A plastic pipe leaking through solvent cement joint failure in a confined attack undergoes a Sylmasta repair

Case Study: Plastic Pipe Joint Repair Leaking in Confined Attic Space

A homeowner in the United Kingdom makes a DIY repair to a plastic pipe in the confined attic space of their house. The pipe was leaking through a joint where solvent cement bonding two sections together had failed, allowing water to escape and saturate the surrounding wooden floor.

Case Study Overview

Site Domestic property
Location United Kingdom
Repair Type No pressure pipe repair
Defect Plastic pipe leaking because of solvent cement failure

Repair Products

Sylmasta AB Original Epoxy Putty, SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage,

Case Study PDF

Download Plastic Pipe Leaking in Attic Repair Case Study PDF

Attic Plastic Pipe Leak Repair Case Study Details

The plastic pipe was located in a confined attic space in the roof of the house which could only be reached through a small hole in the ceiling. Solvent cement bonding two sections of pipe together had weakened and failed, allowing water to escape and saturate the surrounding wooden floor as a result.

A leaking plastic pipe in an attic before undergoing a Sylmasta repair
The plastic pipe was located in an attic space only accessible via a small hole in the roof. It was leaking through a joint

When solvent cement joints fail, the most common repair method is cutting out and replacing the leaking section. This was not an option for the homeowner, however, because of the lack of room to access the pipe inside the loft and the joint being located next to a 90-degree elbow.

The homeowner contacted Sylmasta for pipe repair advice. We recommended using Sylmasta AB Original Epoxy Putty to encompass the leaking joint all the way around its diameter with a watertight material.

AB Original was chosen for its wet surface adhesion properties and its extended two-hour work time. It gave the homeowner longer to mix, shape and apply the epoxy putty without the worry of it curing off before application was completed, which would have been the case with a faster-setting epoxy putty like Superfast Aqua PW

AB Original was formed into a ‘sausage shape’ and wrapped around the leaking joint

The homeowner mixed AB Original until it was a streak free, uniform white colour. They formed the mixed putty into a long ‘sausage’ and wrapped it around the joint, pressing and smoothing it firmly down onto the surface of the pipe using a little water as they went.

Sylmasta AB Original Epoxy Putty applied to a plastic pipe joint in an attic leaking because of solvent cement failure
A solid ring of AB Original Epoxy Putty seals a leaking plastic pipe in an attic
Three ‘sausages’ of AB Original were applied, leaving the joint completely encompassed in a watertight ring of epoxy putty

AB Original easily formed a permanent bond with the plastic. This process was repeated several times using three AB Original ‘sausages’ until the entire joint was completely covered.

It left the leak area surrounded by a ring of epoxy putty, sealing the joint and addressing the failure of the solvent cement.

After applying AB Original, the homeowner reinforced the repair by overwrapping with SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage. SylWrap HD was activated with water and wrapped around the joint whilst AB Original remained slightly tacky and soft.

SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage applied over a leaking plastic pipe join in a confined attic space
The repair was completed by wrapping the joint with SylWrap HD

SylWrap HD forced the epoxy putty as tightly as possible against the joint for an even more effective seal. The bandage cured within minutes to create a rock-hard, impact resistant sleeve strengthening the repair.

The homeowner completed the application in under 45 minutes. AB Original and SylWrap HD provided a quick, easy repair method compared with trying to remove and replace the leaking section of plastic pipe in such a small work area.

Products Used

AB Original Epoxy Putty Stick
Epoxy putty with high wet surface adhesion and a longer work time for careful application

SylWrap HD Bandage
Composite repair bandage which reinforces repairs by creating a rock-hard protective shell

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