advice needed burst water pipe

[footycard steve]

any plumbers on the forum? we've just had a water pipe burst in our downstairs utility/converted coal house it seems to be the pipe that connects to the washing machine,i've turned off the stopcock under the sink but water is still dripping out (a lot slower than before) is this likely just to be water allready stored in the pipes draining out or is there something else i shoud be doing? and advice would help.

[gizmo.1484]

As long as you have turned the stop tap all the way off then that will be just water that's left in the pipes. To get rid of this water turn on the taps in the kitchen sink, that will get rid of the excess water....

[footycard steve]

As long as you have turned the stop tap all the way off then that will be just water that's left in the pipes. To get rid of this water turn on the taps in the kitchen sink, that will get rid of the excess water....
thanks for replying,i've just turned on the tap but only got a couple of drops out so i take it thats a good thing?

[gizmo.1484]

No problems m8....That's what DK is for.
Hope you get sorted m8..

[xant14]

I had a few compression joints go lately, ones I did a good few year ago, Mine were in an outhouse that was subject to constant freezes of the last couple of months. And it seemed the milder temps actually caused the leaks, my olived fittings simply popped off.
I refitted using new olives because i couldnt get the old back on, maybe I coulda, but not at 3 am.

got a low watt tubular heater in there now.

[gizmo.1484]

I had a few compression joints go lately, ones I did a good few year ago, Mine were in an outhouse that was subject to constant freezes of the last couple of months. And it seemed the milder temps actually caused the leaks, my olived fittings simply popped off.
I refitted using new olives because i couldnt get the old back on, maybe I coulda, but not at 3 am.

got a low watt tubular heater in there now.


Better to fit new olives anyway as they must have failed to give.
You would not want to replace them at break of dawn again.

[footycard steve]

I had a few compression joints go lately, ones I did a good few year ago, Mine were in an outhouse that was subject to constant freezes of the last couple of months. And it seemed the milder temps actually caused the leaks, my olived fittings simply popped off.
I refitted using new olives because i couldnt get the old back on, maybe I coulda, but not at 3 am.

got a low watt tubular heater in there now.
yes ours is freezing in the winter we could do with something in there to warm it up also, the flat roof is dripping through also but that must be from the snow on the roof. hopefully we'll get a local plumber out tomorrow as its a bit cold without the central heating and no water apart from on the floor!

[gregk]

What I would advice once you get it repared is to put some pipe lagging on pipes in said utility room or as Xant 14 did is to put some low wattage heater in there to prevent it from freezing again.

[gizmo.1484]

yes ours is freezing in the winter we could do with something in there to warm it up also, the flat roof is dripping through also but that must be from the snow on the roof. hopefully we'll get a local plumber out tomorrow as its a bit cold without the central heating and no water apart from on the floor!

Have you got a gas combi boiler? if so then you can run this with the water turned off as it is a sealed system. You will get the central heating but no hot water

[gregk]

central heating should not be affected with water turned off. Have you got a condensingboiler or a gravity fed boiler ie: have you got a hot water tank?

[footycard steve]

central heating should not be affected with water turned off. Have you got a condensingboiler or a gravity fed boiler ie: have you got a hot water tank?
if we have a tank its in the loft but not in with the boiler,the heating must have just gone off at the same time i've just switched it back on no problems. i'm just not a d.i.y man so i'm prone to asking the odd daft question

[mickydibble]

Very interesting thread,few stories I hear,but not frozen for me at the moment,but love to learn keep it going...:)

[gizmo.1484]

if we have a tank its in the loft but not in with the boiler,the heating must have just gone off at the same time i've just switched it back on no problems. i'm just not a d.i.y man so i'm prone to asking the odd daft question

Better to be safe than sorry m8.
Hope you get it sorted.....

[SatSearching]

if you have turned off the downstairs stop cock, then a fair bit of water in pipes upstairs may be draining down causing the leak.

