How to Fix a Burst Copper Pipe?

A burst copper pipe is the last thing you want in your building. Because whenever a pipe bursts, water pools on the floor and rattles your home aesthetics. If the water pressure is high, your home will become a pool soon. Therefore, you need to minimize the instant damage, even if you call a plumber to fix it.

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You do not need extensive plumbing skills to fix a burst pipe, but it is all about soldering and common sense. The first thing you need to do is to turn off the water supply immediately to reduce the damage. What else do you need to do? This article is all about it.

Steps to a Burst Copper Pipe Repair

The pipe bursting occurs for different reasons; a more common reason is water freezing. When the water freezes and starts melting again, it contains an immense force that can burst the pipe, especially if there is a weak spot in the pipe structure. The following steps will help you through the process of fixing a burst pipe.

Turn Off the Water Supply

Whenever a pipe bursts, water starts to rush out and pool out everywhere around the pipe. Therefore, it is essential to turn off the input water supply. When you do that, you will block the input water supply and minimize the damage.

Open a Faucet

When you block the input supply, the next step is to drain out the water that is already in the system. You will certainly not want this whole water to come out of the burst pipe section.

But you will want to drain the water through the legitimate plumbing stationeries safely. The best way is to open a faucet and drain out the water. This practice will instantly reduce the water pressure at the burst pipe point.

 

Permanent Solution

 

Get Rid of the Damaged Pipe section

After you drain all the water, you must remove the damaged pipe section. Now measure the length of the damaged piece and mark the endpoints to cut it from there. You can use a rotary pipe cutter to cut the pipe section. If you are not a rotary pipe cutter, you can also use a hacksaw.

If you have a rotary pipe cutter, snap it onto the pipe to one side of the damaged section and rotate it in the direction it cuts the pipe (The rotary cutter cuts in only one direction). Repeat this step to the other side of the damaged section, and you will get rid of the burst pipe.

Replace the Section

Measure the length of the damaged section and get a new pipe of the same size. Now you have to slip in the new pipe in the void area. You can do it with the help of instant pipe connectors. Connect both ends of the new pipe to the pipework using these instantors. But be sure to do it neatly and not leave the connections loosely. For that purpose, you can use an adjustable wrench.

 

Temporary Solutions

 

Soldering Burst Copper Pipe

Another Solution is that you can apply a puncture-like solution. You will need a copper wire that is typically used for electrical purposes. Tightly wrap it around the burst area, so the damaged section is fully covered.

Now with the help of a soldering gun, fix this wire and do not leave pinholes. However, this temporary solution will help you for a few days before you ultimately replace the damaged pipe section.

Alfa Tape

Alfa pipe tape is made of an advanced non-toxic polymer that fuses itself when you wrap it tightly and can withstand water pressure. You can apply the tape on any leak in the water line to instantly control the damage, but it is also not a long-term solution.

The Use of Pipe Clamp

Pipe clamps are non-toxic materials and can block water flow through a damaged pipe section. It would help if you kept some spare pipe clamps all the time to instantly control the flow of water in case of any leaks or bursts. However, if the damaged section is larger in length, a pipe clamp is not a suitable solution.

Epoxy Putty

An epoxy-saturated cloth can seal a leak or burst on a pipe or a fitting. First, kneed the epoxy putty so that parts A and B adequately mix. Afterward, apply it on the burst as such while making sure to taper both extremities. Then, soak the cloth in water for about a minute and wrap it around the putty. During this process, keep the tension on the fabric at all times up until there’s none left. Wait for everything to harden and then open the water supply.

Summary

A burst copper pipe is the most petite favorite scene of a homeowner. Irrespective of calling a plumber for plumbing solutions, every homeowner should be able to apply some instant answers to control the damage till the plumber arrives. Being familiar with the essential repair methods and plumbing tools will help you greatly in case of leaks and bursts.