Outside loo burst lead pipe

teabelly

The lead pipe on the outside loo has decided to burst. It's flooded the neighbour's garden. The pipe was insulated. It has failed before the stop-male-hen (!) so you can't turn the water off! How do you stop it leaking? Is it ok to dig down a bit and cut off the pipe altogether and use a lead lock thing to cap it off? Obviously the stop !!!! for the house or perhaps half the street would need to be located before this could be done.....

A friend of mine has managed to bend the pipe so that it is pouring water straight into the toilet pan rather than everywhere else.

Is it possible for a normal diy capable person to use one of these leadlock things if you can get the right size and find the stop !!!! in the road?? What do you need to cut through it?

I'm fed up of 2010 already

ormus

the normal method is to bash the end of the pipe (use two hammers) over so that it seals itself. easy to do with a lead pipe.
you effectively weld the pipe shut.

then get a real proper plumber in. cause the cowboys dont know how to fix a lead pipe.

teabelly

If you hammer the end over is there a risk of the pipe breaking further down? At the moment it is draining into the toilet pan but if it breaks further down then it will be an emergency as there won't be enough to reach.

keystone

Yes use a lead lock but make sure you get the correct "weight" lead lock. They are supplied according to the weight of the lead. Typically use 6/7lb for half inch and 9 lb for 3/4 inch.

This won't cap it off though. You'll need a length of copper in the other end of the lead lock with a stop end on that.

HTH

Cheers

keystone

ormus wrote: »

the normal method is to bash the end of the pipe (use two hammers) over so that it seals itself. easy to do with a lead pipe.
you effectively weld the pipe shut.

Indeed and then wipe the joint that will still remain in the centre. But the skill of wiping a lead joint has very nearly disappeared. This method still might not work with mains pressure behind it.

then get a real proper plumber in. cause the cowboys dont know how to fix a lead pipe.

Quite.

Cheers

SailorSam

In an emergency you can do a temporary repair by cutting open an old tin can and putting it around the pipe with a couple of jubilee clips.
But now that you've bent the pipe, can you straighten it again ?

teabelly

Wish I'd thought of a tin can!!! Had some jubilee clips somewhere too. Darn. It's so obvious when you think about it.

Luckily I know an old school plumber so hopefully if I can actually get hold of him then he can sort it tomorrow. If he can't I'll be sacrificing a tin of beans and some jubilee clips