Mains water pipe leaking and I can't turn off stock cock--help!

[sonaldo]

Plumber has left saying he can't do a temporary fix because the water can't be fully stopped and that lead pipes aren't regulation so a temp fix isn't appropriate. Said we need to speak to Thames Water who can replace the stopcock and replace the lead pipe with a modern one.

Is that my only option or will some plumbers do a temp fix on lead pipes that are dripping a bit? Right now got no water

 

[terryplumb]

Is the lead pipe split or is it a pin hole leak ?
It's not visible in your pic.

 

[JohnD]

Was your plumber a very old man in blue overalls and a cloth cap, smoking a roll-up and with a piece of fithy moleskin cloth hanging out of his pocket? Smelling of paraffin?

I used to know people who made wiped lead joints, but they are all gone now. One of them had brain damage from the lead fumes and succumbed to early-onset dementia.

People under 80 use lead-loc and a bit of water in the pipe doesn't matter.

 

[cdbe]

You need 2 x philmac UTC couplings and a bit of pipe (anything 15mm upwards - depends what you have). This will allow a permanent DIY repair while you address (save up for) replacement of the lead pipe.

 

[Exedon]

Was your plumber a very old man in blue overalls and a cloth cap, smoking a roll-up and with a piece of fithy moleskin cloth hanging out of his pocket? Smelling of paraffin?

I used to know people who made wiped lead joints, but they are all gone now. One of them had brain damage from the lead fumes and succumbed to early-onset dementia.

People under 80 use lead-loc and a bit of water in the pipe doesn't matter.

Agree about lead-loc but I'm not yet 80 and I've wiped hundreds of joints. Still got the clamps - tampin and shave hook.
Did a upgrade site 220 houses new stop tap house got paid 4hrs each did 10 a day happy days lol, but you do finish stinking of tallow.

 

[sonaldo]

thanks all for the advice. seems like the plumber couldn't be arsed! the leak seems to have fully stopped dripping now, so maybe it was just residual water. might complain to Aspect because i paid £150 for the privilege of being left in exactly the same situation

i've got another plumber coming tomorrow and now that the leak has fully stopped hopefully they can sort it

guy from Thames Water (who confirmed that the stopcock is working) reckons i should get as much of the lead pipe replaced as possible with polypipe, then get Thames to do the rest from their side to the stopcock

if the plumber tomorrow can't do it i'll have to take the diy approach!

 

[sonaldo]

Is the lead pipe split or is it a pin hole leak ?
It's not visible in your pic.

i'd say pinhole leak

 

[terryplumb]

Good luck tomorrow, hopefully you will be sorted.

 

[JohnD]

guy from Thames Water (who confirmed that the stopcock is working) reckons i should get as much of the lead pipe replaced as possible with polypipe, then get Thames to do the rest from their side to the stopcock

Quite right

If you have access (it need not follow the same route as the old one) you can probably go all the way to your internal stopcock, and then, in future, replace your internal pipework as convenient..

25mm poly would be good

A 25mm stopcock is more expensive, but IMO worth having. If your plumber will not have one with him, you can probably pick one up on a Sunday from Screwfix or somewhere.

When I replaced an old lead pipe with poly in my old mum's house, the water flow improved dramatically (it was half inch i.d. but I think probably squashed out of round over the years). About ten metres to the stopcock by the front gate. It makes a combi, or an unvented cylinder, better, and gives you chances of a decent shower.

Try to find out if your water co has a lead replacement scheme. They might give you free or subsidised connection. 25mm all the way to the meter would be best.

 

[JohnD]

I hope you will be shovelling out some of that rubble the builders hid under the floorboards.

 

[sonaldo]

Quite right

If you have access (it need not follow the same route as the old one) you can probably go all the way to your internal stopcock, and then, in future, replace your internal pipework as convenient..

25mm poly would be good

A 25mm stopcock is more expensive, but IMO worth having. If your plumber will not have one with him, you can probably pick one up on a Sunday from Screwfix or somewhere.

When I replaced an old lead pipe with poly in my old mum's house, the water flow improved dramatically (it was half inch i.d. but I think probably squashed out of round over the years). About ten metres to the stopcock by the front gate. It makes a combi, or an unvented cylinder, better, and gives you chances of a decent shower.

Try to find out if your water co has a lead replacement scheme. They might give you free or subsidised connection. 25mm all the way to the meter would be best.

so we don't actually have an internal stop cock... only the one just outside the front door. i'm considering getting a stopcock installed just inside the front door, with a mat over a removable section of the subfloor to provide access to it

i'm with Thames Water and they do have a scheme but they require you to book an approved plumber to replace the lead piping inside the house, then they will break up the pavement etc to upgrade the pipe outside (it's literally less than a metre from my front door)

i've got some quotes of around 1k to replace the lead pipe and install the stopcock

I hope you will be shovelling out some of that rubble the builders hid under the floorboards.

so that's what i was doing when i must have inadvertenly knocked the old lead pipe to cause the leak! it was my original plan to clear it all out but i'm not sure what the point is? i've removed it around the perimeter and dwarf walls to promote airflow but didn't think removing all of it in the middle areas would make much difference?

 

[JohnD]

25mm is cheaper than 20mm today. I don't know why the stopcock are so expensive.

https://www.screwfix.com/c/heating-plumbing/mdpe/cat831580

Mine has a brass one that is much cheaper, where it converts to copper
Here's one for you

https://www.screwfix.com/p/flomasta-mdpe-stop-cock-25mm-x-25mm/36417

 

[JohnD]

i've got some quotes of around 1k to replace the lead pipe and install the stopcock

Seems like a lot, most of the effort is digging a trench, which you can do yourself if you can use a spade, but plumbers are weedy little fellows, with petal-soft hands.

 

[thomp1983]

At a grand most plumbers are probably subbing the digging to a mate with a digger.

If you pre dig the trench and then get a plumber round the quote will likely drop massively

 

[sonaldo]

the stopcock is literally outside our front door and the pipe going to it from my house is under pavement so i can't dig anything...

Thames Water have a lead pipe replacement scheme which means they'll do the bit outside the house but i have to get a Thames approved plumber to upgrade the pipe inside my house in order for them to do it. the 1k+ quotes are just to upgrade the lead pipe inside my house and install a stop cock (as well as a "check valve and drain off" but i don't know what that is)