Laurel and Hardy would be proud

[AMGeed]

Just recovering from a very fraught 24hrs due to my perceived plumbling skills that went terribly wrong.

Picture this......I'm in the process of decorating the kitchen and at one end is a radiator that needs to be removed to get behind it to prepare and emulsion the wall. I've done this dozens of times before, shut off both valves, undo, drain rad into a bucket and put to one side.

This time however, I stupidly forgot to hold tight to the 2nd valve as the nut was unscrewed from the radiator. The valve tilted and I spotted water leaking and thought it may have been a bit loose and gave it an extra tighten up.
The leak grew stronger and with Screwfix only 100 yds from home, I literally ran down and got a new valve to replace this one. I had damaged the olive and it needed fixing..quickly.

2nd mistake.... With the rad out of the way, I now had a valve sitting at 45 degrees to the tail and water gushing out. Shouted to the missus to help and she found me with my thumb over a now exposed tail that was pumping water in a jet at the ceiling. The valve had literall dropped off leaving the damaged olive on the pipe and me unable to attach the new valve and olive.

I'm now kneeling in a pool of water and thinking what to do for the best. The missus got towels and tried to halt the flow whilst I went to the shed, got out the step ladder and went into the roof space to raise the float in the expansion tank and stop any further water entering the heating system.

This was where I made mistake number 3, which I'll return to later.

So I return to the kitchen to find Mrs AMGeed absolutely soaked and panicking. I went outside, pulled out the garden hose and hoped I could get the end over the exposed pipe and drain down the system. I had a spare lenght of 15mm copper pipe and there seemed no way this was going over the leaking pipe.
I may have redeemed myself a little by switching on the kettle, boiling it and pouring boiling water over the end of the hose.
Evacuating the missus, I managed to get the hose attached to the leak and away drained the water.
We were two drowned rats and the kitchen was a mess of water. I have taken 3 lumps of skin off the end of my thumbs plugging that razor sharp pipe. I send the missus off to get out of her wet clothes whist the water drains down I'll make a cuppa!

A shout from upstairs.......water is pouring though the back bedroom ceiling and light fitting , soaking a double bed and carpet. WTF!

I raced back into the loft space to find in my haste to close off the water earlier, I had accidentally trodden on the leak off pipe to the hot water tank. My mistake No 3. The boiler at that time was still heating the water, and I had a split the copper pipe, sending hot water into the voids between the floor joists.:fail

Another panic, and I got some duct tape wrapped around the leak which finally stopped it. Meanwhile, the wife has placed containers to collect water running across the bedroom ceiling and trying to prevent it reaching the living room. Too late! Its now dripping slightly on to the old carpet being replaced next week. More containers out and at last all the leaks stop. The bedroom light is turned off, but the light is flashing and crackling.

That was last night. This morning, onto Bank of Scotland emergency insurance (thank you lordy for me buying it) and a plumber is here within 2 hrs of my call. I have already cut the old olive off, refitted the valve and connected up the radiator, refilled the system and bled it. Everything is good.

One compression fitting of a stop valve and the plumber is done. About £120 if called out without insurance he tells me. The bill is settled already by BOS.

So its been a stressful 24hrs domestically, but now I have to wait until Monday to call BOS again and claim for bed, carpet, duvet and ceiling repair on my home insurance. First time ever in 30 years I have claimed but it feels good to think I'm getting some of my premiums back.

Don't ask if you need plumbing assistance from me. My reply may offend
Thanks for sticking to the end.

 

[markjay]

Presumably you explained all this to BOS when you called on the insurance....?

 

[AMGeed]

^ Only the loft bit. No claims being made for Mistakes No 1 and 2

 

[TheFoX]

We had a slow leak from the bathroom so the ex-girlfriend decided she would cut through the flooring with a powered saw. I heard a scream and then, 'Turn the stop-kock off!'. As I raced into the kitchen, it was like a shower room, with water cascading from the fluorescent light. She'd cut through the main pipe.

She was also the same girlfriend who decided to paint the downstairs toilet and broke the toilet seat standing on it to paint the ceiling. She glued the seat back together with superglue. A few hours later, she needed a pee, and glued her buttocks to the superglued seat.

 

[zipdip]

Ah the perils of the DIY plumber,

 

[AMGeed]

Ah the perils of the DIY plumber,

Indeed. One mistake compounded by others makes for an unhappy DIY er

 

[Bigdrew]

Presumably you explained all this to BOS when you called on the insurance....?

Just recovering from a very fraught 24hrs due to my perceived plumbling skills that went terribly wrong.

Picture this......I'm in the process of decorating the kitchen and at one end is a radiator that needs to be removed to get behind it to prepare and emulsion the wall. I've done this dozens of times before, shut off both valves, undo, drain rad into a bucket and put to one side.

This time however, I stupidly forgot to hold tight to the 2nd valve as the nut was unscrewed from the radiator. The valve tilted and I spotted water leaking and thought it may have been a bit loose and gave it an extra tighten up.
The leak grew stronger and with Screwfix only 100 yds from home, I literally ran down and got a new valve to replace this one. I had damaged the olive and it needed fixing..quickly.

