How to close a hole in a cast iron pipe. How to fix a crack in a cast iron sewer pipe

23.06.2020

Each of us can find ourselves in a very unpleasant situation when a sewer pipe suddenly cracks and starts to leak. Perhaps your pipes are still in order, and all connections are absolutely tight, but time moves inexorably forward, communications begin to age and may crack.

You need to be prepared for this incident and know well how and with what to close a crack in a cast-iron sewer pipe. Naturally, you can simply replace the cracked area by setting new pipe. However, this will take a lot of time and money.

Actions are as follows:

A more complex way to terminate

When the crack reaches a large size, a simple seal is indispensable. Needs a serious overhaul.

Such manipulations will stop the leak, but the patch will only be able to keep the leak for a short time. When the crack reaches a large size, and the pipe is completely out of order, no restoration work will help. It just needs to be replaced.

Longitudinal cracks

Cast iron pipes sometimes burst, longitudinal cracks appear, and small chips appear. The exhaust riser is cracking due to severe icing inner diameter pipes. According to the laws of physics, a frozen pipe begins to expand, forming cracks in almost any material.

Even strong steel and thick cast iron cannot resist such expansion. When it is not felt in the room, it means that the crack still has a minimum size.

Condensation always accumulates in the thinnest section. There is a deceptive impression that it flows out of the resulting crack.

Here you can do without sealing the crack. It just needs to be sealed.

Before embedding, the crack is slightly "expanded". Make a small indentation into which the sealant will be applied. The crack is degreased and dried well.

To minimize the amount of condensate that appears, it is necessary to insulate the riser both in the attic and in the apartment itself. When the room appears bad smell, sealing with a simple sealant will not help. Will have to use more radical methods. The crack is closed by the so-called cold welding. It is an adhesive similar to epoxy. But it's much easier to work with.

It is very easy to cover up the resulting crack with such “cold welding”. After it hardens, it can be sanded down to create a beautiful look.

In another method, the pipe is wrapped with 2-3 layers of gauze impregnated epoxy resin. You can also wrap the crack with a special rubber bandage tightly tightened with copper wire. The more turns, the better.

You can combine and install a rubber bandage with epoxy gauze. It remains only to tighten everything tightly with a steel clamp.

The best way to repair a sewer pipe

It is good if the house has epoxy resin or cement mortar. However, in most cases, when the pipe has leaked, these materials simply cannot be found in the apartment.

They will come to the rescue special clamps that quickly block the leak. This work will take several minutes.

The pipe must be cleaned and dried. The clamp is wrapped around the crack so that the leak is in the center of the clamp. It remains to tighten it well. This place needs to be observed for several days, if necessary, it will be possible to tighten the clamp.

Sealing tapes

This modern material appeared quite recently. The tape is intended to create a tight connection of the docking nodes of sewer pipes.

The main advantage of this material is considered high efficiency and ease of use. The main component of the sealing tape is polyethylene.

It gives the material high strength and good elasticity. Tape can be used to seal almost any pipe. It is used for the installation of plugs and installation of taps.

Joint sealing technology using tape is performed in the following sequence:

Silicone sealant

It is often used to seal small cracks. The work is carried out according to the following principle:

make the expansion of the crack for deep penetration of the sealant;
the cleaned surface is well degreased;
with the help of a building hair dryer, the repaired area is dried;
The crack is sealed with sealant.

To renovate through hole, a two-component epoxy is used. The technology of such work occurs in a different order:

Why do cracks appear in a cast iron pipeline

When a cast-iron pipe begins to leak, it is necessary to establish the cause of the leak. On this basis, a certain repair technology is selected.

First you need to determine where the crack appeared. Often a leak is formed at the junction of the pipes or from mechanical influences that caused the appearance of external defects.

External damage can be caused by a variety of reasons:

Installation of sewage pipes was done with errors.
During the assembly of the pipeline, the manufacturers did not check its tightness.
Neighbors connected a ground wire to the riser. Such actions are prohibited by law.
Natural wear. Old pipes are useless to repair, they need to be changed immediately.

A crack that appeared at the junction of the fittings indicates a poorly done work by plumbers when installing a sewage system.

