Leak from water pipe (picture included)

[Smudge01]

Thanks Madrab.

It looks highly likely its a damaged pipe under the floor. So I've got to take a stab and start breaking out somewhere, the listening stick won't help me pin point it though, will it?

Yes, I can turn it off in the street.

 

[Madrab]

the listening stick won't help me pin point it though

Not really no, the best approach is to start at the pipe you can see and work your way down. Just be careful and work down the sides to start so you can keep an eye on where the pipes heading

 

[JohnD]

It looks highly likely its a damaged pipe under the floor.

As the wet patch is so close to the external wall, start by digging outside. If you are lucky the leak will be in the garden. You will have to dig it up anyway if you are going to run a new pipe (best solution)

You might start thinking about buying a really heavy SDS+ drill with rotostop and some steels. A heavy one will save your arms and is OK when going into floors.

Even a cheap one from screwfix will last long enough to get the job done, and if it breaks, you can take it back during the guarantee period. look out for special offers, and put one on your "basket" but don't complete the purchase, they might send you a discount code when they see you're hesitating.

Example:
https://www.screwfix.com/p/titan-tt...us-drill-9-piece-accessory-kit-230-240v/97533

or for an extra tenner, a bigger starter set of bits.
https://www.screwfix.com/p/titan-tt...s-drill-22-piece-accessory-kit-230-240v/4172g

sometimes one or the other goes on special offer. But deliveries from China are not reliable at the moment.

I don't claim it's good quality, but your job will be finished within a week, so whatever remaining life will be a bonus, assuming you are a DIYer and don't often need to smash through hard concrete floors and shed bases. it is far too heavy for picture-hook work.

 

[Smudge01]

What great help, thank you.

Once the water is turned off in the street, I will also have to ask them to isolate in some way upstairs I guess?

 

[Ian H]

Once your off in the street any water in the internal pipe will flow out of the leak.

You might as well dig outside first, once you find the leak turn off at the outside stop tap, clean the paint of the 15mm copper above the tap, then make your repair.

The pipe looks like 3/4” black alkathene so get a 25mm Philmac fitting, length of 25mm MDPE and a new stop tap/drain off ready.

 

[gasbanni]

You mentioned the flat below you .......do they have any evidence of damp ?

 

[Smudge01]

No, there's only a flat above.

 

[Smudge01]

Found the leak quite easily. There was a tiny jet of water spraying out of the black pipe from underneath the wall.

A plumber mate cut out a piece of the black pipe and replaced with the blue.

Thank you for your help.

 

[terryplumb]

Glad your sorted out ,thanks for letting us know.

 

[HERTS P&D]

Always good to have a plumber friend.

Andy