Is all pipe patching the same?

As with all things on the market today, there are the good, the bad, and the just plain useless pipe patching services and products. Many pipe and drain repair companies or plumbers who offer the service are mistakenly (or not) using the wrong product for the job. Others have possibly tried to keep their costs and prices down by using cheaper products which often don’t work as well or last as long as the more reputable brands.

The problem for customers is you probably won’t know it’s an inferior or incorrectly used product until it fails months, or if you’re lucky years, later.

Properties of a quality pipe patching product

A quality pipe patch needs to be very strong, with good structural integrity, and a long-lasting service life. Most reputable manufacturers will guarantee their product lasts for more than 50 years, which means you don’t have to worry about that section of pipe for at least half a century.

The goal of the pipe patch is to create a new robust, durable pipe inside the old damaged section.

Using the wrong pipe patching product

However, even a top-quality product is totally useless if it’s used for the wrong purpose. For instance, using a pipe relining product which is designed to repair large sections of damaged or leaking pipes to patch a small area of broken or cracked pipe will be ineffective as it doesn’t have enough structural integrity for short lengths.

Many pipe patching companies use Brawoliner or similar products. This is not correct.

Brawoliner uses a textile liner so it can go around corners, cover joints and navigate pipe intersections. This is great for pipe relining , but not for pipe patching. The reason is it doesn't have much structural integrity so if you're patching cracked and broken pipes it provides no further structure.

The team at Reline Solutions uses Epros for sectional pipe repairs. This system uses a fibreglass liner which provides more structural strength than the textile alternatives.

The product used to repair your pipe also needs to be designed to adhere to the material your pipes are made of, eg terracotta or clay, plastic, PVC or steel. This ensures a secure bond and avoids bubbling or patch failure.

Your new pipe patch also needs to withstand everything that could be washed down your drain. This means a patch suitable for a residential sewage drain which only has to cope with general household wastewater may not be adequate to repair a pipe in a commercial property which deals with strong chemicals or other industrial waste.

Finding the perfect drain and pipe repair solution

A reputable drain repair company or plumber will be happy to provide customers with complete product information for the pipe repair system they use, as well as answer any questions you might have. Don't just settle for the cheapest pipe repair quote as you may be redoing the job in a couple of years when the cheap patch fails. Invest in quality pipe patching for a reliable, long-lasting solution.

Looking for some no-nonsense advice on drain repairs in Brisbane, the Gold Coast, and Sunshine Coast? Speak to the team at Reline Solutions today.