Have I hired a cowboy?

[Sylvergrunge]

We have a leak in a central heating pipe under the tiled floor in our downstairs bathroom. The water was seeping up through the floor. I called a plumber and he lifted the tiles and dug to reveal the pipe and find the leak. He has repaired the leak using compression joints (also repaired larger 28mm pipe which he punctured when digging), which he says are more reliable than soldering, but we have had constant leaks from each pipe every time the water is turned back on. Water is now off and boiler not working, so he is due back today. I have researched and found that compression joints should not be used under concrete and joints should be soldered. I also read pipes should be protected with Denso tape, but he says they need no protection. He is also going to fill the hole with rapid set tiling adhesive before refitting the tiles. Am I right to be worried?

 

[gmartine]

You're welcome, hope it works out with the new plumber.

 

[Scott_D]

I know! I am writing off the £427 as an expensive lesson learnt. I have contacted another plumber through a recommendation and he is coming to have a look later. Thanks for all your help and support, and being a listening ear. It has been very much appreciated 🙏

Good luck
As someone mentioned above some push fit fittings and flexible pipe might give you a temp solution until a permanent repair/repipe can be done

 

[Ric2013]

Imperial pipe should not be an issue. I have transition couplings in the van as I know local merchants don't always carry them, but they are cheap enough to always have a couple on hand. Perhaps I am unusual in carrying stock on a just-in-case basis, but I feel part of the job is being prepared.

 

[WC1]

And some olives. (And some extra characters!)

 

[Sylvergrunge]

New plumber has got boiler working and water running, leaving just a very small leak (as didn't have time to fix at such short notice today. 28mm pipe dips down in the middle of the bathroom and then flattens out again, making an s shape and the leak is on the bottom bend. He is coming back tomorrow to investigate further. The pipe sticking out of the wall is imperial so he is also getting a transition coupling to try and sort, as the welding done by the first plumber still has a tiny leak.

 

[king of pipes]

Not the easiest thing to try and repair you need a few tricks of the trade for a satisfactory outcome , your plumbers used to many compression fittings we all use em on the odd occasion to get ourselves out of trouble, if used correctly and tighten with 2 spanners it's very rare they leak I don't have a problem with using em 👍 kop

 

[Sylvergrunge]

So update on the leak. It's still there! New plumber doesn't want to cut pipe and open a new can of worms (imperial pipe and 28mm pipe meet at a point just in front of a wall and under the skirting) Soldering from first plumber is all over the place but appears to be sealing the pipe in those places. Very visable leak from the 28mm pipe which he has tried to seal with an epoxy resin this morning, but I can see it is still leaking. Spoke about rerouting pipes but he says it is a huge job due to the position of the tank (in a cupboard in the middle of the house) and the boiler (in the utility at the side of the house, and two bathrooms in between, which the 28mm pipe goes under). Says is would be cheaper to put in a whole new system! I am at the point I would pay for a whole new system as this is really stressing me out, but timescales for a job that size are months away, so we need a temporary fix. Can anyone give any advice or other fixes? I am literally pulling my hair out now as this has been going on for nearly 2 weeks now and we are no further forward. I don't know where to turn or who to ask.

 

[gmartine]

How are imperial and 28mm pipe joined, can you take a picture?

 

[Sylvergrunge]

Looks like there was a copper tube put over the 28mm and the imperial. Imperial is the green bit sticking out the wall, then tube over the top, then soldering where plumber 1 worked. The main leak now is at the other end of the 28mm pipe though, where it goes down under what we think is a gas pipe!

 

[Sylvergrunge]

This is where is bends down under the gas pipe and is leaking bad (not the gas thankfully). You can see the epoxy resin he has put on, but it isn't working. I am off to buy sentinel leak sealer to add to the system in the hope it may help a little, temporarily.

 

[Ric2013]

Leak sealers work on minor weeps. How about buy a temporary pipe repair tape? They will hold mains pressure if used carefully.

 

[Sylvergrunge]

Leak sealers work on minor weeps. How about buy a temporary pipe repair tape? They will hold mains pressure if used carefully.

