Very close to setting fire to my first house today!!

[cr0ft]

Was soldering under the eaves of a bungalow loft, had moved the obligatory 270mm of loft insulation out the way. Thought I had moved the pipe insulation far enough back down into the bathroom below. Soldered the elbow joint and whoosh - up goes the pipe insulation in a foot of flame right below the eaves.

You've never seen me jump out of a loft so fast in my life. Amazed that nothing caught fire before I had a chance to fan the flames out.

Spiral Wrap 50mm x 7.5m | NoLinkingToThis

This is the offending insulation. Highly flammable, unlike the standard stuff that just melts really. Won't be using it again!!

 

[Barry98]

Always always always take a fire extinguisher with ya . £8 lives in the same bag as my soldering gun. A bit back a beam where I was about a meter away from caught fire. Same as you I wet my self quick blast and gone. First time in years I've needed it but no one knows when you might.

 

[cr0ft]

Yes, it never pays to be complacent. I have to confess to not even having one. Will be picking one up from Screwfix tomorrow morning and carrying it everywhere when I solder near flammables from now on.

 

[Rickster123]

Great advice bod. It happens so fast you need that fire extinguisher there. Better still don't solder in lofts. Use speed fit or similar. I remember as an apprentice I was soldering in a kitchen. Caught the net curtain alight! It went up so quick, there was absolutely nothing left of it! Never heard a word about it tho so the customer clearly didn't miss it!

 

[cr0ft]

What makes it worse too is that when we're soldering the water is usually off too!

Someone up there was firing me a warning shot today, if you'll excuse the pun!

 

[SimonG]

Same sort of thing, but I always have a bucket of water at the side of me when soldering.

 

[tamz]

Used to be a weekly thing with hair felt. Had a few twitchy rse moments (and burned hands) with that stuff.

If you are unfortunate enough to even need it, your insurance will be void it you don't have an extinguisher.
Check the wording on your policy. Mine requires a 4kg ACB (powder). Some insurers have conditions on hot work that are impossible to comply with.

 

[Leo21]

I don't think your puiciabity is valid if you havent got one with you.

 

[quality]

Schoolboy error mate ( not having an extinguisher )and no doubt you will learn from it

 

[Leo21]

I don't think your public liability is valid if you havent got one with you.

 

[Barry98]

I don't think your public liability is valid if you havent got one with you.

Bet you a mars bar it is

 

[Leo21]

Family size or regular?

 

[Barry98]

Fun size I'm only a plumber not a plasterer can't afford full size

 

[pjgas]

fire extinguisher and also a spray tub for cooling off joints

 

[Destroyer2813]

Least your doing some plumbing and not wiring Croft

 

[stevetheplumber]

most insurance policies use the same ridiculous wording think anything combustable has to be removed and anything that cant be moved has to be covered for about 2 m

 

[Mike Jackson]

I had an incident a couple of years back. Cleared area around the pipes I was working on and started to solder a joint. A piece of hair felt fell off a pipe above my head and dropped into the flame. It caught and shot straight back up and caught the rest of the hair felt above my head on fire. Fortunately I keep my extinguisher with me when soldering so a quick blast and it was out. If I hadn't had the extinguisher in the loft with me I reckon the whole loft would have gone up.

 

[Kev the gas]

The last time I checked my policy:behead: stated an 1 hour fire watch after any heat work, AON policy.

 

[GQuigley67]

that hair felt is like gun powder, hate the stuff try not to solder beside it now

 

[thomas donovan]

my old boss set hair felt alight and blew it out carried on as before trouble was the stuff he couldnt see had caught too and carried on burning until i saw melted plastic and flames, ran around like a headless chicken shouting fire and the labourer managed to aim a full kettle of water at it and extinguish the fire, fire brigade had to be called to a £5 million house in knightsbridge with a glamourous 38yr old american lady outside in shower cap and dressing gown, fire had started licking up the riser and done the electrics. no public liability insurance no fire extinguisher and a very understanding customer.
he still hasn't bought an extinguisher/public liability insurance

 

[GQuigley67]

horrible horrible stuff, you really need to wet it blowing it out will only slow it down

 

[secret squirrel]

A house went up a few years ago around here. Plumber soldering away, left the job that evening must have got a nasty shock when he was called to say the house burnt down or turned up to find it in tatters.

The cause was apparently a spark had gone between the walls and set the insulation alight, not immediately but smoldered away.

My heart did go out to whoever the plumber was, accidents happen.

When I renewed my PLI I asked why it had gone up, one reason was fires, one bright spark (no pun intended) was soldering away in a loft, his phone rang, he jumped out of the loft to answer it leaving the soldering gun on!

 

[Guest123]

I keep my propane bottles, SF2 gun, flux, solder and a small fire extinguisher that is for a car in one of them small aluminium cases that B&Q sell. Fire resistant and can carry the whole lot onto the job and pack it away when finished.

Draper 40394 Aluminium Tool Case: Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools

 

[kirkgas]

The last time I checked my policy:behead: stated an 1 hour fire watch after any heat work, AON policy.

and probably requires the completion and implementation of Hot Works permit, and they will ask for all the old copies for all the other jobs you have done as well,

 

[PlumbersMate]

I keep my propane bottles, SF2 gun, flux, solder and a small fire extinguisher that is for a car in one of them small aluminium cases that B&Q sell. Fire resistant and can carry the whole lot onto the job and pack it away when finished.

Draper 40394 Aluminium Tool Case: Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools

Do you honesty fit all that in their Colin? Looms too small! Lol


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