PVC Pipe Leak

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djsethnichols

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Hello, new to the board here.

I'm having an issue sealing a PVC pipe that is in line of my sump-pump that goes up and out of my basement.

I recently installed a back-up sump pump to the existing sump pump already in place. So I had to cut out of the old line to run the line for the back-up unit.

Well there is a vertical pipe going up to the cieling of my basement and then it 90s over and out of the house. When I cut into this line that 90 up top worked itself loose in the process.
So I cleaned it all real good and then I just re-glued it when I put it all back together with the new fittings in line for the back-up unit.

I've tested it, and it leakes at that joint where I re-glued it.

Now I've used 'Siliconized Acrylic Caulk' around this connection to try and seal it that way. Waited 2 days and tested again and it still leaks (but a little less).
So I tried to seal it better by adding another coat of the Caulk, to no avail.

Now I have tried to stip most of the caulk I put on there off and I applied another coat, and that is where I stand now.

Does anyone have any other suggestions on how I could get this thing sealed up right? (it's kind of a tight position up there and I can't actually look at all of the area that I'm trying to seal up so I just have to feel with my hand as I apply the caulk around the joint.

thanks
 

Jimbo

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The proper way is to take it all apart and reglue.

However, Rectorseal and others make a fibreglass pipe repair wrap. Comes in a little kit for about $14. A professional plumber would probably never use this, but in your application, it will probably outlive the house. Remove as much of the caulk as you possibly can, and make sure to overlap the caulked area back to "clean" pipe with the wrap, because the caulk residue may cause a local bond problem at that spot.
 

Terry

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Or you could buy some new pipe and fittings and replace the bad section.

That's what a plumber would do.
 
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mrjetskey

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One thing you might try if you cant replace the pipe,or at least the fitting.Take them apart and clean and then sand both the inside of the 90 and the outside of the pipe.Then put a liberal amount of pvc primer on the pipe and then use pvc cmt. not contact cmt or glue.and put the glue on the pipe only push the pipe in the 90 and turn it quick one quarter of a turn till it lines up,hold it a bit 30 seconds as it is not new.then it should be seal;ed fine.any kind of caulk or junk like that is not a fix but a semi- non-working bandaid.It doesnt fix the problem.Be sure to clean the parts well before you pvc.cmt. them together again.Also if your pvc.cmt. is old it won't work right!!
 

Jadnashua

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Sounds like you may have had some moisture in/on the pipe when you tried to glue it up or your cement was old. My unprofessional opinion.
 

Master Plumber Mark

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pvc fittings are cheap....

jsut cut it all out ans simply start over with new stuff,,,,,,

it isnt worth your time to sepnd thenext month fighting this old junk

If it is in a tight position to cut off, just go out and buy one of those metal

string cutters that you simply put around the pipe and pull on it back and

forth with tension till it cuts through it...

you are not going to win untill you admit defeat.....and start over.
 

djsethnichols

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Advice taken :)

I cut out at a point and twisted off part of the pipe and the elbow. Cleaned it up real good and put an in-line fitting and a new elboy on a new piece of cut pipe. We are golden now...finally!

And just in time for the big spring rains coming this way.

thanks again.
 

petercook

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Another solution

I had the same problem, a leaky pipe joint that in my case is in too difficult a location to attempt a repair. I couldn't find the pipe wrap that jimbo referred to so I bought a stick of epoxy putty - the kind that contains steel. You cut off a piece, knead it together to mix the resin and hardener, and shape it however you need. I shaped it into a rope, wrapped it around the joint, pressed it and shaped it into the joint and let it harden.

This leak has confounded me for years. Now it's bone dry.

Pete
 
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