I am hoping the leak sealer will seal up any other issues (we think there may be more leaks in the pipes elsewhere). The issue with a tape is there is no room to go under the pipe as it dips down under the gas pipe and we are worried about piercing the dpm. Also, as it appears to be leaking along the connection as opposed to the pipe (right on the bend too) I am not sure we will get a good bond. I have ordered some ct1 as I have seen it recommended on here. Not sure it will work on this type of leak though, although may work in conjunction with a tape?

 

[gmartine]

Where is that latest set of pics showing the excavation, outside or another room next to bathroom?

The imperial water pipe leaking under the gas pipe is being fed from, what and goes where to exactly?

Distance between two excavation sites?

 

[Sylvergrunge]

Where is that latest set of pics showing the excavation, outside or another room next to bathroom?

The imperial water pipe leaking under the gas pipe is being fed from, what and goes where to exactly?

Distance between two excavation sites?

All pics are in the main bathroom. The last three are a close up of the 28mm pipe going down under the gas pipe.

The imperial pipe leads from the tank (in cupboard to the left about a meter away, that passes under my ensuite shower nextdoor) to the boiler, in the utility at the other side (right) of the bathroom. All pipes are under concrete flooring.

I will upload a pic showing distance (approx 60cm)

 

[Sylvergrunge]

Video showing setup. Excuse the mess!

 

[gmartine]

Can you use a large format for posting pics please, my eyes/glasses are Rubbish.

Post pic of imperial pipe coming from and to and from boiler & tank.

Was the last plumber able to it shut off and wet vac the site or did he apply the putty/epoxy under water? How have you left it with him, is he done?

 

[Ric2013]

I am hoping the leak sealer will seal up any other issues (we think there may be more leaks in the pipes elsewhere). The issue with a tape is there is no room to go under the pipe as it dips down under the gas pipe and we are worried about piercing the dpm. Also, as it appears to be leaking along the connection as opposed to the pipe (right on the bend too) I am not sure we will get a good bond. I have ordered some ct1 as I have seen it recommended on here. Not sure it will work on this type of leak though, although may work in conjunction with a tape?

You can use repair tapes on a faulty soldered joint, if that's what you have. The one I have in my toolbox (in case I mess up!) doesn't stick well at all, but if I get it on and pull it tight, it seals. Then I have to tie it in place with something else, but at least the water is contained. No use if you can't get it round the pipe however. Not sure there's much point using a proprietary leak tape with CT1.

 

[gmartine]

Agreed, don't bother with CT1 or get your money back. I have an idea/method if all else fails but it requires the area being clean and dry.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

28mm and inch copper are close enough where you can solder them using a 28mm coupling no problem

 

[Sylvergrunge]

Can you use a large format for posting pics please, my eyes/glasses are Rubbish.

Post pic of imperial pipe coming from and to and from boiler & tank.

Was the last plumber able to it shut off and wet vac the site or did he apply the putty/epoxy under water? How have you left it with him, is he done?

How do I post large format pics? Using my phone. These are pics of pipe in the tank and going down into the floor from the cupboard.

Plumber did shut off and drain the system but I think the area was wet. Epoxy is coming off 😔 Waiting on a call back from him regarding next move.

 

[Chuck]

How do I post large format pics? Using my phone.

I think there is a bug in the latest version of the forum software. For the last few days it's not been possible to click-through to pictures/video from the thumbnails.

@Dan / @Lou – Are you aware of this issue?

 

[Sylvergrunge]

I am tempted to dig down under the pipe and try and get the amalgamating tape round it. Good or bad idea? How far down should the dpm be? Am I likely to hit it?

 

[gmartine]

Forget the amalgamated tape, terrible idea given the access and pipe condtion. If you can dig down beneath it for access and get that epoxy off too, clean up the pipe as best you can.

That leaking pass over section (or pass under in your case) really needs to be replaced, if the plumber wont do it find another and ideally a tradesman that has a press fit device.

 

[Sylvergrunge]

Epoxy off. You can see the leak here. Right on the bend 😒

 

[gmartine]

Looks like that pass under is made up of a number of sections which would've been difficult to solder in situ as well as amateur.

I can't see it, is the leak on internal or external part of bend and is heating on and pipe full and leaking?

See if you can get a small wire brush, scouring pad or emery cloth and clean it up until it looks like copper.