When temperatures in the United Kingdom dropped as low as -15°C, portable horse shower supplier Showerking directed owners of their units to fix copper pipes which had burst in the freezing weather using a SylWrap Standard Pipe Repair Kit.

Case Study Overview

Site Portable horse shower unit
Location United Kingdom
Pipe Type Copper pipe
Repair Type No pressure leak repair
Products Superfast Copper Epoxy Putty, SylWrap Pipe Repair Bandage

Pipe Defect

Showerking are a Sussex-based supplier of portable hot shower units designed for horses and dogs. Units are typically kept in unheated outbuildings.

Although designed to handle winter conditions, copper pipework in the system can become prone to bursting if the unit has not been fully drained after use and the weather is exceptionally cold.

When temperatures in the United Kingdom dropped as low as -15°C, a number of Showerking owners reported burst pipes, rendering their units unusable.

Fortunately, Showerking had already contacted Sylmasta about the possibilities of making horse shower pipe repairs using the SylWrap range before the freezing weather arrived.

As a result of the relationship between Showerking and Sylmasta, users whose units suffered burst pipes were directed to the exact product they needed to fix the problem – and had the straightforward repair process explained to them.

SylWrap Solution

It had been established that the smallest SylWrap Standard Pipe Repair Kit (SYL-106-NP) was ideal for the application because of the cramped space inside the unit and the complex shape of the pipework, which made repair using a clamp impossible.

Every horse shower unit which had failed was repaired using the same method. Loose material was first removed from the burst pipe and the area around the leak gently abraded.

Superfast Cooper Epoxy Putty Stick was then used to seal the crack. Enough putty to cover the burst in the pipe was cut from the stick by hand and kneaded until it turned a uniform colour.

Whilst soft, the Putty was pushed onto the pipe, completely encompassing the crack. Before the putty had fully hardened, SylWrap Pipe Repair Bandage was wrapped and smoothed over the entire leak area, forcing the putty into the crack for a permanent, watertight seal.

Within five minutes, SylWrap cured to provide a rock hard shell which reinforced the repair and offered protection from future expansion of the pipe, reducing the chances of bursts occurring again during freezing temperatures.

Outcome

By using a SYL-106-NP Kit, Showerking users were able to repair their horse shower unit in less than 30 minutes and at a cost of under £25 including delivery.

Although Showerking offer a one-year warranty, this does not cover units with burst pipes as a result of being left outside during freezing temperatures and not fully drained.

With the cost of a new horse shower £180, a SylWrap repair represented a significant saving compared to purchasing a replacement unit for those whose warranty was either invalid or out of date.

Follow Up

Since the establishment of the partnership between Showerking and Sylmasta, numerous horse shower owners have quickly and easily repaired their units damaged by freezing temperatures.

Products Used

Superfast Copper
Fast working epoxy putty used to seal holes in pipes made of copper and non-ferrous metals

SylWrap Pipe Repair Bandage
Water-activated wrap sets rock hard to reinforce and strengthen repairs

Standard Pipe Repair Kit
Kit containing Superfast Epoxy and SylWrap Bandage for no pressure permanent pipe repair

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