Running water in pipes - cannot find leak

[crappy]

I may be wrong, but I don't think you can freeze a pipe while a significant amount of water is flowing through it.

you right - it might struggle.

 

[terryplumb]

c, thanks for taking the time to give us a much better idea of your layout. with the amount of pipework you have followed you would almost certainly see some water showing itself ,especially after 3 weeks. so you must be overlooking something .something you have ruled out . and most probably on the ground floor. you can use a long ,wide flat blade ,screwdriver as a stethoscope. put blade on pipe and handle to ear. listen at different points on pipework, its a noticeable difference when you get near the point where water is getting out .the other thing to note is isolation valves ,when you think they are off ,they are not fully off . red circular head gate valves are notorious for it. even ball o fix ( they are the ones with a slot that you put a screwdriver in and turn so the slot is across the pipe ) if its not exactly at 90 degrees to the pipe it is not fully closed . I went to a job last week ,the combi boiler pressure was over 3 bar and the relief valve opening running water outside i was told. so told him to make sure the filling loop was not open. no he said defo not I checked that. so I attended and guess what the ballofix was not quite off ,and he is a builder !!!

 

[HERTS P&D]

PM Sent.

Andy

 

[Alec_t]

The house is a semi

You're not supplying the neighbours with water perchance?

 

[ianmcd]

Definite case for Agiles listening stick

 

[Donald_diy]

Definite case for Agiles listening stick

Has he got a special tool for listening ?

 

[ianmcd]

Tony Agile has a special tool for everything

 

[crappy]

o you must be overlooking something

Entirely agree with you. That is what is frustrating me. While I am in IT for work I am more than happy to replace a car engine or fly a plane (I can knit too ) This is now simply annoying me

you can use a long ,wide flat blade ,screwdriver as a stethoscope

When this first started my wife walked into the house to see me with a plastic rod in my ear and the other end shoved against the pipework. She was most confused....

Outcome of that was that I can hear the hiss from the internal stopcock but it fades away as I move further away. I cannot hear anything new as I move away.
Will try with the screwdriver and see if it is any better.

the other thing to note is isolation valves ,when you think they are off ,they are not fully off

A point - I might have "mostly" shut them off. will redo the test.
One thing though, the hiss does not change at all. If I closed a valve 90% of the way then it would change the flow slightly and there should be a reduction? Nonetheless, I will try everything again

You're not supplying the neighbours with water perchance?

I've already asked if they have a sudden new fountain in their house. Assures me not.

Off to poke around some more...

 

[crappy]

Just so you're all sure that I am not imagining this.... here is a recording of the water.
The phone is in contact with the stopcock so it recorded it quite well and sounds exaggerated.
https://www.landcruiserclub.net/water.ogg

 

[ianmcd]

I am a gas engineer not a plumber, when we try to locate a gas escape, we isolate all appliance then if the leak is still evident then we isolate each leg of pipe work one at a time until the drop stops, or in your case the water meter and hissing stops, as already advised freezing kit is unlikely to work if water is flowing, for want of a better answer I would get some Ballowfix or isolation valves and isolate every leg and that will narrow it down

 

[crappy]

Ballowfix or isolation valves and isolate every leg

Might go an get some of those today. I can shut it all off and just put them all over in the hopes

 

[ianmcd]

That would be my move hope you get to the bottom of it, come back and let us know how you got on.

http://www.screwfix.com/p/isolating-valve-15mm-10-pack/32802

 

[Ian H]

Is your meter in with your external stoptap or is it an internal meter?

 

[terryplumb]

is that noise like that all day and night ,must be driving you mad. when you turn on cold kitchen tap ,part on, does the noise disappear /get louder change tone ?

 

[crappy]

In fairness, it's quite soft. The recording hugely exaggerates the noise.

When you turn on the kitchen tap it increases slightly.

Update: dude coming round tomorrow to look and fix.
Noise unchanged, meter still ticking

External meter Ian.