How to cover up the joints of sewer pipes if cracks, open holes or fistulas have formed on it? The answer to this question depends on the amount of damage and the strength of the material from which the pipe is made.

drive a short wooden wedge into the pipe;
wrap the pipeline with gauze, which must first be impregnated with epoxy;
wrap the pipe using a rubber bandage, which must then be tightened using copper or aluminum wire;
put a special clamp - the most durable option.

If no big crack, then it is necessary:

Expand the crack with a "v"-shaped recess, which will be the place to fill with sealant.
Degrease the crack.
Dry the crack.
Coat the crack with a special solution of silicone, polymer cement, and sealant.

If a large crack has formed on the pipe due to temperature changes in the pipeline, then it is necessary:

Use "cold welding" (two-component adhesive) to seal the crack. After the weld has cured, it will look polished.
Wrap the pipeline using gauze impregnated with epoxy.

With a small crack at the junction of the pipeline, you do not need to worry too much, as there will not be a large water leak. But if you feel the appearance of an unpleasant rotten smell in the house, and if it comes from cracks and chips, then it is already necessary to apply more stringent measures.

If you see fistulas on the riser through which water is leaking, start by burning with your neighbors in order to repair the sewer together.

Please note, if you live on the first or second floor, and you have formed an extrusion of water through the fistula, be sure to contact the plumber, as replacement may be required plastic pipes.

In order not to think about how to cover up the joints of sewer pipes, regularly monitor them.

Pipes, especially metal ones - "living" in old houses, are often "naughty" - they leak. As you understand, this is a kind of signal that the time has come to change communications. They usually try to combine such a step with repairs, and this is logical. But what to do when repairs for financial or some other reasons are not included in your immediate plans? Naturally, try to correct the situation, at least for a while - before the start of repairs or the arrival of a plumber, so that the house does not remain dehydrated. You may be surprised, but you can fix leaking pipes under pressure with your own hands. Do you want to know how?!

Breakage of a threaded connection

So, how to fix a leak in a pipe under pressure at the attachment points of the system elements?

The easiest way, often, by the way, helping: simply tighten the fitting using special key.

The failure of pipes knocks us out of the usual rhythm of life

Didn't help, do you see that water is still flowing from under the connection? This means that there is little pull-up, the tow has worn out. What to do under such circumstances? On the contrary, unscrew the fitting - up to half. Remove the old tow, clean the threads, wind a new one. Just act with lightning speed, because the pressure in the pipes can provoke a break in the connection, and, consequently, a flood.

It happens that neither tightening nor changing the tow can save the fitting. This happens if the thread of the part is damaged. Then you can’t do without an “operation” - you need to cut out the overhang and mount a new one. It is better to entrust this matter to the specialized service, and while she is driving, wrap the place of the leak with raw rubber, tightening the “bandage” tightly. If you feel confident in the role of a plumber, then change it yourself, just do not forget to turn off the water or ask the Housing Office to do it.

Worth paying attention! Leak in place threaded connection can be prevented if it is plentiful (in several layers) to paint over the places of transitions and surges.

Most often, the failure of the fitting leads to a leak.

Pipe repair

And now we will consider how to eliminate a leak in a pipe with water, and before that - the causes of such a disaster. Most often a crack / breakdown in engineering networks contribute to the abundant accumulation of condensate on the pipes, as well as the current wandering through the structures. All this happens due to improper care of communications. But if an oversight led to a breakdown, then, according to by and large, the reason no longer matters - it needs to be repaired, right?

Ready to roll up your sleeves? Then let's start!

Clamps

The easiest and most reliable way to restore the health of the water supply is to use a special clamp, which is sold in abundance in construction markets and plumbing stores. Naturally, it is worth purchasing them in advance, moreover, the stock should be from clamps different sizes to patch up any pipe in the house. They are cheap, so you definitely won't go bankrupt buying emergency plumbing supplies.

The clamp is a rubberized pad with a pair of rods, consisting of a pair of screws. For self repair- it’s better not to come up with, and professionals often use this “magic wand” - to “revive” even the oldest pipes, at least until they are completely replaced.

