mould in the one under the sink...

Having had a look around, I have found the cause - a leaking lead - copper
wiped joint which is hidden in away in a bas-tard place. Is there a quick
easy fix for such a dipple? It is leaking fairly slowly and I reckon it
has
been for nearly a year now as I must have disturbed it when I fitted the
bathroom.

Given that; I would try some method, with water pressure off, of very
carefully poking/filling the crack with substance of some kind (maybe
plumbers putty or waterproof caulking compound) and then wrapping some kind
of tape or bandage around the whole thing.
Then carefully without squeezing or compressing the lead pipe/joint put one
or two of those screw type (Jubilee?) clamps around the whole mess to keep
the compression bandage against the pipe and, hopefully, the filler into
the crack.
You can open up the clamps to get them around the joint/pipe and screw them
as tight as you feel suitable, check them the next day and maybe tighten
them a little.
Just a thought; is there any mechanical strain on that pipe/joint due to
ground settling or whatever, that may have caused it to crack?
It may sound kind of temporary but to illustrate how mechanical repairs
often work; many years ago made a large double washer of heavy leather cut
from an old purse; compressed it with a stainless steel bolt and washers
through a hole in a clothes washer drum. It's still there, satisfactory
after many, many cycles of soapy cold and warm washes!
Have also temporarily used a jubilee clamp and bandage around a half inch
copper pipe join until could get a chance to redo it.

In article , OldScrawn
writes
What's wrong with wrapping a lot of self welding PVC tape round said
pipe?....

It won't stick to the pipe. The crucial thing is, is this an incoming water
main (i.e. under pressure), or under modest pressure like a supply from a
header tank, or a waste pipe which doesn't see water much of the time, and not
much pressure. That gooey tape used for bodging leaking roofs will do the last
one. Indeed ordinary PVC tape may work, if you clean and dry the surfaces and
can wrap it round several times under tension. The "plumbers" epoxy stick that
you knead to mix will do the others, but it's best if you can get the lead
reasonably clean, and take off the pressure to do the repair.

Oh well, the one I did some years ago is still there;)
--
Tony Sayer

"Terry" wrote in message
...
Then carefully without squeezing or compressing the lead pipe/joint put
one
or two of those screw type (Jubilee?) clamps around the whole mess to keep
the compression bandage against the pipe and, hopefully, the filler into
the crack.
You can open up the clamps to get them around the joint/pipe and screw
them
as tight as you feel suitable, check them the next day and maybe tighten
them a little.
Just a thought; is there any mechanical strain on that pipe/joint due to
ground settling or whatever, that may have caused it to crack?
It may sound kind of temporary but to illustrate how mechanical repairs
often work; many years ago made a large double washer of heavy leather cut
from an old purse; compressed it with a stainless steel bolt and washers
through a hole in a clothes washer drum. It's still there, satisfactory
after many, many cycles of soapy cold and warm washes!
Have also temporarily used a jubilee clamp and bandage around a half inch
copper pipe join until could get a chance to redo it.


Thanks everyone.

I ended up going to focus and buying some 2 part putty stuff that you push
into the hole and it sets hard after a day. I don't hold much hope for it
as I couldn't totally stop the water flow. I maged to turn the stop cock
off - but it doesn't stop fully, and I've opened up all the taps while doing
the repair.

I had a chat with my neighour and he said that his cupboard is smelling a
bit damp there... ooops! It's so annoying, I'm due to compelete on the
house sale next week but only noticed this as we were empting out the
cupboad.

I shall try some of the other repairs if the putty fails!

Cheers
Scott

tony sayer typed:



Having had a look around, I have found the cause - a leaking lead -
copper wiped joint which is hidden in away in a bas-tard place. Is
there a quick easy fix for such a dipple? It is leaking fairly
slowly and I reckon it has been for nearly a year now as I must
have disturbed it when I fitted the bathroom.

Is there some kind of tape that I can wrap around the pipe? I
don't want to be redoing the joint!

Cheers
Scott



A temporary solution on the lead pipe is to take some thickish bare
copper wire and a match stick. Break the match stick to fit over
the weep on the pipe, leaving a bit more to sit slightly either side
passed the leak. Wrap the copper wire around the pipe and the match
stick, pulling it tight as you go. Once you've covered the match
stick with copper wire, bring the ends together and wind them round
each other with a pair of pliers until it pulls the wire tighter
around the pipe. Do this gently not to snap the wire to quickly.

You can also use a bit of rubber matting and an earth bonding strap
to do the same sort of thing.

Hopefully this should stop the leak for a good while, or at least
until you can get round to making the joint properly again.



What's wrong with wrapping a lot of self welding PVC tape round said
pipe?....

Traditional method of fixing leaks in lead pipe was to hit the offending bit
with a ballpane hammer.