
Hospital Seal 1.05-Metre Long Crack in Cast Iron Downpipe Leaking Rainwater into Ward
A 1.05-metre long crack in an internal cast iron downpipe leaking rainwater into a hospital ward is sealed within 30 minutes of being discovered with no disruption to staff or patients thanks to a SylWrap Drain & Waste Pipe Repair Kit.
Case Study Overview
Site Hospital
Location London, UK
Pipe Type 150mm cast iron downpipe
Repair Type Leak repair
Products CrackSeal Sealant, SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage

Pipe Defect
The hospital had an ageing 150mm diameter cast iron pipe system taking rainwater away through the building. A leak into a ward during a rainstorm alerted staff to a problem in a wall cavity containing a section of downpipe.
A specialist drainage engineer was called in. After accessing the constrained wall cavity, they discovered a 1.05-long metre crack in the pipe. Escaping rainwater had saturated surrounding plasterboard, leading to the leak into the ward.
The hospital already knew that budget restraints and the possibility of new facilities being built in the future meant replacing the damaged pipework was not viable.
They instead needed a cost-effective repair method to seal the crack before it next rained, when a more significant leak would cause disruption to the ward and greater damage to the wall and ceiling structure.


SylWrap Solution
The drainage engineer carried a SylWrap Drain & Waste Pipe Repair Kit on their van, meaning they already had all the products needed to seal the crack in the cast iron downpipe.
CrackSeal Sealant was extruded directly from its cartridge into the crack until it was totally filled. It hardened almost instantly to create a watertight seal. It was then left for 10 minutes to form a skin before the repair was reinforced with SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage.
Two SYL616HD Bandages were wrapped along the entire length of the 1.05-metre crack, creating a two-layer repair easily capable of withstanding the low pressure at which the downpipe carried rainwater.
The water-activated resin in SylWrap HD set rock hard within minutes as the bandage was wrapped and smoothed around the pipe, curing to provide an impact resistant sleeve and a permanent repair.


Outcome
Having a Drain & Waste Pipe Repair Kit to hand enabled the engineer to seal the crack within 30 minutes of accessing the downpipe and discovering the problem.
There was no disruption to patients or staff whilst the application took place. The repair was completed before another rainstorm took place, meaning no further damage to the building or rainwater entering the ward.
Follow Up
The Drain & Waste Pipe Repair Kit has been specifically designed for end-users like facilities management teams and drain companies who are regularly required to seal cracks and splits in low-pressure cast iron and plastic waste, drain and soil pipes.
It contains enough products to make multiple repairs and comes in a robust red case for easy storage on-site or on the van. Whenever a leak is identified, the end-user simply retrieves their Kit to make an instant repair.
The speed and convenience of the Kit means the hospital now use it to repair all drain, waste and soil pipes across the site.
Products Used
CrackSeal Sealant
Specialist sealant extruded directly into cracks in low-pressure cast iron pipework
SylWrap HD Bandage
Water-activated wrap reinforces repairs by forming a rock hard protective shell
Drain & Waste Pipe Repair Kit
Specialist kit repairs multiple cracks and splits in cast iron drain, waste and soil pipes
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