Outside water pipe and tap

[cjcharles]

Hi all,

I currently have some copper pipe going from under my kitchen sink to an outside tap using copper pipe. There is only about 20-25cm of exposed pipework but there is no shutoff valve. I would like to move the tap about 1m to the side as it is inconveniently where my table needs to go.

Routing the pipe inside the house is really difficult as the pipe would need to go behind the wood of my kitchen cabinets. I will not need the tap during the winter as it is purely for gardening.

I have a few questions:

1) How much of a problem is having this amount of exposed copper pipe? It has survived winter without me thinking about it, but realise I may have been lucky as we have had a warm winter.
2) Is extending the existing pipe with copper pipe a bad idea? Even for only 1m.
3) Should I take the opportunity to fit an isolation valve?
4) Do I need to swap everything for blue pipe?

Thanks very much in advance,

 

[CortinaV8]

I've about 3 meters of 15mm copper pipe exposed across the back of my garage with a stop tap inside the garage. Over winter I just turn the stop tap off inside and open the outside tap to drain most of the remaining water after use, never had a problem.

I would probably just fit a isolation valve inside and extend the pipework externally, depends if you will remember to turn it off when not in use though.

 

[Newboy]

Fit an internal isolator, a double check-valve and a draincock - all required by Water Regs.

Isolate and drain down the external pipework before each winter.

 

[cjcharles]

Ok, perfect, thanks for that. Will get it sorted. What is the benefit of the Double Check (non-return)? Would ice just increase the pressure in the pipe or something somehow?

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

As newboy said, the double check valve is a legal requirement under Water Regs, to prevent water being drawn back into the supply in the event of a pressure fluctuation in the system. Follow his advice and try to arrange the external pipework so it can be drained via the tap during the winter months, and you shouldn't have a problem.