Try opening the lowest point to fully drain off?

I'm no plumber by the way, but has anyone during this cold spell had problems with condensor boilers freezing on the condenser drain off?

SS

[gizmo.1484]

if you have turned off the downstairs stop cock, then a fair bit of water in pipes upstairs may be draining down causing the leak.

Try opening the powest point to fully drain off?

I'm no plumber by the way, but has anyone during this cold spell had problems with condensor boilers freezing on the condenser drain off?

SS

Yes.... I must have have fixed about 10 this week. Its been crazy

[gregk]

In ether case heating will work ok until you get the water sorted. If you can not get a plumber in tommorrow to get it sorted you should be able to do it your self now you can get a push fit connectors which work very well and are easy to use. Or you can get a flexi pipe with 15mm compresion connector at each end. What you do is cut out a bit off pipe where it's burst and put flexi pipe in it's place . Or if pipe only goes to washing machine and no where else cut pipe before crack fracture and put compresion or push fit stop end ,that will allow you to put water back on untill some one will come out. If you where in B-ham I would do it for you if you had no luck getting plumber out.

[footycard steve]

if you have turned off the downstairs stop cock, then a fair bit of water in pipes upstairs may be draining down causing the leak.

Try opening the powest point to fully drain off?

I'm no plumber by the way, but has anyone during this cold spell had problems with condensor boilers freezing on the condenser drain off?

SS
i have no idea what the powest point is or looks like but water is still coming out downstairs

[SatSearching]

Yes.... I must have have fixed about 10 this week. Its been crazy

Condensor outlets you mean?

[SatSearching]

i have no idea what the powest point is or looks like but water is still coming out downstairs

Near to your stop cock should be another tap (just above) to drain the system.

[gregk]

I'm no plumber by the way, but has anyone during this cold spell had problems with condensor boilers freezing on the condenser drain off?

SS

Yep had to do my mum's couple of days ago it's a second time it happened. What I did this time round is put some pipe lagging on condensing pipe to hopefully prevent it from happening again.[it feeds in to stack pipe] Time will tell if it works or not.

[footycard steve]

In ether case heating will work ok until you get the water sorted. If you can not get a plumber in tommorrow to get it sorted you should be able to do it your self now you can get a push fit connectors which work very well and are easy to use. Or you can get a flexi pipe with 15mm compresion connector at each end. What you do is cut out a bit off pipe where it's burst and put flexi pipe in it's place . Or if pipe only goes to washing machine and no where else cut pipe before crack fracture and put compresion or push fit stop end ,that will allow you to put water back on untill some one will come out. If you where in B-ham I would do it for you if you had no luck getting plumber out.
thanks for the advice and the kind offer of help but i'm in tyne and wear

[gizmo.1484]

i have no idea what the powest point is or looks like but water is still coming out downstairs

Powest= lowest just a spelling mistake.
If water is still coming out open the lowest tap in the house then open all tapes up stares. This will get rid of all the water. If it still leaks then that means you have not turned the stop cock all the way off...

[gizmo.1484]

Condensor outlets you mean?

Yes m8 condenser pipes..

[SatSearching]

Yes m8 condenser pipes..

Interesting to see the condensor drain issues, I never had this before but had to unfreeze mine twice too this year.

Correct Gizmo, was a typo, corrected it now, should have been "Lowest" as you pointed out.

SS

[footycard steve]

we've had a frozen drain pipe for the last week and were told to wait for it to thaw as we have standing water in the bath and sink thats not moving so have been using the bathroom just the downstairs sink to get washed in, so have not used those taps for a week. we do have a tap on the outside of the utility/coal house should i try turning that on?

[gizmo.1484]

Interesting to see the condensor drain issues, I never had this before but had to unfreeze mine twice too this year.

Correct Gizmo, was a typo, corrected it now, should have been "Lowest" as you pointed out.

