Old copper pipework and fittings leaking advice needed

[Sneezin]

Hi I have weeping leaks coming from all nearly all my isolation valves, (hot and cold taps) and even others, my pipe works ancient maybe 40+ years old and so are all those isolation valves and other fixtures.

I did remove 2 of them to try to replace them..... but they still leak, so I looked more closer I think the copper pipe work is damaged or in poor condition its bent and more shallow.

Probably since I have nipped the nuts over many years and over-tightened and damaged it due to sometimes seeing weeping leaks coming from those valves.

Looks like this:

Either way Ill get a plumber out, is this a straight forward copper pipe and compression fittings replacement or is it better to get the plumber to do JG speedfit pipe and JG fittings?

thanks

 

[ETAF]

have you tried removing the valves so you can access the olives and then wrap some ptfe tape around the olive and then redo them up ..
i see it often mentioned , some PTFE tape around the olives may help, or paste - seen it often on the DIY forums
not a plumber , just DIYer , and i have done this only once many years ago on an old isolation valve on copper pipe and olive ...... which leaked slightly, and stopped

 

[Madrab]

You need to isolate the water and then pull the valves off and check the olives/pipe and see if they have been overtightened. Take a close up pic and post it if you're not sure.

It will be quite apparent if the nuts have been overtightened and the pipe is necked and the olives over compressed. Sometimes a bit of tape can catch it if it isn't too bad but if they're too far gone then only cutting out and replacing will fix it. The HW appliance valve needs removing anyway if it's no longer used.

 

[Justin Passing]

If the pipes are squashed narrower by the olives, then they have been too tight.
A way which you can do and usually works - Dismantle, clean everything (scouring pad), dry everything, put some Fernox LS-X on the olives and do all up "sensibly" tight, then leave it an hour to set, it almost certainly won't leak.

If not happy, call a plumber. A new set of valves should barely be a tenner but let him supply them, or leaks will be "your valve's fault".
He should replace the copper. I wouldn't use Speedfit there, everything flops about unless you clip it, which is hard.
Less than one hour's work, if the water turns off ok.

 

[justigator]

That flexible hose looks a bit twisted to me. Maybe replace with a longer one?

 

[Sneezin]

Hi thanks for all the replies

I did consider ptfe tape or jointing compound but the coppers slimmer and not good really, its possible it works but id like to get it done right.

Yes the copper pipe work is squashed sadly just where the brass olive sits on some of them I guess a decade of over tightening it will do that, and yes that hot water pipe is right in the way of the other the other cold water end I too felt it needs to be removed or pushed back so will let the plumber know.

Yes ill consider a new tap connector, its in a real awkward angle since the tap is much further on the right hand side Its actually too long so might be causing it to bend ill let the plumber know on that one.

 

[Sneezin]

If the pipes are squashed narrower by the olives, then they have been too tight.
A way which you can do and usually works - Dismantle, clean everything (scouring pad), dry everything, put some Fernox LS-X on the olives and do all up "sensibly" tight, then leave it an hour to set, it almost certainly won't leak.

If not happy, call a plumber. A new set of valves should barely be a tenner but let him supply them, or leaks will be "your valve's fault".
He should replace the copper. I wouldn't use Speedfit there, everything flops about unless you clip it, which is hard.
Less than one hour's work, if the water turns off ok.

thanks for the great advice, I think I won't chance anything and just get a plumber in from watersafe org (hopefully a good one!) and get him to do the job properly, that is sound advice ill let him get all the parts brand new no point risking anything.

Good to know it should take roughly an hour, it might take longer though since I have an loft tank and hot water cylinder so its not so easy to stop the water, I did switch off my hot and cold water cylinder gate taps which stopped all water in the bathroom but the kitchen hot tap still runs hot and fast so think it needs to be stopped in the loft tank/hot water cylinder or drained out I think. The 2 stop cocks under kitchen sink and outside stop the cold water kitchen tap though.

I really do wish there was just 1 or 2 stop cocks that just switched the entire water both cold and hot to the house, what a nightmare if a leak develops and I am not here, there would just be family swimming in an in-door pool