2nd mistake.... With the rad out of the way, I now had a valve sitting at 45 degrees to the tail and water gushing out. Shouted to the missus to help and she found me with my thumb over a now exposed tail that was pumping water in a jet at the ceiling. The valve had literall dropped off leaving the damaged olive on the pipe and me unable to attach the new valve and olive.

I'm now kneeling in a pool of water and thinking what to do for the best. The missus got towels and tried to halt the flow whilst I went to the shed, got out the step ladder and went into the roof space to raise the float in the expansion tank and stop any further water entering the heating system.

This was where I made mistake number 3, which I'll return to later.

So I return to the kitchen to find Mrs AMGeed absolutely soaked and panicking. I went outside, pulled out the garden hose and hoped I could get the end over the exposed pipe and drain down the system. I had a spare lenght of 15mm copper pipe and there seemed no way this was going over the leaking pipe.
I may have redeemed myself a little by switching on the kettle, boiling it and pouring boiling water over the end of the hose.
Evacuating the missus, I managed to get the hose attached to the leak and away drained the water.
We were two drowned rats and the kitchen was a mess of water. I have taken 3 lumps of skin off the end of my thumbs plugging that razor sharp pipe. I send the missus off to get out of her wet clothes whist the water drains down I'll make a cuppa!

A shout from upstairs.......water is pouring though the back bedroom ceiling and light fitting , soaking a double bed and carpet. WTF!

I raced back into the loft space to find in my haste to close off the water earlier, I had accidentally trodden on the leak off pipe to the hot water tank. My mistake No 3. The boiler at that time was still heating the water, and I had a split the copper pipe, sending hot water into the voids between the floor joists.:fail

Another panic, and I got some duct tape wrapped around the leak which finally stopped it. Meanwhile, the wife has placed containers to collect water running across the bedroom ceiling and trying to prevent it reaching the living room. Too late! Its now dripping slightly on to the old carpet being replaced next week. More containers out and at last all the leaks stop. The bedroom light is turned off, but the light is flashing and crackling.

That was last night. This morning, onto Bank of Scotland emergency insurance (thank you lordy for me buying it) and a plumber is here within 2 hrs of my call. I have already cut the old olive off, refitted the valve and connected up the radiator, refilled the system and bled it. Everything is good.

One compression fitting of a stop valve and the plumber is done. About £120 if called out without insurance he tells me. The bill is settled already by BOS.

So its been a stressful 24hrs domestically, but now I have to wait until Monday to call BOS again and claim for bed, carpet, duvet and ceiling repair on my home insurance. First time ever in 30 years I have claimed but it feels good to think I'm getting some of my premiums back.

Don't ask if you need plumbing assistance from me. My reply may offend
Thanks for sticking to the end.

It's a wander the missus didn't say that's another fine mess you've
got me into

 

[grober]

I have been told that in circumstances where certain plumbing fixtures have to be replaced in an emergency without a system drain down that the approved technique is to block off the outlet to the header tank by plugging it. As the water drains further from the leak it forms a partial vacuum in the pipework which may markedly reduce the " head " of water which may permit the leak to be repaired. I have to say I have never put this theory to the test!

 

[AMGeed]

I have been told that in circumstances where certain plumbing fixtures have to be replaced in an emergency without a system drain down that the approved technique is to block off the outlet to the header tank by plugging it. As the water drains further from the leak it forms a partial vacuum in the pipework which may markedly reduce the " head " of water which may permit the leak to be repaired. I have to say I have never put this theory to the test!

I have since read that too. Just a shame I read it after the event

 

[Darrell]

It does work. But only if you have a conventional system with an f&e tank.

Sadly I am a time served C&G plumber with 34 years experience!

 

[JohnDavies]

Just recovering from a very fraught 24hrs due to my perceived plumbling skills that went terribly wrong.

Picture this......I'm in the process of decorating the kitchen and at one end is a radiator that needs to be removed to get behind it to prepare and emulsion the wall. I've done this dozens of times before, shut off both valves, undo, drain rad into a bucket and put to one side.

This time however, I stupidly forgot to hold tight to the 2nd valve as the nut was unscrewed from the radiator. The valve tilted and I spotted water leaking and thought it may have been a bit loose and gave it an extra tighten up.
The leak grew stronger and with Screwfix only 100 yds from home, I literally ran down and got a new valve to replace this one. I had damaged the olive and it needed fixing..quickly.

2nd mistake.... With the rad out of the way, I now had a valve sitting at 45 degrees to the tail and water gushing out. Shouted to the missus to help and she found me with my thumb over a now exposed tail that was pumping water in a jet at the ceiling. The valve had literall dropped off leaving the damaged olive on the pipe and me unable to attach the new valve and olive.

I'm now kneeling in a pool of water and thinking what to do for the best. The missus got towels and tried to halt the flow whilst I went to the shed, got out the step ladder and went into the roof space to raise the float in the expansion tank and stop any further water entering the heating system.

This was where I made mistake number 3, which I'll return to later.

