Uncapping Outside Tap-plumbing. How,please?

ampersand

I'm back from 3 months away-a neighbour advises thatmy outside tap froze then 'burst' on 3 March. An unknown plumber came and left a note saying the tap is 'capped off'. I am now wanting to use it again but am not sure what to do. There is a white plastic 2-part stopper thing in the flexihose which is now disconnected from the tap. It fits tight into a metal ring which remains in the hose. The white stopper's outer section turns fairly easily round the inner, but does not unscrew as I first thought it would. How can I restore my outside water supply please? Apologies if this is badly(girl-ily) explained.
Many thanks if you can help - I have a very fair selection of tools: spanners, wrenches etc.

robowen

A picture of the fitting would be a help :think:
I think you might be describing a push-fit fitting :think: if so, there is an inner ring on the fitting. You have to push this ring in at the same time as pulling the fitting off the pipe.
Make sure the pipe has no pressure in the pipe when you try to get the fitting off. The pressure of the water clamps the fitting onto the pipe. Turn off the water supply and open a tap, then try to get the fitting off.

Sometimes push fit fittings have a locking gland / collar on them. Unturn the collar anti-clockwise 1/2 turn, push inner ring and pull off fitting.

rob

bruce2110

sounds like you have a push-fit cap on the pipe...

if you look at the cap, the outer part turns round, and then there is a white ring that fits very tightly around the pipe

if you have a decent grip and some finger nails, place the palm of your hand on the top of the cap, slightly push the white cap in towards the pipe, then using your fingers and nails grip the tight ring around pipe and push it into the the cap then twist the cap at the same time and hopefully it should twist off...

just make sure the water supply is switched off before removing cap!

hth!

Bruce2110

bruce2110

beat me to it this time rob

Bruce2110

plumb1_2

Have we forgot about the burst pipe?

ampersand

I am so grateful to you, robowen and bruce2110 - am just about to print your replies out then venture forth...shall advise happy outcome hopefully. Thankyou both so muchI

ampersand

Back again...part-success, in that white plastic cap is now off. I followed your instructions exactly and managed after a few tries and gripping cap with pliers while exerting pressure against wall. I had some difficulty re-opening the mains - stiff, as it had been initially in attempting to close it off - but managed with pliers. Next, I re-inserted the outside hose into the tap fitting, BUT(you may have guessed a 'But' was on the way)only a very little trickle was forthcoming when the tap was turned on, although water rushes from the external flexihose if it is NOT pushed back into the tap. My only way of stopping this flow now is to turn off the mains again, which denies me indoor water. Where next please?

ampersand

plumb1 wrote:

Have we forgot about the burst pipe?

Hello plumb, thankyou for responding too - I'm now wondering if this is what was meant by 'burst'? I wasn't here to see what happened exactly. Also wonder if I need to just let it run until pressure diminishes of its own accord,if that has built up somewhere; being metered means I do not want to run water unnecessarily. The kitchen is not large and the outside tap is immediately below the kitchen window,thus in close proximity to internal sink and washing machine plumbing.

plumb1_2

ampersand wrote:

Hello plumb, thankyou for responding too - I'm now wondering if this is what was meant by 'burst'? I wasn't here to see what happened exactly. Also wonder if I need to just let it run until pressure diminishes of its own accord,if that has built up somewhere; being metered means I do not want to run water unnecessarily. The kitchen is not large and the outside tap is immediately below the kitchen window,thus in close proximity to internal sink and washing machine plumbing.

You may have a problem with the outside tap, best thing todo is unscrew it from the backplate and see if there is a blockage, you will need a roll of PTFE tape to rescrew the tap back in.

robowen

I've been to plenty where they have fitted a self cutting tap similar to this.
If they are not screwed in enough, the flow of water is poor. Screw them in too far and the copper disc thats cut when fitting , detaches itself and get jammed in the tap causing a blockage.

rob

ampersand

Thankyou again plumb1 and robowen -
Set alarm for 2am in order to bid on e-bay for sth in Canada, only to find servers had inexplicably swapped. I finally discovered problem seconds too late and am now wide awake and fiddling about sorting out other things on my endless list.
Finding further help from you both mitigates frustration somewhat.
I finally re-capped tap with the (shaky)confidence of one who has succeeded in undoing it once...and will manage again. Tap was a cheapie(but not as cheap as those on the Fixit site!) from Homebase, if memory serves, installed a year ago by competent brother of neighbour. I looked and poked with kebab spear to ascertain blockage, but none is apparent, so shall resume efforts after buying some tape later today.
I really appreciate your kindness and patience in helping me - maybe I can reciprocate some day via this excellent site(I do post Tesco misprices)but you both sound very able and unlikely to need sewing/translation skills. Ah well -