Pipe freezing kits

[amfisted]

Just a question about pipe freezing kits. Are they any good?

The other day I asked a question about draining hot water pipes in my bathroom in order to fit isolating valves, flexible connectors and taps, and received some very helpful replies concerning how to identify the shut off procedure for a system with a storage cylinder and loft tanks. However, it occurs to me that if I could employ a method which merely shut off the water just below the point where I wished to fit the new connectors as well as fitting isolators to help with future maintenance, it would save searching out the existing valves.

As an occasional plumbing DIYer, would a pipe freezing kit be a good investment?

Thanks.

 

[greasedmonkey]

Depends what you mean by Kit.

If you are talking about the aerosol kits that are sold in the likes of screwfix, they are only about £20 but only normally a 2 shot kit. For occasional DIY I would think a pukka pipe freezing machine is a bit excessive.

I have used the aerosol jobbies before when fitting a shower. freeze the pipe, cut, then fit isolator, then have all the time in the world to make a nice job of the rest of the plumbing. (you will only get about half an hour before the ice plug starts to melt.

Of course, If you put your isolators in clever places, you will hardly ever need to freeze pipes afterwards. Worth noting, I have recently been advised not to use isolators in central heating systems, but other than that, my house is full of them.

 

[planenut]

I have used the kit one buys at Wickes. You can also obtain the aerosol on it's own.

Put the wrap on, introduce the gas, while that is freezing you can set up the job; to reduce the pressure turn off the mains stop-cock.

I found them very useful.

 

[amfisted]

Thanks to you both.

Half an hour each should be plenty of time to fit a valve on both my bath and basin hot water supply pipes, so I'll probably go for the aerosol. And as you suggest, its unlikely I'll need to freeze the pipes again if I site the isolators correctly.