So, you have a hole in an aluminium pipe or tubing which you need to repair? Good news. You have come to the right place.
Pinholes in aluminium are a frequent occurrence. They happen for a multitude of reasons, even though aluminium is amongst the most corrosion resistant metals around.
Sealing holes in aluminium though is quick, easy and does not require any specialist tools or expertise. Here are three straightforward ways to repair your aluminium pipe or tube.
Using epoxy putty to repair aluminium pipe
The easiest way to fix a hole in an aluminium pipe or tube is by using a specialist aluminium epoxy repair putty stick.
An epoxy putty stick is made up of two components – resin and hardener. The initial stick is soft but when it is kneaded by hand, the two components mix to spark a chemical reaction. This causes the putty to set, forming a material hard as steel.
When fixing an aluminium pipe or tube, cut off the required amount of putty to fill the hole from the stick. Mix it until it turns a uniform colour with no streaks.
Whilst soft, the putty is then pushed into the hole. It will easily bond to the existing aluminium surface. Once cured, it will form a watertight sealing material.
Different putties come with different work times. If you are repairing a larger crack or have multiple holes to repair, a slower setting putty is the best option.
Its extended cure means more putty can be mixed in one go and carefully applied without having to worry about it setting before successful application.
For small holes, a fast-working epoxy putty like Superfast Aluminium offers a four-minute cure time for making rapid repairs.
Fix aluminium pipe or tubing where water is leaking through
Most epoxy putties will only bond to aluminium pipe or tubing where the surface is dry. If you are attempting to repair a hole where water is coming through or a pipe is live and pressure cannot be turned off, you need a self-amalgamating repair tape.
This kind of tape is super-stretchy and will fuse to itself as it is wrapped and applied over a hole. It is waterproof so has no problem gripping to a wet surface and resists pressure, meaning it can be applied even with water spraying out.
Each wrap around sees the tape amalgamate to its previous layer, building up resistance. Multiple tapes can be applied on top of each other, creating a repair capable of withstanding up to 30 bar. Presumably, your aluminium pipe is operating at a bit less than that…
Application of the tape continues until no more water is seeping from the pipe. This indicates enough pressure resistance has been built to contain the leak.
If the hole is still leaking after one tape has been applied, keep adding more until the pipe has been fully sealed.
Reinforcing the repair
To enhance the effectiveness of a repair made with either epoxy putty or self-amalgamating tape, a composite pipe repair bandage can be added over the top.
The bandage contains a water-activated resin. As it is wrapped and smoothed around the pipe, it cures to form a rock-hard shell which reinforces and protects the original repair.
What about anodised aluminium?
Anodised aluminium is a material which has undergone an electrochemical process to create a much thicker outer layer of aluminium oxide than occurs naturally. Pipes and tubing made of anodised aluminium are therefore less likely to fail. But it can happen.
And when it does, cracks in anodised aluminium can be easily sealed using a moisture-curing sealant like Sylmasta CrackSeal.
Supplied in a 310ml cartridge, CrackSeal is extruded directly into the split. It will harden almost instantly to fill the damage.
It should then be overwrapped with a composite pipe repair bandage in the same manner as epoxy putty or a waterproof repair tape.
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