Cracked ceramic pipe needs replacing

blondie83

Hi everyone - I'm looking for a quick bit of advice about piping if anyone here has any expertise in the area. We've a ceramic pipe running underground in my back garden (about 2 feet under) which has been cracked into by one of the roots from a nearby tree. I'd like to try and fix it myself, and don't have a problem with removing the root, its just repairing the pipe that I'm not too sure about. I was thinking if I could get a section of plastic pipe of the same thickness and fit it over the damaged area, then put seals at the ends it might work - Does anyone have any other ideas, or has anyone done something like this before?

beldin

yeah you have described what to do yourself
1/ Dig out the damaged section
2/ Slide Connectors onto both open ends of the pipes
3/ Inset new plastic pipe and pull the connectors back over it.

We had to do it one Christmas as the pipe had been crushed by trucks over the years

blondie83

Thats sounds good! How did you cut the damaged section of the pipe out? I was thinking of using an angle grinder, but I don't want to create more cracks in the rest of the pipe. Oh and just one other thing - what kind of connectors did you use? I just want to make sure I can get them wide enough for this pipe (its about 6" in diameter) Thanks

Victor

You should also look at wrapping the pipe in something the roots can't get through.

Be very careful of removing larger roots, they are what keep the tree from blowing over.

beldin

A grinder should do it no problems
Just measure the pipe and get a coupler for both ends
They are called sewer couplers
Is the pipe teracotta or ceramic?