Any rule of thumb on how long to monitor a new pipe fitting before boxing in?

[dragonfly101]

Hi,

Thanks for all the answers to my previous posts, you really have made the difference and given my confidence to continue with my DIY.

I've completed a load of new pipework this past week, and not got any leaking joints. Is it as safe as it'll ever be to start screwing down floorboards, boxing in pipe work, and redecorating? I'd assume that if you're not seeing a weep from a new compression or pushfit joint after 30 minutes then you're good? To be safe I'm giving the joints days.

Besides leaks (or rather the absence of), is there anything else to check before boxing stuff in? Do I need to worry about the plastic pushfit pipework I've added having some play to it (or must it all be rigidly clipped to the wall every x mm)?

 

[bernardgreen]

Joints on pipes that carry hot water may start to weep / leak after a few cycles of hot water cold water and associated expansion and contraction of the metals in the joint,

 

[CBW]

Follow the manufacturer’s guidance on clipping spaces. As for leakage I usually don’t bother waiting as long as it doesn’t leak after the initial filling up. There is a document that states pressurise to 1.5 times working pressure for an hour or something, but think that‘s for site work.

 

[Madrab]

Follow the manufacturer’s guidance on clipping spaces. As for leakage I usually don’t bother waiting as long as it doesn’t leak after the initial filling up. There is a document that states pressurise to 1.5 times working pressure for an hour or something, but think that‘s for site work.

It's the Water regs ... for any copper pipework installation domestic or otherwise ... there are a few different ways of satisfying the test, the reason for which I've never understood but the most basics test is .... system is pumped to 1.5 times max working pressure, and maintained/topped up over 30mins then 60 min standing test with no more than 0.5bar drop with no signs of leaking. There are other tests and timings which can satisfy the requirements but that one is the oldest and is still the go to test as far as I know.

I actually need to check up and see if there's been any more amendments since I did them, especially the bylaws.

Plastic/pushfit requires a different set of tests with a lot more pressure, it also helps with bedding in the fittings. It can be seriously dangerous though and needs risk assessments, empty property etc. That's more so on new builds and should be part of the first fix but I wonder how many actually perform them properly now.

 

[mattylad]

About as long as it takes you to have a cuppa and some hobknobs.

 

[jeff the gasman]

25 years to be 100% sure.
24 hours for 99%
For me, an hour!