Mains Water pipe coming into the house.

W4SIM · 29 Nov 2008

Im trying to find out what the mains water pipe coming into the house from the street would be made out of? Ceramic, lead, plastic etc etc.

Reason being that i havnt had much luck with this house in the year iv been here as things have generally gone more wrong for me than i think is fair.

But my water company has sent me a letter saying they can supply an insurance policy to me that will cover any repairs to this pipe if it freezes, leaks or gets blocked. Im tempted as the pipe itself is about a metre under the ground so paying this myself would be a nightmare.

However, they also say that this can provide this service for free if the pipe isnt past, or near, its "service life". But i dont know what the service life of these pipes usually is?

The house itself was built somewhere between 1985 and 1989, so its not too old.

Thanks

Ltnman · 29 Nov 2008

I have had 4 new houses dated between 1982 and 1990. My present 1990 house is definitely fed via a plastic pipe and I am almost certain the others were as well. Can’t you tell by looking at the stop cock inside your house? Mine has a fat blue plastic pipe coming in from below and then internal copper pipe fed from it.

Apart from a blocked sewer because someone has put something down the toilet that they shouldn’t have you would have to be rather unlucky to get an external burst pipe on a house built in only 1989.

petetheleak · 29 Nov 2008

Hardly worth bothering about, chances of anything going wrong are miniscule
Besides water company are usually responsible up to external Toby and your house insurance may cover the rest if it ever leaks and causes damage,
Water companies send these out as another way to boost there profits . put it in the bin.

W4SIM · 29 Nov 2008

Ltnman said:
I have had 4 new houses dated between 1982 and 1990. My present 1990 house is definitely fed via a plastic pipe and I am almost certain the others were as well. Can’t you tell by looking at the stop cock inside your house? Mine has a fat blue plastic pipe coming in from below and then internal copper pipe fed from it.

Apart from a blocked sewer because someone has put something down the toilet that they shouldn’t have you would have to be rather unlucky to get an external burst pipe on a house built in only 1989.

Thank you very much, now that you've pointed me in the right direction iv looked at the internal stopcock and indeed it is a blue plastic pipe coming into it from the outside. And obviously a house thats only 20-25 years old shouldnt get this sort of a problem, but this is why i was trying to gauge the life of one of these pipes?

W4SIM · 29 Nov 2008

petetheleak said:
Hardly worth bothering about, chances of anything going wrong are miniscule
Besides water company are usually responsible up to external Toby and your house insurance may cover the rest if it ever leaks and causes damage,
Water companies send these out as another way to boost there profits . put it in the bin.

I too thought the chances were quite slim, as the pipe is plastic and buried that far underground that frost isnt really going to be an issue. However, could water possibly freeze in it though?

I know the water company is responsible to the external stopcock, but from there to the internal stopcock is my responsibility. Like i said the pipe is probably about 20-25 years old, and i dont want to find that the life span of one of these pipes is 25 years? Then im just tinkering on the border.

Ltnman · 29 Nov 2008

That plastic pipe is not going to rot or degrade and unless we get permafrost due to a new ice age it won’t freeze so I think you will be OK.

Legally you are responsible for underground leaks within your boundary but if you do a search on Google you will find that water companies will do a free repair so long as it isn’t under your house. If not you will probably be covered on your house insurance.

Read page 4 https://www.southernwater.co.uk/pdf/domesticCustomers/PNM1352_Waterleaks_v1.pdf

W4SIM · 30 Nov 2008

Ltnman said:
That plastic pipe is not going to rot or degrade and unless we get permafrost due to a new ice age it won’t freeze so I think you will be OK.

Legally you are responsible for underground leaks within your boundary but if you do a search on Google you will find that water companies will do a free repair so long as it isn’t under your house. If not you will probably be covered on your house insurance.

Read page 4 https://www.southernwater.co.uk/pdf/domesticCustomers/PNM1352_Waterleaks_v1.pdf[/QUOTE]

Yeah i didnt think the plastic pipe would be prone to rot or much degradation of any kind, unless the ground moved enough to split it open, which is also very highly unlikely.

Just been reading on Northumbrian Waters website (they're my supplier), and yes they will repair the supply pipe in most circumstances, even the bit that is my responsibility. So i guess no need for the insurance for me then.

But thanks for all your help, its abit of a load off my mind. Cheers.

diynot

If you need to find a tradesperson to get your job done, please try our local search below, or if you are doing it yourself you can find suppliers local to you.

Select the supplier or trade you require, enter your location to begin your search.

Are you a trade or supplier? You can create your listing free at DIYnot Local

Mains Water pipe coming into the house.

Similar threads