Slight leakage in old PE pipes, how to effectively repair them

In the fields of building water supply and drainage, municipal engineering and agricultural irrigation, PE pipes have been widely used because of their corrosion resistance, good flexibility and other characteristics. However, with the increase of service life, old PE pipes may experience slight leakage due to material aging, external pressure or minor damage. If not treated in time, it will not only cause waste of water resources, but also may cause more serious pipeline damage. The following introduces effective repair methods for minor leakage of old PE pipes for you.

First of all, before any repair work, it is necessary to make full preparations. The first task is to close the valve upstream of the leakage point, ensure that the water is stopped in the pipeline in the repair area, and empty the remaining water in the pipeline to maintain a dry working environment. Subsequently, carefully clean the surface of the pipe around the leakage point, and use a rag or sandpaper to remove oil, rust, soil and loose oxide layer, so that the surface of the pipe is clean and rough, which can effectively enhance the bonding force between the repair material and the pipe. At the same time, mark the exact location of the leakage, so that the subsequent repair operation is more accurate.

For the slight leakage of old PE pipes, the rubber repair tape (or rubber pipe card) repair method is an easy and reliable choice. Choose a rubber repair tape that matches the diameter of the pipe, which is usually sticky on the inside or can be fixed by a fastening device. Wrap the repair tape tightly around the leakage point to ensure that it completely covers the leakage point and its surrounding area of at least 5 cm. If a repair tape with a metal clamp is used, the bolts on the clamp need to be tightened evenly with a wrench, so that the rubber tape is tightly attached to the pipe surface to form an effective seal. This method is suitable for piping systems with low pressure and can quickly stop water leaks.

Another commonly used method is the self-adhesive waterproof tape repair method. The tape is generally made of butyl rubber or other high-performance elastic materials and has excellent adhesion and water resistance. On the clean and dry pipe surface, starting from the side of the water leakage point, wrap the tape tightly in a semi-overlapping manner. When wrapping, a certain tensile force needs to be applied to ensure that there are no bubbles or folds between the tape and the pipe and the tape layer. The number of winding layers is recommended to be no less than 3-5 layers. The end of the last layer can be fixed with the adhesive tape itself or tied with a cable tie to ensure the firmness of the repair.

After the repair is completed, do not restore the water supply immediately. Check whether the repair part is firmly installed and the seal is tight. After confirming that it is correct, slowly open the valve to observe whether there is any leakage at the repair place. In the early stage after the water is passed, it is necessary to continue to pay attention for a period of time to ensure the stable repair effect. At the same time, attention should be paid to avoid severe impact or heavy pressure on the repaired pipeline to prevent the repair layer from falling off or the pipeline from being damaged again.

It should be noted that the above method is mainly suitable for minor and local leakage of the pipeline. If the pipeline leakage is serious, such as large-scale damage, long cracks or serious thinning of the pipeline wall, it is recommended to contact professional pipeline maintenance personnel in time for evaluation. If necessary, the pipeline should be replaced to ensure the long-term safe operation of the pipeline system. Timely and effective repair can not only save maintenance costs, but also avoid a series of safety hazards caused by water leakage.