Watch: How to make a live leak repair with Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape

Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape is a self-amalgamating repair tape which stretches by 300 percent. When wrapped tightly around a pipe, it fuses to form a solid rubber band over a leak, creating a high-pressure seal to contain live leaks.

Before applying Wrap & Seal, clean the repair area of any loose material. If the pipe surface is corroded, pitted or too uneven to make a good seal with the tape,then it is advisable to use Superfast Epoxy Putty to improve the surface or fill in step between joints.

Applying Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape for live leak repair

Peel back the release film from the start of the tape and anchor it to the side of the leak. One full wrap around the pipe ensures Wrap & Seal grips to itself.

Then wrap the tape towards the leak whilst stretching it as much as possible to the maximum three times its length. Remove the release film during application and overlap Wrap & Seal by 50 percent each time, using the central white line as a guide.

Once reaching the point above the leak, apply Wrap & Seal directly over the top with as much stretch as possible to apply full pressure. Do not chase the leak or wrap the tape too far from the leak location.

To repair a longitudinal split, apply Wrap & Seal with a 50 percent overlap across the entire length of the split. The application continues backwards and forwards across the split to apply even pressure.

Wrap & Seal application should only cease once the entire tape has been completely used and the leak has fully stopped. If the leak is not sealed by the end of the tape, wait 30 minutes to see if Wrap & Seal beds into the pipe.

Using multiple Wrap & Seal to increase pressure resistance

If the pipe continues to leak after this time, apply a second tape over the first. Additional Wrap & Seal will fuse to the tape already present on the pipe, increasing the pressure resistance of the repair. The process of adding multiple tapes continues until the leak is fully arrested.

The above video was filmed during testing at Sylmasta HQ in the United Kingdom. We drilled a 3mm pinhole into a stainless steel pipe.

A Sylmasta technician then sealed the leak with the line pressurised at 3.5 bar. After the repair, pressure was increased to 5 bar. The tape continued to contain pipe content.

Calculating the number of Wrap & Seal Tapes needed for a repair

The Wrap & Seal Calculator below recommends the number of Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tapes required to seal a live leak based on pipe diameter and pressure.

Enter the diameter of the pipe in millimetres, water pressure and the size of the hole requiring sealing in millimetres.

The safety factor is a multiple to include a margin of safety. For example, if pipe pressure is 5 bar and you want a safety factor of two, the calculator will formulate a repair capable of withstanding 10 bar.

Once data is entered, selecting the size of Wrap & Seal determines how many of that specific tape are required for a repair. Repairs to pipes in excess of 150mm diameter with Wrap & Seal PB-50x4m or PB-50x11m should be made in conjunction with SylPad.

Calculations serve as a guide to potential maximum pressure resistance only. Actual pressure resistance depends upon pipe material, condition, hole size, leak type and tension maintained during wrapping.

Reinforcing a burst pipe repair made using Wrap & Seal

Sylmasta recommend reinforcing Wrap & Seal repairs by applying a SylWrap Pipe Repair Bandage over the top.

SylWrap is a water-activated composite repair wrap with a fast-working resin. It sets rock-hard in minutes, forming an impact resistant sleeve around the pipework to protect both the repair and the pipe.

Wrap & Seal and SylWrap Bandage are available alongside Superfast Epoxy Putty in the SylWrap Universal Pipe Repair Kit. The Universal Kit makes one permanent live leak repair.

For regular pipe repair users, Sylmasta have developed the SylWrap Contractor Case. Each Case contains enough Wrap & Seal, SylWrap Bandage and Superfast Epoxy Putty to make up to six live leak repairs.

The Contractor Case is easy to store on-site or on the van. It equips engineers and maintenance teams with everything they need to make an emergency pipe repair as soon as problems occur.

Repairs made using Wrap & Seal, a Universal Pipe Repair Kit a Contractor Case have WRAS approval, meaning they have been certified to British Standards as safe to use on pipes and fittings carrying drinking water.

Product

Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape
Self-amalgamating repair tape fuses to form a solid rubber band to seal live leaks

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