have a lead pipe coming into my back toilet it is not our supply of water so we cant turn it off. Its beemn cut off and is still leaking ive cramp it with plyers but isn't doing the trick. Anyone please advice thanks in advance
Lead pipe please help
- Thread starter cpsplastering
- Start date
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Yup, use a thick piece of wood on the edge of its length and something flat and hard underneath and hammer flat as Nige says.
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Thanks for the advice guys. Will it defo not burst it. Really scared it will and there is noway of turning it off
It's a known way in older buildings where the lead bursts and a repair cannot be effected quickly but still allow the water to be on. Lead normally has thick walls and can take a fair amount of abuse but I'd still use a thick piece of wood, less liable to cut into the pipe. Not an exact science of course and not 100% foolproof. Best way would be is to get a lead loc and an isolator and do it live but depends if you can take that amount of water before you get the fitting on.
Ultimately I'd be finding out where the supply comes from and get that turned off.
Ultimately I'd be finding out where the supply comes from and get that turned off.
Been hitting hitting it with a hammer and still can't get it to stop its gone a lot smaller but still leaking. Is there anyway i can ring somewhere up to find out where it feeds from as its not the main feed because i turned off from inside. That way i could dig it out and puyput a lead lock on it
OP, suggestions to a DIY'er (in the plumbing field) for banging and hammering a lead pipe under pressure are risky in terms of blowing the pipe and creating a jet of water or possibly further damage to the pipe back in an inaccessible position.
I'd suggest that you stop all that and definitely find out where the pipe comes from as suggested above. Dont go digging without checking back here.
Posting pics always helps.
Given a"back toilet" maybe you mean the old outside WC - these were sometimes Tee'd off the incoming water supply before it reached the internal stop cock.
1.Why not turn off the external stop-cock and see if it helps?
2. Are you possibly on a row or common supply with your neighbours? Have you asked your neighbour to turn off their water - internal and external?
3. Could this pipe be fed from a tank?
4. Is your incoming mains supply pipe a lead pipe?
In the long run, as you will well know, all lead pipe should be removed from an installation.
I'd suggest that you stop all that and definitely find out where the pipe comes from as suggested above. Dont go digging without checking back here.
Posting pics always helps.
Given a"back toilet" maybe you mean the old outside WC - these were sometimes Tee'd off the incoming water supply before it reached the internal stop cock.
1.Why not turn off the external stop-cock and see if it helps?
2. Are you possibly on a row or common supply with your neighbours? Have you asked your neighbour to turn off their water - internal and external?
3. Could this pipe be fed from a tank?
4. Is your incoming mains supply pipe a lead pipe?
In the long run, as you will well know, all lead pipe should be removed from an installation.
Yes its an outside toilet on old terraced house. Wont my water supplier have plans how the water runs? If i was to find the stop for it what would you guys suggest on doing. The pipe isnt coming out the ground much probs 3 inch so i couldn't do any work on it, would it mean digging back so i can work on the pipe and put a lead lock on or something? I will post pictures tomorrow
Forgot to add my internal water supply is a blue pipe and copper if this helps
I'd suggest that you stop jumping ahead of yourself, and stop doing any more work on or around the pipe.
The lead lock cap(?) is a bad idea, not least that you might create a dead-leg.
Do it properly and isolate that lead pipe at source. Re-supply if needed in copper or plastic.
Water Utilities often have no idea where their pipes are, and they care even less. You will, typically, have to do the locating.
I've given you some starters above.
Just noticed your last post: the blue MDPE indicates that your water supply is coming in in plastic. Very unlikely that the leaking pipe is connected to the MDPE.
The lead lock cap(?) is a bad idea, not least that you might create a dead-leg.
Do it properly and isolate that lead pipe at source. Re-supply if needed in copper or plastic.
Water Utilities often have no idea where their pipes are, and they care even less. You will, typically, have to do the locating.
I've given you some starters above.
Just noticed your last post: the blue MDPE indicates that your water supply is coming in in plastic. Very unlikely that the leaking pipe is connected to the MDPE.
As far as Isolating the pipe, if you manage to get it turned off. A lead loc or plasson lead fitting is the only way to get a cap onto lead pipe and make good the leak, outwith wipe soldering a piece of copper in there
If you can isolate the branch and then dig it up all the way back to where it branches from and cap it there, then that's ideal.
With these types of shared lead mains though that are 100 years old, that may not be possible. These pipes invariably run for many feet from the mains under concrete, paving walls etc and capping it off where you can may be the only option (dead legs not withstanding nor being ideal) without spending £100's on long trenches and remedial/making good work.
Just so you know OP, compression of the lead pipe is a tried method for reducing a burst pipe's outflow from a live supply where the isolation isn't know or accessible. Due to thickness of the walls of lead pipes, it's very rare to burst through the pipe when you use a softish material like wood etc to compress it with.
Oh I love Glasgow tenements that haven't had their pipes upgraded and the external tap is seized solid, flattened many a burst lead pipe prior to being able to get scottish water out to attack the seized mains valve
If you can isolate the branch and then dig it up all the way back to where it branches from and cap it there, then that's ideal.
With these types of shared lead mains though that are 100 years old, that may not be possible. These pipes invariably run for many feet from the mains under concrete, paving walls etc and capping it off where you can may be the only option (dead legs not withstanding nor being ideal) without spending £100's on long trenches and remedial/making good work.
Just so you know OP, compression of the lead pipe is a tried method for reducing a burst pipe's outflow from a live supply where the isolation isn't know or accessible. Due to thickness of the walls of lead pipes, it's very rare to burst through the pipe when you use a softish material like wood etc to compress it with.
Oh I love Glasgow tenements that haven't had their pipes upgraded and the external tap is seized solid, flattened many a burst lead pipe prior to being able to get scottish water out to attack the seized mains valve
So you recommend the best way would be to dig it back and keep hitting it flat?
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