There are no stocks, but full of different building materials? Make your own collar. Cut a strip from thick metal, and an overlay from rubber. Arm yourself with washers, nuts, bolts and “heal” the pipe with your own hands.

Worth paying attention! The clamp is suitable for stopping a leak due to damage that does not occupy more than 30% of the pipe circumference.

This is how the “wound” on the pipe looks like after putting on the clamp

self-tapping screws

Homeowner's Helper No. 1 - a self-tapping screw, useful for flood protection. But only if the crack does not exceed 4 mm in size.

So, how to fix a leak in a pressure pipe with a self-tapping screw? Find a galvanized, unused screw and a press washer to it ( perfect option- aircraft part equipped with rubber gasket). Screw the self-tapping screw into the pipe and forget about the damage for a while (up to 3 years).

Cement

If the hole is small - the water does not spout, then you can try to cement the pipe. In addition to cement, you will also need a bandage (usual - medical).

If possible, the water should be turned off, otherwise the solution may not harden. Dilute the cement with water in some kind of bowl, mix the mixture thoroughly. Cut the bandage into pieces of about 25 cm each (be guided so that the material is enough to wrap the pipe twice). Soak the pieces cement mixture and wrap it around the pipe one by one. Coat the “dressing” on top with plenty of the remaining solution. Leave the "cocoon" alone for a day, letting it dry thoroughly. The patch can even be painted on top. For a while, the design will help you avoid major network repairs.

emergency glue

Manufacturers offer a ready-made composition, or rather, components that need to be mixed to make pipe glue. In the construction language, the mixture is called an emergency metal polymer. The kit includes metal dust mixed with resin and a hardener. Before repairing the pipe, they just need to be thoroughly mixed, and the glue is ready.

A couple of spoons of glue, and the leak is fixed

Repairing a plastic pipeline

Such networks rarely leak, if this happens, then, as a rule, the fitting is the culprit of the accident. Sometimes it is enough to tighten it, moreover, this can be done without turning off the water - directly under pressure. However, do not overtighten the part, otherwise the plastic will burst, and you will be guaranteed trouble.

If the pipe nevertheless bursts, then you will have to sweat thoroughly, however, in this case, you can do everything yourself, however, you will have to run around and look for tools and equipment.

So, you have to replace the fragment plastic construction that leaked. If the pipes are polypropylene, then classical soldering will be enough, which can be done using a polyfus (a special model of a soldering iron). Is your network made of metal-plastic? Then you have to make inserts on the thread. However, sometimes - with a little damage, sometimes it is enough to wrap it with insulating tape (just choose a fresh one so that the material stretches and does not tear) or treated with special glue (polyurethane, epoxy, thermal compound).

Worth paying attention! Can't find a soldering iron? Use the so-called "handicraft welding". The technology involves sealing the crack with the material of the pipeline itself. To do this, a red-hot nail should be applied to the hole (with proper skill, you can heat up the leak with a conventional lighter). The material will become pliable, so patching the hole is not difficult.

Ordinary duct tape can save your house from flooding

Elimination of leaks in the heating system

The heating network has its own differences: in the pipes there is always hot water, therefore, cracks should be repaired using a special technology. For work, imagine, you only need a bandage and salt (usual - cooking).

So, a hole - like a wound, you simply bandage it, generously sprinkling each layer with salt. What is the "focus"? Salt, getting into the cracks, simply clogs them - better than other glue. Sometimes, when the cracks are completely microscopic, it is enough just to sprinkle the “wound” with salt.

If the leak is impressive, use the same clamp or turn off the special service by first inserting a wood / fabric plug into the hole so that the battery does not turn into a fountain.

If you can’t solve the problem on your own, but the water stays, urgently call the masters

So you have learned how to fix leaking pipes under pressure, which means that the flood does not threaten your house.

Video: ways to fix water leaks

A leak in a hot pipe or radiator is a nuisance, but a leak that starts in a pressurized circuit is an even bigger problem. If the heating pipe is leaking, then the accident must be urgently eliminated.

Methods for sealing a leak depend on the place of its manifestation:

Leaks seamless or welded pipe heating;
There was a leak at the interface between the pipe and battery, pipe and fitting, fitting and fitting;
In the intersection space of the radiator;
In an open and accessible area for repair of the battery.

