Hi, I'm wondering if anyone can provide some advice. Over the past month I've noticed small particles in the bottom of the bath tub, they appear after running the cold tap. I think it is bits of old pipe, some are rust coloured and other bits are black or green. When I press them between my fingers some bits are hard but others smear black/brown. Firstly would people agree that this is likely to be old pipe? My next question is what do I do? Is it possible to work out where the problem might be? I think some pipes have been replaced over the years but I really don't know for sure I've only lived in the house in recent years; the house is a 100 years old. I'm worried that if left the pipe will disintegrate and we will have a water leak. Thanks in advance.
Finding a disintegrating pipe
- Thread starter Hannahlf
- Start date
Do you have any lead cold water pipe supplies in the property? Or supplying your main service to the property?
Do you have any galvanised pipe supplying water?
Do you have any galvanised metal storage tanks?
The black/brown smears could be disintegrating rubber washers from any number of valves or flex connectors.
There are a raft of possibilities for your questions, & a plumber on site could give you a better heads up but even the plumber cant see concealed pipework etc.
Do you have any galvanised pipe supplying water?
Do you have any galvanised metal storage tanks?
The black/brown smears could be disintegrating rubber washers from any number of valves or flex connectors.
There are a raft of possibilities for your questions, & a plumber on site could give you a better heads up but even the plumber cant see concealed pipework etc.
Has any work been done out on the street recently? Have you noticed the road, path up? Have you any neighbour's you can ask if they have noticed similar?
Check this out first before assuming it's within your property.
Check this out first before assuming it's within your property.
I was an Ex firefighter one of our jobs was to test Fire Hydrants in the Street when we left hours later, the water Board would be inundated with calls about dirty water, any work on the Street mains can stir up sediment
Is the bath cold tap mains fed or cistern fed? Really need to ascertain where it's supplied from, muck in the mains you cannot do much about, Water Company would need to be involved, but if your cold storage cistern is feeding the cold taps, it is your problem. Unprotected copper pipes buried in concrete can disintegrate, but that would be from outside in, and you'd spot a leak before the water became contaminated. Unusual for pipes to disintegrate otherwise.
Are you a hard or soft water area, and have the neighbours reported any similar issues?
Are you a hard or soft water area, and have the neighbours reported any similar issues?
If it's off the mans he'd be seeing it at the kitchen tap as well.
Thank you for all the advice, much appreciated. Neighbours are not having any problems. It's a hard water area. I believe the mains pipe is lead, I'm not sure about the other pipes I think there are new and old. Im not sure if it's mains fed or cistern fed, how do I establish this?
Thanks
Thanks
Do you have a Water tank in the loft, if you do then its more than probable the water to your toilet/bath comes from the tank, do you have a mains stop valve in the house (under the Kitchen Sink) turn this off so no cold water runs into the sink, then flush the loo,or run the cold water in the bath if it refills the water is coming from the tank in the loft, dirt in the water would then be dirt in the loft tank.
Turn the mains supply off. Run taps. If flow soon ceases, then its mains supply. Cistern will take a bit longer to empty.
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