SS

It's a big problem with these condensing boilers because the condensation from the flue just trickles down the condensing pipe it has more chance of freezing. Then it just keeps building up until it completely freezes. Then the water just backs up and stops the boiler from operating as it can not work with out the condensing pipe..

[gregk]

How fast is the water comming out the burst pipe is it just alittle or fast with a hiss?
If it's a converted coal house/ outside toilet have a look if you have another stop valve in utility room some time you will have two cold water supplyes 1 for house other for outside toilet which ussaly have a coal house next to it.

[SatSearching]

we've had a frozen drain pipe for the last week and were told to wait for it to thaw as we have standing water in the bath and sink thats not moving so have been using the bathroom just the downstairs sink to get washed in, so have not used those taps for a week. we do have a tap on the outside of the utility/coal house should i try turning that on?

When you say "Drain pipe" do you mean draining water from the roof?

This is known as "top water", and shouldn't go in the same drain as your bath water.

Sounds like you have a very cold house if internal waste drains are freezing?

[gizmo.1484]

we've had a frozen drain pipe for the last week and were told to wait for it to thaw as we have standing water in the bath and sink thats not moving so have been using the bathroom just the downstairs sink to get washed in, so have not used those taps for a week. we do have a tap on the outside of the utility/coal house should i try turning that on?

Just turn on all the taps you can m8..
It sounds like this is not your week.

[reddevil157]

We haven't had the likes of these temps before and its causing havoc with condensing boiler's and pipe work for everyone.

[footycard steve]

How fast is the water comming out the burst pipe is it just alittle or fast with a hiss?
If it's a converted coal house/ outside toilet have a look if you have another stop valve in utility room some time you will have two cold water supplyes 1 for house other for outside toilet which ussaly have a coal house next to it.
its not a hiss but a constant trickle not just a drop now and again,i've tried the outside tap but no water is coming out and i've turned the stopcock as far as i can

[SatSearching]

It's a big problem with these condensing boilers because the condensation from the flue just trickles down the condensing pipe it has more chance of freezing. Then it just keeps building up until it completely freezes. Then the water just backs up and stops the boiler from operating as it can not work with out the condensing pipe..

Yup, my condensor boiler is upstairs against an outside wall with a drain off that is a vertical drop to a drain.

It froze making my boiler thud like mad. I went up the ladders, removed the pipe from the elbow coming out of the wall and pored boiling water down the vertical pipe.

Then a rod of ice floated up the pipe, I took it out, it was like a star wars lightsaber! About 4 feet long! Never seen anything like it before, was mad!

[gregk]

I think that this is your lowest point where the water can drain off and think you might have to wait untill all water drains. how far of the floor is the leak? Can you put some sort of a bowl under it to catch water? You might have few litres of water still in pipe.

[gizmo.1484]

its not a hiss but a constant trickle not just a drop now and again,i've tried the outside tap but no water is coming out and i've turned the stopcock as far as i can

Just put a bucket under it or something to catch the water it probably is the water from the upstairs pipes.
Best thing to do is leave it for about 30mins then go back and check it, if it is still leaking then the stop cock is not closed fully. This can happen due to not been used for such a long time.

If still leaking after 30mins then get a pair of pliers or mole-grips and use to turn tap. BUT ONLY use a little force or you will snap the tap...

[gizmo.1484]

Yup, my condensor boiler is upstairs against an outside wall with a drain off that is a vertical drop to a drain.

It froze making my boiler thud like mad. I went up the ladders, removed the pipe from the elbow coming out of the wall and pored boiling water down the vertical pipe.

Then a rod of ice floated up the pipe, I took it out, it was like a star wars lightsaber! About 4 feet long! Never seen anything like it before, was mad!

I have had a few like that, it's crazy how long they get

[SatSearching]

Is the trickle coming from the burst pipe or the stop cock?

If the stop cock, is it from the shaft of the stop cock spindle? If so, there may be a nut against the spindle shaft, you can gently tighten it to seal the tap.

