Leaking pipes - Speedfit fittings? problems caused by hot weather?

[Chrish87]

Morning all,

I got home last night and noticed a slightly wet ceiling with water dripping from a fairly new extension (built and plumbed about 6 months ago) - had a look upstairs and couldn't see anything obvious (room above is a (second) bathroom) - no water has been used in this bathroom since Saturday, in fact, nobody has been in the room since Saturday, so nothing has moved, nothing has been changed etc etc - I'm pretty sure the leak has started by itself is what I'm saying.

I've turned the water off at the mains for the time being, getting floorboards up is going to be a slight pain.

A few questions:

1 - As it was plumbed within the last 6 months and I'm confident it's not been damaged, i'm assuming the plumber should take responsibility and fix the problem FOC ?

2 - I know that when the plumbing was done, they put a new plastic pipe going from the existing part of the house into the extension and then went back to copper under the floorboards, so no plastic pipe / connections are visible. I'm pretty sure it's the speedfit connections that have failed based on where the water is visible. Has anyone here heard of speedfit fittings failing in hot weather?

I was speaking to a friend last night that's an electrician (so he see's all sorts happening in houses; hence me asking him) if he was aware of plumbing problems caused by hot weather.... so he starts telling me he's had 4 leaks in his bathroom in the past week; all speedfit fittings failing! - fortunately for him, they are all above the floorboards, so nice and easy to find! - but he's put it down to the hot weather and expanding / cooling down.

I was a bit surprised, as surely these fittings see very hot water going through them on a regular basis - but then, that's on the inside... does the outside struggle with high temps? - personally I didn't think it was THAT hot inside, but who knows? I guess it must be heat, unless they've spontaneously failed - but seems odd that a friend has also had 4 fail the same week when we have unusually high temps in the UK? (32c+)

Any thoughts?

Thanks

Chris

 

[polesapart]

1 yes

2 no

 

[rob_j20]

I don't buy the temperature thing, what about speedfit used on hot water that goes through much higher temperature swings and doesn't just leak.

 

[SandyLyon]

Plastic plumbing has to be able to withstand big changes in both temperature and pressure to meet the standards. I've seen the test rigs where the pipe and fittings are cycled 24/7 temperature up, temperature down, pressure up, pressure down. The manufacturer in question has pipe work and fittings that have been on continuous test for over 40 years.
Much more likely to be a scored pipe or swarf under the "O" ring or no insert, that has been weeping for a while but only just shown itself.

 

[Dan Robinson]

As above, more likely to be installer error m

However, don't jump in with both feet until you are in full possession of the facts.

Becareful of sparkies giving plumbing advice. They're used to things being colour coded.

 

[Agile]

Some of the better plumbers colour code pipes with red/blue /yellow tape rings.

Heard of EU plumbers who wrongly connected pipes and put water into the gas pipe!

I have never heard of plastic pipework failing just because of hot weather.

 

[aptsys]

Heard of EU plumbers who wrongly connected pipes and put water into the gas pipe!

Is it still a gas pipe if it has water flowing through it?

 

[easyflow]

I reckon no inserts used in the plastic pipe.

 

[Ian H]

Are the inserts not just BS?

Once the pipe is under pressure surely it's being pushed outwards onto the seal?

 

[ajstoneservices]

I had a couple of jg fittings back off and leak on pipe work in a roof space. Now I use locking collets or small cable ties on every fitting.

 

[durhamplumber]

never had a problem with speedfit fittings when fitted correctly.

 

[motorbiking]

I've had 3 failures in about 9 months. I'm getting pretty good at re-plastering ceilings now. I previously plumbed the house myself in copper and my work lasted 15 years without any problems at all including some fairly bodged imperial to metric compression fittings.

I don't think its a lego/polypipe problem, I think its plumbers not testing their work properly. Mine didn't. He did however come up with some fairly artistic designs which also cause a nightmare when refilling the system.

 

[SandyLyon]

Are the inserts not just BS?

Once the pipe is under pressure surely it's being pushed outwards onto the seal?

Inserts do play a major part in the installation and integrity of the joint.

Firstly they have a rounded or chamfered leading edge that prevents any damage to the "O" ring when the pipe is inserted.
The pipe may not be completely round and not all systems are under high pressures so the insert keeps the pipe the correct shape so that there is a good seal between pipe and "O" ring.
Because it's a flexible system if the pipe is under strain it would want to "oval" in the fitting socket so the insert keeps everything the correct shape.
And any warranty goes out of the window if no inserts are used

 

[ianmcd]

Just adding something that I have come across with PE pipe, if a screw is put into the pipe at installation accidentally when putting floors back down , screwing plasterboard etc, sometimes it seals and then through time the screw rusts and starts leaking a few months down the line, not saying that is your problem but is worth bearing in mind.

 

[DP]

Cannot understand why FOC comes to mind before any attemp is made to identify the issue. Would the poster pay double charge for calling out the installer if it was not his woman ship to blame?

Above is very similar to "it is the same problem as the last time" I hear time and again when boilers repaired previously break down again