Leak from nut on lead pipe

[L_Plate]

Checking a leak in a friend's flat under the bath. It is on the hot supply side on a lead run of pipe and is coming from above two nuts (around 40mm/1.5 inch) that come out of a tee-fitting and below the swollen part of the pipe (I think this is the 'wetted' soldered joint). A few inches or so above and to the tap copper pipe is used but all of this area is dry.

Is it best to try tightening the upper nut slightly? - I am a bit cautious about this as this part of the pipe is obviously pretty old. Or should the HW be turned off and the nuts opened and the joints treated with some type of compound?

Thanks for any advice.

 

[ChrisR]

Try
1st: doing nut up a bit with a pair of grips/slip-lock pliers
2nd: undo, part things slightly if possible, dry off, get some Fernox LS-X in with a finger, do up again (after removing finger).
3rd: undo from tap, cut all lead back far enough thet you can access it reasonably, use lead-loc or lead-line fittings to convert to copper, and use modern materials (inc flexy couplers).

 

[doitall]

First it's highly unlikely to leak without good reason, such as damage or corrosion.

More likely to be water running down the pipe from the top of the bath

 

[ChrisR]

Unless the tap has been turned a bit which could well undo a joint.

 

[doitall]

Unless the tap has been turned a bit which could well undo a joint.

No the lead pipe would twist first

 

[L_Plate]

Sorry about the late response but my ISP connection went tits-up for a couple of days.

Try
1st: doing nut up a bit with a pair of grips/slip-lock pliers
2nd: undo, part things slightly if possible, dry off, get some Fernox LS-X in with a finger, do up again (after removing finger).
3rd: undo from tap, cut all lead back far enough thet you can access it reasonably, use lead-loc or lead-line fittings to convert to copper, and use modern materials (inc flexy couplers).

Thanks, Chris. I will have a go at 1 and if necessary 2 and hopefully this will work. The 3rd option would be difficult because the lead pipe branches vertically out of the tee-fitting, the horizontal run of the tee is located below the (solid) floor. In other words to access the tee fully would mean taking up a significant part of the floor and I would like to avoid that if possible.

First it's highly unlikely to leak without good reason, such as damage or corrosion.

More likely to be water running down the pipe from the top of the bath.

Because the leak has been going on for a couple of years the nuts are covered in scale so I haven't yet been able to see whether there is any corrosion. As this section of the pipe and tee are at the other end of the bath to the tap it seems unlikely that turning of the tap would have caused a 'twist' in the lead - perhaps I am wrong about this though.

Thanks again, guys.

 

[doitall]

In that case turn the water off and drain through the tap before disturbing the joint.

Perhaps it would be pre-cautionary to warn your friend that the pipe or fittings may be corroded and need replacing.

I say that from experience as if it falls apart some people will say it's your fault.

 

[L_Plate]

In that case turn the water off and drain through the tap before disturbing the joint.

Perhaps it would be pre-cautionary to warn your friend that the pipe or fittings may be corroded and need replacing.

I say that from experience as if it falls apart some people will say it's your fault.

Thanks DIA, very wise advice...I will warn her of the possible corrosion as I do want to avoid the likelihood of the whole thing falling apart. Obviously it would be far preferable to remove all of the lead pipes and replace with copper but it will cause a lot of disruption and then she will have to get the floors replaced etc.

Just one thing that confuses me though, where the lead pipe joins the copper pipe along the horizontal run under the bath it is done through what looks like a cup-and-cone joint. Not being familiar with this sort of fitting I have read up on this and the point is made that this type of joint is only acceptable for wastepipes and gas fittings! Is this the case? Would some plumbers have used this type of fitting for water? If so should the fitiing of such a joint carrying water under pressure (quite high pressure in this building) be enough to convince her to make the move to copper regardless of the said disruption?

Thanks again.

L_Plate (slightly worried)

 

[kevplumb]

they where used a long time ago for water

 

[doitall]

The bit leaded into the pipe is a cap & lining the bit it screws onto was tappered on the inside.

Yorkshire Imperial Metals still make union fittings and are perfectly ok with domestic pressures.

The Lead is unlikely to be your problem, what it joins into is/could be

 

[L_Plate]

they where used a long time ago for water

Not so sure in this case, Kevplumb? The bath was only installed a couple of years ago so I am assuming that any copper pipe was installed at that time. Any ideas as to why a lead-loc fitting would not have been used? Are there some plumbers around who just like deploying old methods despite the regs?

 

[L_Plate]

The bit leaded into the pipe is a cap & lining the bit it screws onto was tappered on the inside.

Yorkshire Imperial Metals still make union fittings and are perfectly ok with domestic pressures.

The Lead is unlikely to be your problem, what it joins into is/could be

Ah right. Yes, that seems likely come to think of it. Thanks for that DIA. It's absolutely dry as a bone around the union currently so it is not a problem (as yet).

 

[kevplumb]

is exactly what i said yp 75

 

[doitall]

try YP 69 for copper Kev, lead tails I dont think you will find although I may have one I can take a pic off.

 

[kevplumb]

was in the ballpark