Pipe embedded in concrete is leaking - any advice?

[Mr Derek]

The pipe is leaking from the top of a join in the vertical section in the concrete, as marked. Apparently the leak is from somewhere under the concrete and is coming out round the front. It's dripping once every ten seconds so needs attention. I suppose I can't go drilling away the concrete though. It's hard as diamond in any case and difficult to get to through a thicket of other pipes. I doubt epoxy putty would help as the water is seeping out from under the concrete. Any solution?

Edited January 20, 2022 by Mr Derek

[Cake Monster]

I have had similar problems, but never gotten any satisfactory results from Epoxy Putty.

There is only one solution IMO, and thats to carefully cut away the Concrete with a Angle Grinders and then Chisel it away carefully before replacing the pipe.

At least it seems " get at-able " to do this.

Good Luck

[Mr Derek]

1 minute ago, Cake Monster said:

I have had similar problems, but never gotten any satisfactory results from Epoxy Putty.

There is only one solution IMO, and thats to carefully cut away the Concrete with a Angle Grinders and then Chisel it away carefully before replacing the pipe.

At least it seems " get at-able " to do this.

Good Luck

I might just be able to reach it with an angle grinder but I wouldn't be able to see what I was doing and I wouldn't be able to cut it close enough to the pipe to be able to chop away the rest of the concrete easily - it's very difficult to get a hammer and chisel to it in this position.  

 

Thing is though, it's a 20-floor condo and the concrete bar is presumably part of the structure so I suppose I shouldn't be messing with it...

 

I can't see a way out of this...

[chickenslegs]

Is it a drain pipe, or is it carrying pressurised water?

 

If it's a drain, perhaps you could seal it with expanding foam squirted into all the gaps.

[MJCM]

  

14 minutes ago, Cake Monster said:

I have had similar problems, but never gotten any satisfactory results from Epoxy Putty.

There is only one solution IMO, and thats to carefully cut away the Concrete with a Angle Grinders and then Chisel it away carefully before replacing the pipe.

At least it seems " get at-able " to do this.

Good Luck

^ +1

 

Or you could try this, it worked for me, but that said we had full and easy access to the leaking pipe but YMMV.

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/bosny-leak-sealer-600-i2904118678-s10623155014.html

 

Edited January 20, 2022 by MJCM

[Mr Derek]

4 minutes ago, MJCM said:

  

^ +1

 

Or you could try this, it worked for me, but that said we had full and easy access to the leaking pipe but that said YMMV.

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/bosny-leak-sealer-600-i2904118678-s10623155014.html

 

Interesting. If I had access to the actual hole it would probably do the job. It seems like the water is seeping out of the concrete all round though and if I seal it in one place it will probably find another way out.

[Dante99]

4 minutes ago, Mr Derek said:

the concrete bar is presumably part of the structure so I suppose I shouldn't be messing with it...

Correct, if it is structural it should not be messed with.  Is there a way to reroute the pipe from above around the concrete beam and reconnect below it?

[Mr Derek]

6 minutes ago, chickenslegs said:

Is it a drain pipe, or is it carrying pressurised water?

 

If it's a drain, perhaps you could seal it with expanding foam squirted into all the gaps.

Well, good question. The pipe is coming from the bathroom on the floor above. As far as I can figure, it shouldn't be under pressure, though I'm not sure how much pressure is necessary to produce a leak.

I was hoping to fix this myself but in the circumstances I guess I'd better bring in the condo manager.

[Mr Derek]

10 minutes ago, Dante99 said:

Correct, if it is structural it should not be messed with.  Is there a way to reroute the pipe from above around the concrete beam and reconnect below it?

Technically possibly, maybe, but surely very difficult - way beyond DIY - and I just can't see any plumber in Thailand wanting to do it.

[Morakot]

3 minutes ago, Mr Derek said:

I just can't see any plumber in Thailand wanting to do it.

In fairness it's a design fault.

 

Pipes like this should not be directly embedded in concrete. A larger conduit should have been embedded to provide a casing for the actual waste pipe.

[soi3eddie]

28 minutes ago, Mr Derek said:

 

Thing is though, it's a 20-floor condo and the concrete bar is presumably part of the structure so I suppose I shouldn't be messing with it...

 

I can't see a way out of this...

I had a similar issue in my condo some years ago. A pipe embedded in concrete behind tiles in the shower started leaking. The water was being pushed upwards onto the suspended ceiling. It was very slight at first but as time went on it became a very slow trickle down the wall into the shower. The condo's building manager helped and got a builder/plumber to take down the ceiling and remove tiles. Luckily the source of the leak was only 2 tiles down - it was a hole in the blue pipe that had been there since installation 4 years earlier! They replaced the pipe and tiles (a close colour match) and all good since.

 

Therefore I would suggest getting the building manager involved. Especially if there's any structural concerns.

 

[86Tiger]

As others have stated, this is a major repair project.

 

One needs the proper equipment and knowledge to put it back together.

 

Best get management involved.  It will probably be messy, loud and leave a dirty mess for few days but better than leaking sewage or drain water in your space.