Each of these accidents can be eliminated by improvised means and different ways, but only in one case - if the leak in the radiator or in the pipe is small, and water or coolant flows in a thin stream or drips. A more serious leak is eliminated by more radical methods, which we will discuss. Who ever fixed a leak in their heating system, he knows how much trouble he saved himself and his family from.

Both with a large and a small leak, it is necessary to immediately close the shut-off valve for supplying the working fluid to the system. The problem is solved by using the following options:

If the radiator is leaking, then shut off the shut-off valves at the inlet and outlet of the device. If the radiator is with a bypass, then the whole system will continue to work without stopping; if there is no bypass, then it is better to turn off the boiler in order to avoid unexpected overheating of the heating system;
If there is no shut-off valve or it is installed, but not where it is needed, then the heating must be stopped so that the pipes do not remain under pressure, and the leak must be fixed.

Steel pipes with hot water rust quickly, even if they are painted, and this causes thinning of the pipe walls. In the most thin places over time, a leak may appear and, if it is not eliminated in time, the drops will imperceptibly turn into a stream.

If a colored spot appears on the pipe, the paint begins to swell, traces of rusty water streaks are visible or rust on the pipe, water drips imperceptibly, you should not wait in the hope that this will stop on its own. It is better if you find a suspicious place in the summer, with the heating turned off - it will less problems with shutdown and maintaining the temperature in the room during the repair.

How to fix a leak in a pressurized water pipe

If a pipe leaks at a low pressure of the coolant, then an ordinary iron clamp on the pipe to fix the leak is the right and quick solution to fix the leak in the heating system. The factory clamp is a round metal structure with a wall thickness of 1-1.5 mm, rubberized from the inside and equipped with a bolt and nut for tightening (or a pair - depending on the width of the clamp);
People's advice on how to fix a leak if there is no steel clamp: wrap the accident site with rubber from a bicycle tube, pharmacy rubber bandage, or any suitable piece of rubber, for example, a rubber glove. You can fix such a homemade clamp with wire, or wrap it with any cord;
In the absence of a factory clamp and rubber, you can make a homemade clamp from tin, even from a can lid;
Even a piece of elastic polymer (such as volcanic rubber), tightly wrapped with wire coil to coil, can save the day for a while.

Other ways to eliminate the accident, if the heating pipe is flowing, will not work - only dry surfaces can be sealed with cold welding, although then the hardened composite can even work in water. It will not work to seal a hole or a gap with sealing compounds for the same reason - the surface to be repaired must be dry, and preferably clean. Therefore, sealant for heating pipes, epoxy resin, dichloroethane and other fast-hardening composites are used only on disconnected dry sections of the heating route. This also applies to the repair of the water supply line in the water supply system. DHW pipe or HVS.

How to fix a leak in the heating system at home

If the leak is strong, and it cannot be closed with a simple clamp, and the heating circuit with liquid will have to be turned off. It does not matter where a leak is detected - on a heating or water supply pipe - the elimination of the leak will be possible only when the water supply is turned off. A disabled circuit gives room for repairs: you can check the entire track at the same time, and repair (replace) all suspicious areas.

Let's start with the most simple ways repairing a leak in a heating pipe:

Seal the gap or hole with a fabric (fiberglass) patch, liberally lubricated with epoxy glue. Patches (there should be 2-3 pieces) are cut twice as wide as the diameter of the pipe, the length should allow wrapping the pipe 5-7 times. Around the violation, the metal is cleaned sandpaper, file or grinder, the area is well dried, and epoxy is applied to it. The fabric can be impregnated with glue in advance, or you can coat it as it is wound on the pipe - as it will be more convenient on the spot. The last fabric layer is not impregnated with glue, and the end of the fabric is fixed with a cord or wire. Epoxy dries on the pipe in different ways: at a temperature of 20 0 C-25 0 C, several hours are enough, at temperatures below 18 0 C, even a day is not enough.

If you have repaired a central heating pipe, then the system is operating at a higher pressure than individual heating, and during the initial supply of water to the circuit after repair, a noticeable water hammer may occur, which can simply disrupt the patch. Therefore, the supply valve should be opened slowly, visually tracking the place with the patch.

