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Cements for sand holes, cracks, etc. on soil pipe.

Most of the cements for this purpose are meant to be applied with a small amount of heat, and often become failures in the hands of workmen, for the reason that the latter either apply the cement without heat, or with too great heat. To do good work, these cements should penetrate, and this is impossible if they are applied to cold pipe, the cement under such conditions simply freezing to the outside of the pipe, ready to cleave off under the slightest strain or blow. On the other hand, if the defective pipe or fitting is heated too much, the heat will be sufficient to burn out some of the ingredients of the cement, and render it useless as a cement.

A cement for this purpose should also possess a certain degree of elasticity, be capable of holding under a heavy pressure and harden within a reasonable time. A cement well known to the plumber, which possesses these desirable qualities, is "Securo" soil pipe cement. In using this cement, the pipe or fitting, whether soil, gas or cold water, should be slightly heated with a torch, the cement then running freely into the defect or leak, and closing it securely. It is only a very small amount of heat that is needed, too great heat acting as shown above, or preventing the cement from cooling quickly enough to stay in the required place.

This was taken from the book "Questions and Answers on the Practice and Theory of Sanitary Plumbing, Volume III, Practical Wrinkles" which was published in 1919.

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