It is fair to say that a toilet waste pipe gets a lot of use and although PVC is one of the most resilient materials out there, even it can struggle to cope with what we flush away. When this happens to be the case, you might find yourself wondering how to carry out a soil pipe repair.
The good news is that a leaking PVC soil pipe is straightforward to fix. Your first thought might be to summon a plumber to take a look but should the damage be a crack or split in the pipe, there are several leak repair products which make a DIY repair possible.
Waterproof pipe repair tape
Waterproof pipe repair tape is the first tool you should consider when it comes to fixing a leaking soil pipe. Whilst there are a number of waterproof repair tapes on the market, the best type for pipe repair are those made from self-fusing silicone.
As you wrap the tape around the damaged area of pipe, it will bond to both the soil pipe and itself to form a solid rubber band over the leak area. This band provides a high pressure repair; multiple tapes when used together can hold up to 30bar.
Unless you have some serious, serious digestive issues then silicone pipe repair tape is more than capable of offering a long-lasting repair to a leaking soil pipe.
Maximum pressure is achieved by stretching the tape to three times its length. Depending on the location of your soil pipe, it may not be possible to wrap around the crack using pipe repair tape due to space constraints. In which case, you can instead use our second repair method.
Plastic repair epoxy putty
Epoxy putty can be used to fill in cracks and holes on pipes where repair tape cannot be applied. For PVC toilet waste pipes, then your best bet is a specialist plastic repair epoxy putty stick.
Putty sticks are easy to use. Unlike two-part epoxy putties, they come pre-formatted which means you do not have to worry about mixing quantities. Simply break off the amount of putty you require and knead by hand.
As you knead the putty, a chemical reaction takes place which turns it from a soft substance into one that is rock hard. Once the putty has turned a uniform colour to indicate successful mixing, you push it into the crack or hole which requires repair, where it will cure to seal the leak.
Whilst epoxy putties will bond to virtually any material, one which has been formulated for plastic repair will come with plastic running through it, offering a tailored repair. It will also cure to white, blending in seamlessly with your PVC soil pipe.
Should anyone decide one day to see how aesthetically pleasing your pipework is by checking out your soil pipe, they will be unable to tell the difference if you opt for a plastic repair putty.
Pipe repair bandage
Both waterproof pipe repair tape and plastic repair epoxy putty will provide you with a long-lasting soil pipe repair. You can reinforce the seal provided by either of those materials with a pipe repair bandage wrapped over the top.
Pipe repair bandages come with water activated resin, meaning that once you apply water then they begin to cure. When wrapped around a pipe, they provide a rock hard, impact resistant shell which turns the repair from long-lasting to permanent.
If you do want to reinforce your repair, then consider buying a pipe repair kit as opposed to individual items. Kits come with both the sealing material and a bandage at a cheaper cost than when buying items individually.
All of these products can be used without any need for training, just follow the instructions. Repairs can be made in less than 30 minutes for a fraction of the cost compared to hiring a plumber.
Got a slight crack on top of a glazed foul pipe in a manhole where the rendering was can I render it with what
Hi Richard. We would recommend filling the crack with a hard-wearing epoxy putty. Something like Sylmasta AB Original, which is ceramic filled and has a longer work time for you to shape and mould it into place where the rendering was. Good luck.