You can increase the strength of the patch by adding bronze or aluminum powder to the epoxy adhesive. If it was not possible to buy powder, it can be made at home by grinding off the surface of any non-ferrous metal part with a small file or needle file. When adding such powder, you can make not 5-7 turns of fabric, but 2-3, and repairing such a section will become easier and faster.

factory materials

From ready-made solutions, adhesives and liquids, a heat-resistant waterproof sealant can be used to seal the leak. Such adhesive compositions are produced specifically for the repair of heating systems. When buying, make sure that the word “neutral” is on the label - this means that your glue will not corrode non-ferrous metal and materials adjacent to it.

Cold welding is also well suited to eliminate leaks:

Liquid epoxy, which is convenient to impregnate fabric patches that are applied to the hole water pipe. Some compounds can work on a wet surface;
Semi-solid plastic compositions. Such cold welding looks like a small piece of plasticine, consisting of two different-component strips. Knead the clay in your hands until the plasticity of the substance appears (palms should be wet - soak them in water), close the pipe hole with a small piece, and smear it on the cleaned surface. It takes 10-15 minutes to harden, after which the patch becomes so hard that it is difficult to take it even with a file.

Both liquid and solid cold welding contain toxins, so it is recommended to work with it with rubber gloves.

Sealing connections on pipes and between radiator sections

If connections at the junction of pipes or fittings are leaking, then, depending on the difference in diameters, it is possible to seal the pipeline with a metal clamp immediately or first wind the rubber in place with a smaller diameter. The rubber band wraps easily even under pressure, stopping heavy leakage.

To seal the threaded connection at the place of winding the tow or FUM tape, BF-2 glue helps a lot. The tow is pre-impregnated with alcohol, then coated with glue. The glue dissolved in alcohol impregnates the winding, and after drying it forms a dense waterproof layer.

What else is the winding impregnated with and how can the pipe be wrapped so that it does not flow: in most cases, ordinary oil (not nitro) paint is used. To do this, wrap the tow around the thread, apply the paint with a brush, and after tightening the thread, paint this area 2-3 more times. You can turn on heating or running water only after 2-3 days.

If it is not possible to seal the leak with your own hands, you need to turn off the heating or water supply, and redo the place of the threaded connection: completely remove the old winding, clean and degrease the thread. A new tow or FUM tape must be wrapped with pre-impregnation with sealant or paint.

When a metal-plastic fitting leaks, it is easier to eliminate a leak in the water supply network: you can stop the leak by simply tightening the threads. In 90% of cases it helps;
The copper circuit to stop the leak only needs to be soldered;
Propylene pipes on the heating circuit are repaired by replacing the cracked section with a new pipe section - this requires a special welding machine for welding PP products - there are no other ways to weld propylene.

If you do not know what to do with a leak between battery sections, then the most common repair is to replace the gasket between the radiator elements, or replace the nipple. To do this, the system is turned off, the failed part is replaced with a new one. There are no other options, except for a temporary repair - applying a patch according to the method described above. This is a rather complicated process, since aluminum radiators have a very small distance from section to section.

To seal the leak on the aluminum surface between the sections, you need to contrive to clean it somehow hard-to-reach places. To do this, you can use a cable - you need to wrap it around the leak, and pull it alternately by the ends until all the paint is rubbed off. A clean aluminum surface is sealed with epoxy mixed with aluminum powder, or by cold welding.

Few people know, but you can cover up the heating pipe with ordinary table salt! A small hole in a water line or heating pipe will immediately stop flowing if you rub it with a pinch of salt. If the hole is rather big, then salt is used together with an ordinary bandage - rewinding the leak, sprinkle the bandage with salt.

If aluminum radiator drip, then repair is a temporary measure for one season. To pass the next winter, the radiator needs to be changed - it will definitely leak in another place.

How to fix a leak on a radiator

Not between sections, not on threads, but simply on the body of the radiator - such cases occur mainly with cast-iron or steel appliances due to cavities that come across in the casting. Temporary repairs can be done as follows:

The simplest and fast way stop the flow, if the hole is small - hammer a wooden chopik (cork) into it. Level it with the surface of the product, cover it with sealant or cold welding;
In addition to wood, a self-tapping screw or a press washer will work well. Hardware also needs to be lubricated with sealant before screwing into the hole.

