Broken Water Pipe Due to Freezing

[rbarch]

The main water pipe that brings water into my house burst open due to the water freezing. Fortunately no one was living in the house at the time. The tear is not very big only 1" in length. This house is old and the pipe is only a 3/4" line of soft copper. The break is only 1" from the basement wall on a curve in the pipe so a ordinary pipe clamp will not work. My question is what would be the best way to repair it. I was thinking that first I should break open the brick around the pipe to give me more pipe to work on. Can I use a repair coupling and just solder a new piece of pipe to the old? This is soft copper and the pipe may have a curve to it making it difficult for a coupling to fit the old pipe. The old pipe had a compression fitting on the end instead of soldering maybe I should just cut off the bad piece and flare the new end and try this. But remember that I really do not have a lot of pipe to work with (only 1" sticking out of the wall). Or do I have to cut the pipe at all. I saw a new product on the market uses a "air" activated fiberglass tape from a company called DuraPower Products Inc. it is a tape that you dip in water and then wrap around the pipe. It cures forming a patch that is suppose to withstand a pressure of 150 lbs and a temperature of 600 degrees. Does anyone know anything about this? Any help or suggestions that anyone can give me would be greatly appreciated. Thank you, Robert Barch

[Blackbeard]

I have no experience using the water leak tape you mentioned. But I know for certain that product is not code.

Without seeing your leak, I would suggest that you walk around the front of the house and dig down to the water line. Cut the water line. Patch in a piece of new copper using a coupling on the outside and a coupling on the inside.

If you have access to the break in your pipe without digging, Home Depot sells long sections of copper designed to make the repair you are wanting to make. The sections of copper are simply long couplings. They're pretty handy for fixing the type of damage you are talking about. You just cut out the bad section and use this one long coupling. Sweat it in and you're good to go.

A compression coupling could also be used. I personally don't use compression couplings at all except in very rare circumstances where I can't use my torch. Nothing wrong with a compression fitting. I just don't trust them the way I do a good clean bead of solder.

[Ned Flanders]

Check with your local plumbing supply house for ideas. You might be able to get a ford coupling on it.