Leaking soldered elbow - cut off and replace?

[vice]

Hi experts - really need some advice on my issue.
Wife heard a hissing noise and the carpet all wet. Had no water for last 48hrs and after ripping a hole in the wall I've found a soldered elbow leaking on the underside, it goes about 10cm off the floor beneath the bath and up to shower.


It's low down so may be the original fitter had problems heating up. There are scorch marks on the wall I just ripped out so guess it was fitted in situ.

I can see the same issue getting heat on it, even worked from the other side now I've ripped the bedroom wall out (bath all fitted, big job to take/break out).

So.. can I cut out the elbow, and maybe replace with a compression elbow?
Thanksinadvance.

 

[Dan Robinson]

Use push fit rather than compression.

 

[vice]

Thanks Dan. Just realised my major issue with push fit - I doubt I can get a pipe cutter in to cleanly remove the soldered joint. It's between 2 uprights n the middle of a studwall.
Also - leak appears to be a pinhole in the copper elbow.
This is a 2006 house so hopefully not thinwall 70's copper.
Replace the whole lot with plastic??!£?

 

[alan333]

If the house is under 10 years old shouldn't it be covered under the NHBC 10 year guarantee thing? So you could get them to sort the leak and all the associated flood damage etc at their cost/inconvenience?

Alternatively you have limited choice really. You need to replace the busted joint, so either do it in-situ if you can get in to cut it (maybe use a small pipe cutter?), or replace the pipe back to somewhere you can access it properly. A length of plastic pipe and a couple of push fit or compression fittings shouldn't break the bank, even from b&q.

BTW our estate was built using J G Speedfit plastic fittings and none of ours have leaked in 14 years or so.

 

[vice]

Thanks. After 2 years the NHBC only covers structure - walls etc, floor and some double glazing.

Only concern with plastic is its lifetime and reliance on a ring of teeth holding the end of the pipe in. My water pressure can be very high and I've got a regulator on the incoming pipe at 3-4 bar, but it could push the envelope on popping speedfits off.

This is going to be back behind a wall with no access unless I rip it down again.
Would I be right in thinking - if I can get soldered, then solder??
(which I can't do myself).

 

[mfarrow]

You'll need the pipes empty of water if you want to solder it back up, which isn't necessarily easy in a tight space.