Leakage of hidden pipes

It is clear that this is the most big trouble, which can be imagined in a newly renovated apartment. There are two options for how to cover up so that the pipe does not flow in the wall or under the floor:

Mustard can only be used for water, and factory solutions can be used for both water and antifreeze.

Conclusion

There are a lot of ways to seal large and small holes and crevices in pipes and heating radiators - both folk and scientific. But they are united by one drawback - this is a temporary and forced measure. pipe, fitting or radiator finished heating season definitely needs to be replaced.

In new homes, sewers often consist of plastic pipes, which are not so difficult to replace, but in houses old building cast iron was used. And in this case, replacing pipes is a very troublesome business, and their service life is just coming to an end due to age. As a result, cracks and water leaks can be observed. However, a cast-iron pipe is easier to repair on the spot than to change, and modern industry offers many suitable means for this.

Before repairing, it is advisable to find out the cause of the malfunction. First of all, you need to determine the location of the leak. This is done by visual inspection for defects. Particular attention should be paid to the joints.

If the system flows at the joints, it means that the specialists made mistakes during its installation or simply treated the installation process negligently, without paying due attention to it.

Despite the apparent strength of cast iron, it is actually quite brittle. For example, pipes can sometimes leak due to a point impact on some part of them.

In addition, even in cast-iron pipes, cracks form over time (the time period is approximately 10–20 years) from the load. In some cases, the pipe can be repaired, and sometimes there is a need for a complete replacement.

What materials are used to seal cracks

If the pipe can still be repaired, for this it is necessary to select suitable material. The question of how to close a crack in a cast-iron sewer pipe is quite extensive, the fact is that there are many options that are selected depending on the material the sewer pipes are made of, or visually noticeable defects on them, as well as looking at the length and diameter.

You can repair the pipe without removing it in 2 cases:

Only small defects are visible on the riser;
Sewerage flows at the junctions.

The most commonly used materials for sealing damaged sewer pipes are: sanitary flax, adhesive sealant, gauze, an aqueous solution of cement and PVA, glue such as "liquid welding", silicone, copper oxide and phosphoric acid. If there is no leak, and only an unpleasant smell is observed, then simple cement is also suitable for repairs. And it's far from full list something that can cover up or repair the damage that has appeared.

Ways to eliminate cracks in the sewer system

In general, the repair of sewer pipes can be divided into two large categories, each of which has its own nuances - this is repair at the joints and the elimination of minor damage.

At the junctions

When leaking at the joints, before repairing the damage, it is advisable to turn off the water in the apartment, dry the joints by wiping them with a rag or using a hair dryer. Remove cement and packing residues from joints. Next, you need to close the resulting gap with a special sanitary flax, and then close the crack in cast iron pipe, covering it with a solution of polymer cement and PVA glue in several layers. After that, the sewer should not be used for a day, so that everything dries.

Instead of a PVA solution and a polymer cement, you can also use a regular sealant. It will dry in just 3 hours instead of a day. In addition, waterproof glue, raw rubber, epoxy resin, and even children's plasticine are suitable as materials for embedding. And if small defects and cracks continue to appear on the pipe, then you should think about replacing it. Since soon you will have to perform repair actions all the time, and then the system will completely fail.

Sealant - great way fix a crack in a cast iron sewer pipe

When the pipe is leaking at a caulked joint, a regular silicone sealant will come in handy. In this case, the pipe is cleaned of old putty and debris, then dried. If there is no leak, but there is only an unpleasant smell, then simple cement can help out here. To speed up its solidification, a little is added to the solution. liquid glass, otherwise known as sodium silicate.

Another fairly simple way is to use "cold welding" glue. Before using it, the sealing site is cleaned, and the surface of the pipe is cleaned and degreased, then a patch of this adhesive is applied to the damaged area. After that, rubber seals are applied. This method is good not only for cast iron, but also for plastic pipes.

