Possible leak/crack in water mains - advice needed

[toshtastic]

Hi,

Over the last couple of days I have noticed some grit or dirt in my water. The water board have been out and say its not their problem and neither of my neighbours have this problem.

So that indicates a problem with my water supply only. The grit/dirt is coming out of every tap, but does seem to improve if I run the taps for a while.

I have not noticed any drop in pressure and I see no wet patches anywhere so Im not sure what to do next.

My house is a semi detached bungalow in Scotland, I have a combi boiler in the house and no water tank. My mains feed comes up under the ground of my lounge and (from memory!) is a black plastic tube within a thicker blue tube.

This feed heads directly up into my loft space where its all copper pipes and they feed to the boiler/bathroom/kitchen etc.

Can anyone offer any advice? Is there anyway I can confirm there is a leak or crack in my mains pipe? I dont particularly want to dig up my drive and find that nothing is wrong.

Thanks

 

[doitall]

Is it just the cold or hot as well.

If you turn the inside stopcock off, and put one end of a screwdriver against the valve body and the other end in your ear, you will be able to hear if water is running. (sounds like a sea shell)

For what it's worth at this stage I doubt if a leak in the mains is the problem.

 

[toshtastic]

its the hot and cold.

If I do hear water running then what does that indicate? that I have a leak before or after the stopcock?

I only have a small leak/crack then would this technique still work?

I assume this will work for any type of screwdriver?

Thanks for your reply

 

[toshtastic]

I should maybe add that the water itself is still crystal clear, its not discoloured in any way.

the dirt thats coming through is really small, the size of grains of sand. The dirt doesnt seem to smudge if I rub it in sink/bath, but I can rub it away if I have some on my fingers.

not sure if thats any more help to anyone

 

[doitall]

It will indicate a possible leak before the stopcock.

Any screwdriver will do, although I prefer Stanley.

Has any work been done indoors prior to the problem.

Do you have a filter or water softener.

 

[toshtastic]

no work has been done and I dont have any water filters or softeners either.

Ill try the trick with the screwdriver tonight and see if I hear anything. If I do then is there any way that I can locate this leak before I rip up my drive.

Obviously I dont want to be doing that, especially if I find nothing wrong

 

[CortinaV8]

What does the header tank in the loft look like, does it have a lid on it?

I ask as you say the water goes directly to the roof and then back down, my old system used to be like this and the tank was full of god knows what from the roof.

 

[doitall]

I don't suppose you have a water meter.

Try the screwdriver and post back.

With any leak the pressure from within the pipe, is blasting outwards, it would be very unusual to get an ingress of dirt/grit, unless the mains was turned off downstream of the leak, with the exception of the pipe being completely fractured.

 

[kevplumb]

If I do then is there any way that I can locate this leak before I rip up my drive.

if you have a decent leak on the main you wont have to rip up your drive

it will do it for you

 

[toshtastic]

Hi,

I dont have a tank in the house, just a combi boiler

Also dont have a water meter


I dont personally believe that this issue is caused by a burst mains pipe, but I cant think of any other reason why I would be getting this dirt in my water

 

[doitall]

If you have a poly mains, I would be more than surprised if it's fractured, which leaves anything downstream of the poly pipe, or in the building.

You will probably need to get the substance tested, at some time if you can't trace it.