DIY'ER just called...

[mutley racers]

he did all his own plumbing when building his house, now he is trying to sell his house and building control came round to check soil pipe is tight. It is not, has a leak. He asked if I could go and find the leak. are there any common places for these to leak? Like in the pump hose. i had this before and i did not check it for hrs. Went mad i did

 

[Howsie]

Test stacks/traps etc with BC. Rarely smoke bomb them unless there is a known problem.

 

[mutley racers]

I have done it once, and it had a tiny drop and they passed it. But guy is saying it is dropping fast so hopefully easy to find

 

[PeteWalker]

Ah it's got a AAV - Durgo ? Seen some makes of those pass enough to show a drop.

 

[mutley racers]

but that's where we test it. take that off and wack bung with pump. so it is not part of the test

 

[clarky101]

Put a smoke test on it mate or you could always pass the job on if you don't feel you wanna do it...

 

[mutley racers]

i don't mind doing the job. I love a challenge. Just like learning the best way to go about it. This smoke bomb, is it the same thing you use for a flue flow test

 

[clarky101]

Anything that'll make smoke, use wwhatever you like,, jewsons, Parkers etc sell smoke testers for drains,,,, or indeed use a the ones for chimneys....

 

[mutley racers]

thanks feller

 

[Ryan LPS]

Pressurise the stack water and washing up liquid spray over the joints.... Look for the bubbles. Bung toilets sinks basin and baths if drop was that server then I personally remove toilets and traps bung them all see if its a poor installed waste or toilet

 

[mutley racers]

Weng there today, massive drop. Nightmare it was, internal stack boxed and tiled. All toilets wall hung and stuck on with massive amounts of silicone. Mission to remove. So moved all 4 toilets, drop not so severe. So break down into sections, a few traps leaking. So in the end I left it with a tiny drop. Have seen BC turn up and just make sure it doesn't drop instantly and be satisfied. So praying for that. If not, its ripping out tiles and boxing.

 

[Ryan LPS]

Smoking the stack won't work, bung the bottom and back fill the stack ask if its clipped you soon see a damp patch or water

 

[mutley racers]

Tried smoking it, didn't do much, just felt like s##t. But no, couldn't see any smoke. Am sure BC will be ok with it. You can hardly see drop

 

[Ryan LPS]

Are you going to be there if so you can cheat it

 

[mutley racers]

I don't know if I am or not. But can you tell me this naughty path I could potentially walk down

 

[Ryan LPS]

How are you testing?

 

[Howsie]

The old kink in the hose trick?

 

[Ryan LPS]

Yep that's what I'd do if your sure that its only a little drop

 

[mutley racers]

Didn't realise there was other ways apart form air test? How can you hide the hose from h BC when there then you sly dogs

 

[Ryan LPS]

When I said I ment is there a air test tee or you using bags and hose

 

[mutley racers]

Using t-piece

 

[tamz]

BC won't accept any drop. They will want to see it steady at around 50mb for 2 minutes or however long they can be bothered looking at it.
As Ryan said, there are many simple ways to get around it if you have a think about it but you need to be there. Kinking the hose probably won't work unless the bc guy is a numpty. You need to think of more ingenious ways.
I once got a motorway service station passed testing 10ft of pipe from the manhole. Just think about it.
Probably more than half the drains in the country wouldn't take an air test

 

[Ryan LPS]

Your long the right lines but you don't kink as you can see that but a kink makes a blocked hose in theory...

 

[mutley racers]

Oh right, I thought it had to be 38mb for 3 minutes. Ingenious ways, can you give a little more info than that. It's going to be a newly qualified BC. so they might not know the kink trick

 

[Ryan LPS]

Mate you can't kink on a t piece lol think wat does a kink do to the hose

 

[tamz]

Get rid of the pump and T piece. You don't need it and most pumps leak through the non return valve any way. Put the pressure up by blowing into it (gently) kinking the hose and sticking it on the gauge.
How much of a drop are you getting over about a minute?