Damaged water pipes can be sealed with the right procedures. If you leave the pipes untreated, severe water damage can occur over time.
In particular, the old water pipes often have leaks. Before you replace the lines entirely, you can seal the points. We have summarized the best tips and tricks for you below:
Table of Contents
Material
Before you can seal the area, you need to find out what the suitable material is. Mainly, iron pipes were used in old houses.
You can recognize them by a light structure. You can also use a magnet to check them. If the cable is magnetic, it is iron. You can recognize copper lines by a reddish colour. Plastic can be identified by the softer surface and appearance.
Note: You should replace iron pipes generously in the affected areas. This gives you better pipes and ensures that there are no new leaks on the piece. You should consult a specialist for this.
Sealing clamp
The easiest and fastest way to seal broken water pipes is with a sealing clamp. It is placed over the leak in the pipeline and tightened.
Here, you can increase the sealing effect by placing a rubber patch on the damaged area and pressing it in with the sealing clamp. The clamp can be used as a seal for a long time. Pay attention to the correct inner diameter of the clamp when buying.
Connection
Individual cracks or holes are less common than damaged connections between the pipes. However, the connectors lose their sealing effect over time, which is mainly due to porous seals over the threads.
If a connection has a water drip, you should replace it entirely. To obtain a better seal, you should wrap the threads of the new connectors with thread sealing tape before screwing them into the lines.
Sealing compound
The partial sealing compound is less stable than a complete sealing clamp. It is applied to the affected area and has to harden there. The point is then sealed, and the water remains in the pipe.
Instead of the sealing compound, you can also use a sealing tape that you stick to the damaged areas of the water pipe.
Materials for sealing copper pipes (blind plugs)
The copper pipe in question must be sealed in such a way that the line is completely tight. The specialist plumbers in Houston offer various fittings (blind plugs) for this. There are copper caps that can be pressed or soldered.
In rare cases, compression fittings are suitable. Here, the thread is cut off on the opposite side.
If you want to solder the blind plugs, proceed in the same way as for soldering a copper tube. The two typical soldering techniques, i.e., soft and hard soldering of copper pipes, are available for selection. However, keep in mind that, especially when soldering copper pipes, not every part should be soldered.
Takeaway
Pro Tips: If you want to seal the water pipe superficially, you should sand down the affected area generously with sandpaper. This action will remove greasy or rusty residues, and the applied materials will last longer. After you have made the repairs, you should only slowly increase the water pressure and wait and see how your repair points behave.
