leak - fixed, but why did it happen?

[pilsbury]

I installed my bathroom about 4 months ago. The bath tap is on of those wall mounted ones - chosen as I had a recess behind the wall to accommodate. 15mm copper pipe with a compression fitting in order to fit the flexible tap tail that links to the tap housing. Basically a screw thread with a rubber washer in.

All tiled in and fine until yesterday I noticed a damp patch on the kitchen ceiling below. Knowing this was directly below the bath tap, I removed a couple of tiles (metro) and spotted the leak. A slow drip from where the screw thread of the tail meets the brass fitting on the 15mm pipe. Managed to crank it up no more than 1/8 turn and the leak seems to have stopped.

Why has this happened all of a sudden? I can't believe it was always like that. It doesn't seem to want to tighten any more. Will I tile it back in only to revisit later?

 

[omega015]

Not fully tightened from day one and slowly worked its way to dripping?
Dripping built up enough to finally cause the damp patch?
Difference between hot/cold temps allowed it to loosen?
Poorly machined threads?
Knocking on the pipe helped work its way loose?

Was it the hot or cold one btw?

Tighten the nut, run the tap for a bit 1-2mins for any temp adjustments then give it another tighten. If your worried about it happening again then you could add a little PTFE or something like Loctite on the threads. http://www.loctite.co.uk/loctite-4087.htm?nodeid=8802634760193

 

[pilsbury]

Hot. Are you suggesting the expanding/contracting could have had an efffect?

I'll do as you suggest by running the tap and giving it another tighten.

 

[Agile]

I hate plumbing fittings that have been tiled over to make them inaccessible!

It makes a minor plumbing fault a major exercise if retiling is needed.

Most people doing tiling, even DIYers, never leave spare tiles at the property ready for any repairs!

Tony

 

[omega015]

Are you suggesting the expanding/contracting could have had an efffect?

I believe this has been known to happen or possibly people just "assumed" this was the case instead of not admitting to fully tightening in the first place or no other logical reason.

 

[rules&rulers]

So the flexi tap tail sprung a water leak from the connection onto the 15mm pipe fitting attached to the 15mm pipe.

Did you use a tap tail adaptor ?.

 

[pilsbury]

So the flexi tap tail sprung a water leak from the connection onto the 15mm pipe fitting attached to the 15mm pipe.

Did you use a tap tail adaptor ?.

Tap tail adapter? I assume that's what it's called. A compression fitting on the copper pipe that the tail screws onto.

 

[rules&rulers]

The brass fitting (see photo) in between the flexi tail and the 15mm service valve,previously the flexi tail was screwed directly onto the service valve which is wrong and leaked.its also the hot pipe.