This can be common with a stop cock as they get seldom use and can leak.

[footycard steve]

I think that this is your lowest point where the water can drain off and think you might have to wait untill all water drains. how far of the floor is the leak? Can you put some sort of a bowl under it to catch water? You might have few litres of water still in pipe.
it filled a waste paper bin in around 30 mins/1 hour and has it almost half full again,should i leave the tap open on the outside? we've had a look and cant see a second stopcock for the utility/coal house

[footycard steve]

Is the trickle coming from the burst pipe or the stop cock?

If the stop cock, is it from the shaft of the stop cock spindle? If so, there may be a nut against the spindle shaft, you can gently tighten it to seal the tap.

This can be common with a stop cock as they get seldom use and can leak.
the trickle is coming from the pipe that connects to the washing machine in the utility/coal house

[SatSearching]

it filled a waste paper bin in around 30 mins/1 hour and has it almost half full again,should i leave the tap open on the outside? we've had a look and cant see a second stopcock for the utility/coal house

As gizmo says, try being a little more forcefull turning off the stop cock, but not too much to break it. As they get seldom use, the can crud up and not seal properly.

But also give the upper pipes time to drain.

[reddevil157]

If it's copper, kink the ~~~~ out of it with your grips and go to bed, fix it 2moro.

[SatSearching]

the trickle is coming from the pipe that connects to the washing machine in the utility/coal house

Is the pipe to your washer a cold or hot inlet?

You could try switching on your washer on a cold wash for a few mins to let the solenoid open and relieve the pressure?

[gregk]

if no water is comming out from outside tap there is a chance that it's frozen I suppose it would do no harm to leave it opened . It sounds like your stop valve isn't sealing propelly try what GIZMO 1484 suggested in post 35..

[footycard steve]

i'll try the stop cock again,then i'll put a large storage tub umder the leak and call it a night. big thanks to everyone for all the help and advice especially so late at night.

[gizmo.1484]

[QUOTE=footycard steve;899693]it filled a waste paper bin in around 30 mins/1 hour and has it almost half full again,should i leave the tap open on t:saint:al out the stop cock if the water stops..

When you open both hot and cold no water comes out?
You have a storage tank upstairs?

If no to both then it must be the water in the pipes from upstairs. Can you not open upstairs taps all of them? If you can open both of the kitchen taps then go and open all of the upstairs taps. The water will drain into the kitchen sink.

If the water stops from the leak problem solved if not then its the stop cock that's still ope slightly...

[SatSearching]

i'll try the stop cock again,then i'll put a large storage tub umder the leak and call it a night. big thanks to everyone for all the help and advice especially so late at night.

As above, try putting your washing machine on a cold wash for 2 mins, might drain off the problem

[footycard steve]

just tried the stop cock again and it didnt seem to budge at all but the dripping stopped so it maybe moved a fraction or just happend to finish draining off at the same time but either way it seems to have stopped. again thanks to everyone

[gizmo.1484]

just tried the stop cock again and it didnt seem to budge at all but the dripping stopped so it maybe moved a fraction or just happend to finish draining off at the same time but either way it seems to have stopped. again thanks to everyone

Glad you got it sorted in the end m8.
Thats what Digital Kaos is here for to help them in need.

PS: It's a 24hr 7 days a week help forum lol

[Elric]

Glad you got it sorted in the end m8.
Thats what Digital Kaos is here for to help them in need.

PS: It's a 24hr 7 days a week help forum lol
and 365 days aswell ;)

[gregk]

Yeah glad you got it sorted.