In addition, the joints of the pipeline can be reliably sealed with aluminum or copper tape on a bitumen-rubber basis. This option is quite simple and effective, it will allow the sewer to serve for a long time.

Elimination of longitudinal cracks and small chips

In the case when a leak occurs due to minor damage, you can use:

bandage rubber, but only as a temporary option. The damaged area is wrapped with this bandage, and then the bandage is fixed with copper or aluminum wire, applying it with tight turns;
a plug, which is a small wooden wedge. It is inserted into the resulting hole. The size of the piece of wood should be small and fit tightly into the gap so as not to additionally clog the sewer. The wedge is driven into the leak and the pipeline is wrapped with gauze impregnated with epoxy resin.
ordinary gauze, it is impregnated with epoxy or cement solution, and then the leak is wrapped in several layers, so that a small cocoon is obtained;
special clamp. When using it, the pipe is first wrapped with a rubber gasket, then all this is covered with a clamp, which is tightened. This method is suitable for eliminating almost any leaks.

Small cracks can also be repaired as follows: first, you need to expand the damaged area so that you get a recess in the shape of the Latin letter V, and then cover the cracked area with sealant or silicone.

All of the above methods have been used and have been used for a long time, but modern technologies may offer a few novelties. So, for example, now it is most reliable to clean up small leaks without dismantling using phosphoric acid or copper oxide. These reagents harden after a short period of time, and a strong crust forms at the site of damage. If it was decided to use this particular method, then you must perform the following steps:

clean the leak with sandpaper or a metal brush;
degrease it with acetone or other solvent;
prepare a mixture for sealing, most often phosphoric acid and copper oxide are mixed in a ratio of 2: 3;
now it remains only to cover the leaking places.

This mixture hardens quite quickly, and you can use the sewer in just a few hours.

Another option is to use powdered ammonia mixed with sulfur and iron filings for embedding. All this is diluted with water until a thick mass is formed, and then the damage is covered with the resulting mixture. Such a connection is quite durable.

Leak Prevention

In order for sewer pipes to last as long as possible, it is necessary to give preference to products made of high quality material, it is even possible to pay attention to the name and country of the manufacturer. The same applies to various accessories. The main selection criterion in this case is high reliability and long service life.

The selected pipes must be installed carefully, observing all known rules. Even if you entrust this to specialists, problems may still arise in the future due to poor-quality installation. Therefore, the installation process should be given special attention.

A leak that has arisen due to minor damage or inaccurate installation of joints is quite easy to eliminate. However, all the same, a crack in a cast-iron sewer pipe is a rather unpleasant phenomenon. But now, if the sewer pipe burst, then this can lead to big problems, up to a local flood with a bunch of damaged things and angry neighbors from below, who suffered a brand new repair as a result. Therefore, it is important to know how to handle cast iron sewer pipes in order to operate them without the need for repair for as long as possible. After all, it is always easier to prevent a problem than to solve it later.

To do this, it is advisable to sometimes check the condition of the sewer in the house, carefully inspect the pipes for external damage, and make sure that no puddles have appeared somewhere under them. It is better to repair the detected small external damages immediately, without waiting until the pipe starts to flow in these places, and even more so, without waiting until the size of the defect increases.

In addition, it is advisable to clean sewer pipes from time to time, as grease, dirt and small particles accumulate there in large quantities, which can mechanically damage the pipe or accelerate the process of rust formation, and, accordingly, the occurrence of damage. By the way, especially fatty and thick dishes, like soup with a lot of ingredients, it is better not to pour it into the sewer. You can only drain the liquid, the thick in this case should be collected and discarded separately. The same applies to tea leaves and other liquids with impurities of solid or not very solid particles.

In the case when the sewerage is laid outdoors, and even above the freezing level of the soil, it is necessary to use insulation; otherwise, in the temperate Russian climate, such a system runs the risk of living only until the first snow falls or until the first frosts.

It is also important to remember that cast iron pipes have a limited service life. And since they are most often found precisely in houses of old construction, their owners quite often have to pay attention to repairs, eliminating cracks, sealing joints, eliminating blockages and struggling with unpleasant odors. If it starts to take too long, then it's time to completely replace the sewer system.