Pressure burst pipes, frozen pipes that
burst and any type of burst pipes repair can be done without too much
difficulty if you have the right tools and know-how. Here are some basic repair
steps and tips.FORGE
Site Prep
Begin by shutting off your water at
faucets, stopcock, valves and water heating unit. Empty / drain out any excess
water.
Then find the burst area or hole.
Especially if the pipes are in a slanted position, the hole may not be right
over top the water leakage puddle, as the water may have been running downhill
from a break further up. So take time to thoroughly investigate the entire
pipe.
If the burst is a tiny puncture or splice,
you may be able to repair the damage with lengths of copper pipe that are
threaded at the ends called proprietary slip on couplers. These can be found at
store with plumbing supplies, so call ahead to make sure they have them first.
After you have your couplers, focus on the
burst section once again. Go there and cut away the area with the burst or hole
in it with a pipe slice, a pipe cutter or a hacksaw. Cut back until you reach a
good rounded piping area once again to connect to with your new piece. You
don't want to leave any of the misshapen damaged area behind or it will be weak
in that spot in the future.
Once you've cut away the bad area, smooth
areas left on the remaining good piping.
Then slide olives over the ends on the
coupling and compress them (tuning the bolts and nuts in place) to seal the
section.
If the burst area is larger, you may need
to use a couple of small compression couplers, one on each side of the new
area.
Push Fit
You could choose to use a push fit for your
repair work instead. Check with your local plumbing supply center for this type
push and fit package that works similar to the method above but is easier.
Resources
For more help, head to your local hardware
center that also sell plumbing supplies. Also check with library books on burst
pipes repair and check on Amazon.com, an online bookstore. Ebay, the largest
online auction site, also offers a lot of plumbing supplies and books about
burst pipes repair, so add them to your list.