I have a PVC pipe inside the wall in the right front corner of my office closet. It has holes in it, and it carries washing machine water from washing machine to the basement to dispose of it however it does. The holes are causing water to leak every time I do laundry.
I purchased a pipe repair wrapping kit, and was just about to repair, when I realized that behind the pipe is a another wall and there isn't enough space to bring the wrap around behind the PVC.
So as far as I can tell, I have two options:
- Go and buy a Fernco and connect them that way (I may yet have the same problem-I'm not sure the Fernco would fit either)
- Cut into the wall behind the pipe and make a square so I have room to wrap.
I don't like 2 because I don't know what's behind the back wall, and I think it will be difficult to repair the drywall.
Here's a picture (the holes in the pipe are there because I'm a moron):
I could use some guidance.
Best Answer
The correct way to repair a damaged PVC pipe is of course to cleanly cut away the damaged portion and use a coupler. But, because this is a drain pipe and thus isn't pressurized, you could probably get away with just using epoxy to repair the holes.
Buy a PVC-suitable epoxy that's listed for use with water (e.g., J-B Weld makes a product called Waterweld), follow the directions, and liberally apply it to plug the holes. Clean off all the burrs from the holes first, to ensure a good bond. Make sure to give it plenty of time to dry before using your washing machine.