Capping off a copper water pipe

[curiousorange]

I had my old central heating system converted to a combi. Where the immersion heater used to be, are some open pipes I'm going to saw off.

There is also another pipe which ends in a valve. Opening the valve produces water under pressure. I would like to cap this pipe further back, under the floorboards of a bedroom.

Is there a way an amateur can cap off the pipe, and be confident I won't need to rip a new fitted carpet and floorboard up in the future?

American DIY websites mention something called Sharkbyte, don't know if that applies over here.

Thanks

 

[joe-90]

Only a solder end-cap will be a permanent fix.

 

[Whitespirit66]

Do the donkey work yourself, eg. lifting floor boards, draining system, cutting pipes to where you want them capped, etc, etc.

Then, if you're not confident yourself, get a local recommended plumber to solder some caps on for you. Should only be one hour's labour.

Won't cost much, but you can put your floor boards down and sleep soundly knowing an expensive sunami won't occur!

 

[curiousorange]

Thanks. What does one hour's labour cost nowadays?

 

[seco services]

where are you ?
what day you want it done ? sunday evening won't be cheap.

 

[DIYDANDY]

Thanks. What does one hour's labour cost nowadays?

After his call out fee, + 50% extra for sucking air through his teeth, you are probably looking at over £80.00.

DIY it, you can buy a decent torch and a few end caps to practice with for less than half of what a plumber will charge.

 

[Whitespirit66]

Thanks. What does one hour's labour cost nowadays?

Yes, as Seco says, what part of Blighty are you living?

If you want to go the DIY route, some Yorkshire/solder ring caps should be easiest. If you get the kit, one of us can talk you through the process.

 

[Axel]

If you are competent and do it carefully and correctly, a push fit end cap will be fully reliable on a cleaned copper pipe. Has the advantage over soldering in that the pipe does not need to be completely dry to fit it.

 

[TicklyT]

If you are competent and do it carefully and correctly, a push fit end cap will be fully reliable on a cleaned copper pipe. Has the advantage over soldering in that the pipe does not need to be completely dry to fit it.

....until you turn the water back on, and discover you've put a 15mm push-fit on a ½" pipe.

Solder or compression fittings can usually take up the small difference in diameter, pushfit can't.

 

[curiousorange]

I just remembered that I replaced a washing-machine valve with a new one recently, no problems at all. Although I'm not sure if the end of the pipe had been shaped somehow, as I used the old 'nut' already on the pipe and just replaced the rest of the valve. Edit: actually the old olive may have been squeezed firmly onto the pipe, which stopped the old nut from coming off easily.

Is there something I can buy that's like that valve but has a cap on the end? Would the end of the pipe need shaping or would a simple cut with a pipe cutter be all I'd need to do?

 

[Bahco]

These are a doddle!

 

[curiousorange]

Does the thing illustrated have a name please, so I know what to buy?

It would be great to solve the problem with a £2 fitting rather than pay 50 times more for a plumber.

 

[seco services]

Does the thing illustrated have a name please, so I know what to buy?

compression stop end.

It would be great to solve the problem with a £2 fitting rather than pay 50 times more for a plumber.

least you can only blame yourself if it ever leaks and floods the place not
no one else. and tell the insurance it was diy job.

 

[Axel]

If you've never done a compression or solder fitting before, find someone who has and buy them a pint - it only takes a few minutes. Plenty of DIY folk, not just plumbers, can manage a simple thing like this.