Water leak (again) on bath taps connection

[DaveHhh1]

Hi all,

Got another leak. I had a tap on the bath leaking so had them replaced last week. All was good but then noticed a slight wet bit beneath the pipes feeding the taps. I have located the leak using a tissue. I noticed tissue is wet whether tap is on or off. It's v minor but it shouldn't happen.

I think it's the circled area, when I try and hand tighten it continually turns so maybe it's threaded? What's the fix here replace or check o ring. I want to find out facts before I call plumber back.

Many thanks

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I think it's the circled area, when I try and hand tighten it continually turns so maybe it's threaded? What's the fix here replace or check o ring. I want to find out facts before I call plumber back.

They don't screw tighten, the pipes just push in, sealed by an O ring. Likely, your 'plumber' has damaged the O ring, when inserting the pipe, by not cleaning the burr off the pipe, before connecting them. I would never call anyone, who installs plastic pipes and fittings, a plumber.

 

[DaveHhh1]

Oh really that bad. Guess I've wasted my money then. What's the fix complete replacement?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

What's the fix complete replacement?

I would never allow anyone to use horrible plastic pipes in my home, nor use them myself, but your quick fix - is to remove that leaking fitting, properly clean the rough edge of the pipe, and fit a new fitting.

 

[DaveHhh1]

i hear you thanks for the feedback it makes sense. To be fair, I had a major copper pipe leak a few weaks ago as it corroded over time it was a tight fitting and these flexible pipes were used to avoid ripping everything out. But yeah, once that was fixed and the new taps installed in a new place, copper pipes should have been used. But I agree with what you are saying especially now I have a minor dripping again.

 

[Madrab]

Copper's proper but plastic can be fantastic.

Nothing wrong with using plastic IMO, it's been a tried and trusted system for a very long time and has its place. Trouble is as it's very easy to use it becomes the go to for DIY'ers and lazy plumbers and the former can end up a real mess, the latter too I guess.

Plastic can get you out of some really awkward situations and these days clients are also focussed on timescales and price - each of these go hand in hand and copper will always be more expensive to install in both time and materials. I always give the client the option these days explaining the pro's and cons. Though no reason not to use copper anytime above floor level, even if DIY'ers then use push fit couplers.

In this case though copper would have been very easy and much better to use and would have been the proper way to go. I don't know why they've used what looks to be a spigot coupler into a pushfit elbow and why it wasn't just pipe into the elbow up to the tap connector. Not sure of the make of those fittings either, cheap speedfit copies by the looks of them.

 

[foxhole]

They don't screw tighten, the pipes just push in, sealed by an O ring. Likely, your 'plumber' has damaged the O ring, when inserting the pipe, by not cleaning the burr off the pipe, before connecting them. I would never call anyone, who installs plastic pipes and fittings, a plumber.

The Cap screws down to secure and prevent them from being dismantled.

 

[DaveHhh1]

Copper's proper but plastic can be fantastic.

Nothing wrong with using plastic IMO, it's been a tried and trusted system for a very long time and has its place. Trouble is as it's very easy to use it becomes the go to for DIY'ers and lazy plumbers and the former can end up a real mess, the latter too I guess.

Plastic can get you out of some really awkward situations and these days clients are also focussed on timescales and price - each of these go hand in hand and copper will always be more expensive to install in both time and materials. I always give the client the option these days explaining the pro's and cons. Though no reason not to use copper anytime above floor level, even if DIY'ers then use push fit couplers.

In this case though copper would have been very easy and much better to use and would have been the proper way to go. I don't know why they've used what looks to be a spigot coupler into a pushfit elbow and why it wasn't just pipe into the elbow up to the tap connector. Not sure of the make of those fittings either, cheap speedfit copies by the looks of them.

This makes sense. So what I think has happened is they have reused the plastic that was there when they stopped my really bad leak. These flexible pipes were used to prevent ripping out the bath . Having said that when the taps were repositioned for easy access, the copper should have extended all the way down to those elbow joints im guessing. I have no idea as it's not something I have any experience about. Here's a picture of the copper coming out of the wall where the wall mounted taps are on the other side. You can see the plastic has been reused and that joins my first pic where the elbow joints are probably leaking.

So this is a disaster it sounds like.