So I return to the kitchen to find Mrs AMGeed absolutely soaked and panicking. I went outside, pulled out the garden hose and hoped I could get the end over the exposed pipe and drain down the system. I had a spare lenght of 15mm copper pipe and there seemed no way this was going over the leaking pipe.
I may have redeemed myself a little by switching on the kettle, boiling it and pouring boiling water over the end of the hose.
Evacuating the missus, I managed to get the hose attached to the leak and away drained the water.
We were two drowned rats and the kitchen was a mess of water. I have taken 3 lumps of skin off the end of my thumbs plugging that razor sharp pipe. I send the missus off to get out of her wet clothes whist the water drains down I'll make a cuppa!

A shout from upstairs.......water is pouring though the back bedroom ceiling and light fitting , soaking a double bed and carpet. WTF!

I raced back into the loft space to find in my haste to close off the water earlier, I had accidentally trodden on the leak off pipe to the hot water tank. My mistake No 3. The boiler at that time was still heating the water, and I had a split the copper pipe, sending hot water into the voids between the floor joists.:fail

Another panic, and I got some duct tape wrapped around the leak which finally stopped it. Meanwhile, the wife has placed containers to collect water running across the bedroom ceiling and trying to prevent it reaching the living room. Too late! Its now dripping slightly on to the old carpet being replaced next week. More containers out and at last all the leaks stop. The bedroom light is turned off, but the light is flashing and crackling.

That was last night. This morning, onto Bank of Scotland emergency insurance (thank you lordy for me buying it) and a plumber is here within 2 hrs of my call. I have already cut the old olive off, refitted the valve and connected up the radiator, refilled the system and bled it. Everything is good.

One compression fitting of a stop valve and the plumber is done. About £120 if called out without insurance he tells me. The bill is settled already by BOS.

So its been a stressful 24hrs domestically, but now I have to wait until Monday to call BOS again and claim for bed, carpet, duvet and ceiling repair on my home insurance. First time ever in 30 years I have claimed but it feels good to think I'm getting some of my premiums back.

Don't ask if you need plumbing assistance from me. My reply may offend
Thanks for sticking to the end.

You any good at electrics, my ex wife's boyfriends house needs a complete rewire?

 

[Deleted member 113659]

All's well that ends well Rodger. Dispite your bad plumbing day you've given us a great laugh at your expense.

We look forward to the next few instalments of:

1) boat building
2) sawmill shenanigans
3) piano moving
4) chimney sweeping

 

[artyman]

So when do we get to see the video

 

[Rory]

One of my daughters had her CH completety replaced and the fitters did the rad tails in 10mm pipe - fine downstairs where it's clipped but seems very flimsy and exposed when it comes through the floors upstairs.

First time I removed an upstairs rad it was impossible to stop the valve twisting and it cracked the pipe. Thankfully it's a presurised system so once the pressure had gone (which doesn't take much loss of water) I was able to stop it leaking with Fernox LSX and some tape until the plumber came back and replaced the tail.

One thing I really hate is doing DIY in someone else's house - at least in your own house you can grab something in an emergency. I always find plumbing very iffy - it can seem OK, then next day it's leaking.

 

[zipdip]

You can block the pipes in the header tank,they sell these hard rubber plugs one for the outlet at the bottom of the tank and the feed pipe,this will allow you to work on a valve in the system as it will stop water from exiting while you work on it,as for you poor wife/assistant I suspect she will be on a shopping trip next time you put on your plumbing hat.

 

[ChrisEdu]

Another option, if the water is cold, grab a pipe freeze kit. I've use them on many an occasion when it's not been possible to switch off the supply. They give long enough to change a fitting or cap a pipe.

Of all the trades, plumbing tends to be my least favourite, as if you make a mistake it tends to spread quite rapidly.

 

[Deleted member 113659]

"I send the missus off to get out of her wet clothes................I'll make a cuppa!"


There's two things you don't usually see in the same sentence. Sod the cuppa.

 

[AMGeed]

Have you met my missus Ant? A quickie wasn't really on my mind
A nice cup of scald far more satisfying at the time.

 

[AMGeed]

So much for the excellent House and contents insurance from BOS.
Rang this morning to claim for bedding,carpet etc to be told there is a £300 excess for any water damage. No point in me claiming with the resultant increase in premium, for about £100 payout after excess taken out.

They wont be getting my renewal and I'll shop around to find a company with no water damage excess.
Another reason to despise insurance companies. Happy to take your premiums year upon year, then hit you for a huge excess (some companies have a £900 water damage excess)
The small print now runs into page after page and I own up to not reading it all before signing up. Mistake #4 !

 

[Peter103]

Another option, if the water is cold, grab a pipe freeze kit. I've use them on many an occasion when it's not been possible to switch off the supply. They give long enough to change a fitting or cap a pipe.

Of all the trades, plumbing tends to be my least favourite, as if you make a mistake it tends to spread quite rapidly.

Pipe freeze kits will only freeze still water within a full system, ie, before you need to either cut the pipe or remove a fitting. And then only for a few minutes. If the water is running no use.Label your valves and stopcocks, be sure to know what each is for, shut off and drain down.: when opening valves, open fully then a quarter turn back, next time it it will not be stuck and difficult to close.