Emergency Pipe Repairs

In the event of a broken pipe, knowing how to do some quick emergency repairs can save a lot of damage being done.

Frozen Pipes

Pipes should be insulated, especially in the loft or underneath floorboards. If they are not insulated, you run the risk of suffering from frozen pipes. If, in cold weather, you find that water will not flow from a tap or the cistern will not refill, you might have a plug of ice blocking the supply pipes.

Check which taps work and which don't and you should soon be able to work out which pipe the blockage might be in. Freezing often occurs first in the loft, so this is a good place to start. To unfreeze the pipe, use a normal hairdryer to warm the pipe. Start as close to the tap or cistern as possible and work your way along. Keep the non-flowing tap open so that you will know if you thaw the blockage. If you manage to pinpoint the frozen section, make sure you insulate it once it has been cleared.

Nailed Pipe

Hitting a underfloor pipe with a nail is a fairly common occurence. The trouble is that you might not notice until water starts leaking through the ceiling or there are some other signs of leaking water. Once you have located the nailed pipe, leave the nail in place until you have turned off and drained the system. If you pull it out when lifting a floorboard, etc, put it back into the hole straight away.

Once the system has been drained you can apply an emergency fix. Cut a short length of garden hose and slit it along its length. Slide this over the hole in the pipe and secure it with Jubilee clips or short lengths of wire twisted tight with pliers.

If you happen to have some Epoxy Resin to hand, this can also be used for a slightly longer term fix. Clean the section of pipe around the hole with wire wool or sandpaper, mix up the resin and press it into and around the hole. Build it up to at least 3-5mm thick and allow it to dry for 24 hours before running water through the pipe.

Now that you have the emergency repair in place, you can think about a permanent fix. The punctured section of pipe will need to be cut out and replaced, either with a new section of copper pipe or with a flexible pipe repair kit available from DIY stores.