I have a swimming pool that is leaking somewhere in the piping. Can some sort of a liner be put in the pipe to stop the leaks? The pipe is PVC and has several 90 degree bends.

- Ed

Ed, unfortunately your problem is the pipe material used, not that there are 90 degree bends. If your pipes were metallic, epoxy lining them could have been a solution. PVC (polyvinyl chloride) pipes, used in most pool installations, can’t have a lining installed. You’re going to have to excavate the pipes and then repaired or replaced.

-Brian

I have a slab leak - the side of my garage is seeping water through the outside of the garage - per the last plumber - it is a drainage line break at the 90 that supports the upstairs bathroom.  They are talking about excavating under the foundation and repairing - can we sleeve instead.  We can see the pipe through the sheet-rock in the garage…
Please tell me what to do - estimate came in at $3,000.

-Angelica

Angelica, a pipe sleeve is used to protect a pipe from the material it’s passing through (e.g. a wall or concrete), what you’re referring to is called sock lining, and it may be a solution to your problem. I would suggest that you contact a plumbing company in your area that has sock lining technologies to get an estimate.

-Brian

I have a 4″ clay pipe which is a downspout drain and is leaking.  The pipe runs under an addition to the house.  There isn’t sufficient space under the addition to access the pipe at all.  Any ideas of how I can pull a liner or flexible pipe through the 4″ clay pipe (which also bends slightly?)  Currently, run off from the downspout runs under the house and there is no other place to go with the drainage.

-Bill

Bill, there are firms that specialize in lining failing pipes, but I’m not aware of any liners that you can use yourself. I would suggest that you contact a plumbing company in your area that has sock lining technologies. You may require access from one or both ends depending upon which sock lining technology is used.

-Brian

What happened if the underground hot water pipe is leaking?  What is the estimate cost to find the leaking pipe underground if I must demolished the concrete?  Any good advice?

–Ashley

Ashley, what you have is called a “slab leak” and digging/tearing up the concrete is a pretty expensive and time consuming way to solve your pipe leak problem, possibly costing in the neighborhood of $2,000 to $5,000.  Epoxy lining the affected pipe might be a faster and more cost-effective option –if the leaking pipe isn’t too badly damaged (an epoxy lining company should be able to determine that). In the lining process, hoses are connected to fixtures or valves at both ends of the pipe, so there’s no need to tear up your concrete. The pipe gets cleaned out and then lined with an epoxy that restores the pipe to like-new condition.

-Brian

I hear in the wall what appears to be a pinhole leak in a pipe, but, I have no water leaking anywhere. ( I cut out drywall next to one of the pipes where I hear) It’s DRY! With no water being used in the house, there is minute amt. registering on meter, (next to nothing). With the hot water pressure valve on top of water heater turned off, usage on the meter show NO usage, but, I can still hear hissing in wall.(Hissing stops when I turn off main water valve outside the house.) What’s up??

–Ellen

Ellen, it sounds (no pun intended) like you may have a leak. If you did have a pinhole in your piping system, chances are the water loss is too low to be noticed on a water meter’s readout (dial), and you would also have water showing up somewhere (unless you have lines buried below ground). The best thing to do is call a plumber who can come in and perform a hydrostatic pressure test -which is safer then a compressed air test.

-Brian

I have a two-story fifty room hotel and I have a hot water recirculating pipe that gives instant hot water in any room at any given time. The mechanical room is located in one end of the building but somehow I constantly get pinhole leaks on the opposite end of the building, in almost within same rooms or area. Why not in different rooms?

–Sanjay

Sanjay, your pipe is corroding as well as eroding. Failures typically occur in the recirculation line first because it’s smaller in diameter and it’s receiving constant flow through it (which actually erodes it). Your problem is not unusual at all, typically the hot water line is looped around (in your case, it would be in your last units) and then returns as your recirculation line. If you want to avoid repeatedly replacing or patching this pipe, epoxy pipe lining will prevent corrosion and erosion.

-Brian

We have radiant heat (all copper tubing) in our floor. We have a leak in the system. Can your product be used to repair it? Also would your product affect the transmission of heat in the floor.

-Ryan

Ryan, epoxy lining technology is great for protecting a new system and can assist with repairing an older system with one or more small diameter leaks less than 1/8” in size. It’s not the cure all for all pipe leaks: the pipe must be metal; it must be structurally sound; and the leak must be from a pinhole, and not a crack, split or some other catastrophic failure. If the leak is too large, a repair must be made prior to the lining procedure. A certified CuraFlo professional can work with your system’s installer to determine the best way to make the repair(s).

Once in the pipes, the epoxy lining does provide some insulating properties (i.e. it will slow down the heat transfer), but this is not significant enough to interfere with the performance of your radiant heating system. The circulating hot water temperature of in-floor radiant heating systems are typically between 120° to 125° Fahrenheit (48.9° – 51.7° Celsius). Most epoxies are effective at these temperatures, and will allow your system to perform as designed.

-Brian