Damaged copper pipe

[BenBRom]

I've just had an "oh no" moment in screwing down loose floorboards. My excuse is that it was late in the day, but my drill bit has hit a central heating pipe which I *knew* was there but I just wasn't paying attention. Grrrrrr.

Anyway - the drill didn't actually penetrate the metal, though has made a bit of a crater; perhaps half the depth of the Cu pipe.

I'm planning to cut out the section and repair it when I next drain the system (I need to replace a radiator when I renovate a bathroom) - so my question is this. Can I consider an interim fix (e.g. with epoxy)? Or potentially a clamp - though this could be trickier because of the joist the pipe goes through?

Or should I be worried, and expect the pipe to fail and start leaking any moment...?

Thanks!

 

[seco services]

if its only crushed the pipe slightly don't worry.

 

[gavinda]

for safetys sake just drain it down. its probly ok, but youll sleep better with it drained.

 

[joe-90]

If it's not leaking now it won't leak later.

 

[studips]

shouldn't be a problem, if it is a vented system as opposed to a closed (pressurised) then even less so.

 

[Homesafe]

How can your drillbit hit a pipe when you are screwing down the floorboards??

 

[curium]

How can your drillbit hit a pipe when you are screwing down the floorboards??

Good point!

 

[BenBRom]

How can your drillbit hit a pipe when you are screwing down the floorboards??

Drilling pilot holes! And whoever installed the central heating kindly laid the pipes close to the surface at this point.

 

[joe-90]

If a board is split at the old hole you have to drill a new one. Or just leave it creaking like what plumbers do.

 

[gavinda]

Drilling pilot holes! And whoever installed the central heating kindly laid the pipes close to the surface at this point.

ther's only so deep you can put them into a joist. the trick is look before you drill