[skywash]

had a mains pipe go 3.30 in the morning bout 2 weeks ago had to punch a hole in the ceiling to let the water out and stop the whole ceiling from collapseing turns out the plumber who re-ran the pipework when i had a new kitchen fitted had used a metal insert on hep20 with a push fit the coont they are for compression fittings only some ~~~~ing plumber he was

[lord peter haylor]

My son used those push-on fittings under his bathroom floor than tiled over the floor, I did warn him, two years down the line they leaked and the whole floor had to be ripped up, I only use soldered fittings, I had several of the compression types blow off in cold weather........
If the makers of these condensing boilers know about the problems with the vent pipe freezing, then why don't they advise installers to lag the pipe when installing.

[Canker_Canison]

footycard steve
just tried the stop cock again and it didnt seem to budge at all but the dripping stopped so it maybe moved a fraction or just happend to finish draining off at the same time but either way it seems to have stopped. again thanks to everyone

When you get it fixed, make sure you have a stop valve fitted just inside the utility room.

I have these fitted to every tap & the toilet.....

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_w-f-fMoq46w/S5Pr2JiB-QI/AAAAAAAAGNw/O8ybf-ODhKY/P1000276.jpg

It saves so much time in isolating leaks & allows the rest of the water supply to be turned on.

[footycard steve]

When you get it fixed, make sure you have a stop valve fitted just inside the utility room.

I have these fitted to every tap & the toilet.....

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_w-f-fMoq46w/S5Pr2JiB-QI/AAAAAAAAGNw/O8ybf-ODhKY/P1000276.jpg

It saves so much time in isolating leaks & allows the rest of the water supply to be turned on.
will do so if we can get a plumber but i fear that wont be until tuesday now! having to rely on neighbours for water

[jcgrumbles]

my condensate drain pipe keeps freezing as well,ive just been putting a bit heat on it till it stops leaking from the bottom of the boiler,can anyone advise is it ok to keep doing this or am i risking doing permanent damage?

[xant14]

When you get it fixed, make sure you have a stop valve fitted just inside the utility room.

I have these fitted to every tap & the toilet.....

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_w-f-fMoq46w/S5Pr2JiB-QI/AAAAAAAAGNw/O8ybf-ODhKY/P1000276.jpg

It saves so much time in isolating leaks & allows the rest of the water supply to be turned on.

That is one nice looking valve, never seen those before. What fittings are they? Sad I know, but I get off on brass and stainless stuff.
I agree with valves everywhere tho, I use the inline ones you turn off with a screwdriver, but I really like these.

[gazz10]

my condensate drain pipe keeps freezing as well,ive just been putting a bit heat on it till it stops leaking from the bottom of the boiler,can anyone advise is it ok to keep doing this or am i risking doing permanent damage?



i have same problem easy sorted.


Mines is flexy pipe into 15mm solid that then runs outside, disconnected the flexi to the 15mm, then added a small length of 15mm into a bucket that easy to empty during the cold spell.

Works a treat and bucket on average takes 5-7 days to fill.

[jcgrumbles]

Cheers gazz,thanks for that,ive got shitloads to do but if i know im not damaging it i can leave till later to sort out

[gizmo.1484]

my condensate drain pipe keeps freezing as well,ive just been putting a bit heat on it till it stops leaking from the bottom of the boiler,can anyone advise is it ok to keep doing this or am i risking doing permanent damage?

Just use a hair dryer to heat the condensing pipe until the ice starts to melt.
JC what you are doing will not harm the boiler as the water that flows down the condensing pipe is just condensation from the flue..
Also the boiler has a safety feature that just shuts it down when the pipe freezes and the water backs up...

[footycard steve]

bad news at 10-20pm all of our electricity went off (tripped the master trip switch) and the same pipe had a trickle coming from it again, i was able to turn the stop cock quite easy but it felt a bit damp this time however it did stop the leak but it seams the water has either got into the washing machine power socket from the leak or into the light switch from the drips coming in through the ceiling. i need to start another thread to see if any electricians on the site live near us

[jcgrumbles]

Cheers gizmo,had a heater under it all day on low its fine .now all ive got to worry about is ten square metres of cladding blew off the roof for fu*** sake ha.