How to Repair a Burst Pipe

A burst pipe occurring within your home can cause serious damage and unwanted situations. If left unattended for too long, major concerns can arise as more and more water leaks from the pipes. Therefore, knowing specific actions to do when the chance a burst pipe incident happens is really beneficial to the whole situation. Here at Optimised Plumbing Services, our experience with working with burst pipes for many years has resulted in us gathering key information on the topic. As a result, these simple steps can greatly decrease the damage a burst pipe has when waiting for a plumber.

A burst pipe is when a large amount of stress is located within a pipe, thus causing it to burst. If this occurs, the chance for flooding and other situations in a building can happen. Simple steps when this problem arises can help limit the damage a burst pipe has on the building while waiting for assistance. Things like identifying the type of pipe, material, location of the burst and having the needed tools are what really helps.

Preparations before the steps occur

When waiting for the burst pipe plumber to arrive and doing small procedures, specific preparations should occur. There are three important steps to do before doing any personal actions to limit the damage caused by a burst pipe:

1. Turn off the main water supply/valve – this step is the most important as it prevents any further water from escaping through the broken section.
2. Know which pipe/ material of pipe has been broken – knowing what material the pipe is is important for when gathering the tools to be compatible with the pipe. Here is a short list of some common pipes:
   • Pecs piping – red in colour means hot water and blue in colour means cold water
   • CPVC – yellow in its colour while being used for hot and cold water
   • Galvanised pipe – it is silver and is used for hot and cold water
   • Copper – the sizes can differ
   • White PVC – can be white or cream and is most likely used for drainage and vent
3. Locate where the leak is, either at a joint or in the middle of a pipe

Burst pipe at joint/connection

If the burst pipe is within the joints or connections of the pipes, here are a few different methods to temporary repair the pipe:

Fiberglass Wrapper Patch Product

This process involves using water to activate the material. As the ingredients mix with the water in the packaging it forms a new solution. Then, this solution should be wrapped around the joint to rest and cure/ set on the pipe. Therefore, it will harden and seal the burst like a cast.

Epoxy Putty

Activated when the two parts are mixed together, this method is an easier one. Make sure to have the surface of the pipe dry before adding the putty. After this, simply apply the epoxy putty around the burst pipe and let it set by itself.

Self Fusing Silicone Tape

This material is designed to bond to itself. Therefore, tightly wrap the tape around the burst pipe for it to stick. Furthermore, overlapping is important as well as wrapping the tape past the leak along the pipe.

What to do in a burst pipe emergency

If you ever experience a burst pipe, these methods are to ensure that the damage caused by the burst pipe is kept to a minimal. However, after this, calling a qualified plumber to resolve any broken issues is really important. Here at Optimised Plumbing Services, we offer 24 hour Emergency Plumber support, meaning that we can help do a burst pipe repair. We arrive quickly to stop the damage from being extreme and efficiently work to resolve the broken pipe. If you are having a burst pipe problem, contact us on 02 8074 1475 or email us at contact@optimisedplumbingservices.com.au. If you are confused about what to do, we recommend checking out Sydney Water for more information on burst and leaking pipes.