Weeping joint on rising main

Avoriaz

The elbow joint between the stopc0ck and pressure valve is weeping very slightly. It is only about a table spoon a day but clearly needs fixing. The plumbing is ten years old in a house built in 2004.



I see my options, in descending order of difficulty as

1) Replace the joint
2) Attempt to remake the joint with a blowtorch
3) Use a leak repair putty or similar product

I want a permanent solution. Is there a repair product that will do a proper job and withstand mains pressure indefinitely or do I need to repair or replace the joint?

Is there any point trying to repair the joint by heating it up with a blowtorch and hoping the solder re-flows into the leaking area?

Replacing the joint is easy enough for me to DIY but if I can get away with a putty or sealant repair that would be preferable.

Thanks.

Ignore the apparent leak in the pressure display. I took that picture 3 years ago when we bought the house and replaced the then leaking pressure display.


PS: Is that fitting between the leaking joint and the stopc0ck a Non Return valve?

cyclonebri1

Avoriaz wrote: »

The elbow joint between the stopc0ck and pressure valve is weeping very slightly. It is only about a table spoon a day but clearly needs fixing. The plumbing is ten years old in a house built in 2004.



I see my options, in descending order of difficulty as

1) Replace the joint
2) Attempt to remake the joint with a blowtorch
3) Use a leak repair putty or similar product

Is there a repair product that will do a proper job and withstand mains pressure indefinitely or do I need to repair or replace the joint?

Is there any point trying to repair the joint by heating it up with a blowtorch and hoping the solder re-flows into the leaking area?

Replacing the joint is easy enough for me to DIY but if I can get away with a putty or sealant repair that would be preferable.

Thanks.

Ignore the apparent leak in the pressure display. I took that picture 3 years ago when we bought the house and replaced the then leaking pressure display.


PS: Is that fitting between the leaking joint and the stopc0ck a Non Return valve?

You have answered your own question.

The leak is situated between 2 union joints, so disconnect at each end and replace the top elbow and 2 short spigots that again are into a compression fitting.

1 elbow and a bit of 22mm reqd

Now, the only worry is the fact that you had to ask???
To anyone with the skills to fix this it's a no brainer, (without offence), so you may need a plumber to help you out.

Avoriaz

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

..

Now, the only worry is the fact that you had to ask???
To anyone with the skills to fix this it's a no brainer, (without offence), so you may need a plumber to help you out.

No offence taken.

I have enough skills to replace the joint as I have successfully done some basic plumbing with both compression and Yorkshire joints. I'd use a plumber for complex work but I am capable of doing this small and simple job.

What I don't know, and the main purpose of my thread, is if a repair putty will do just as good a job.

I don't want to fudge a temporary repair but, if there is a product that will do a decent repair that will last indefinitely that would be my choice.

cyclonebri1

Avoriaz wrote: »

No offence taken.

I have enough skills to replace the joint as I have successfully done some basic plumbing with both compression and Yorkshire joints. I'd use a plumber for complex work but I am capable of doing this small and simple job.

What I don't know, and the main purpose of my thread, is if a repair putty will do just as good a job.

I don't want to fudge a temporary repair but, if there is a product that will do a decent repair that will last indefinitely that would be my choice.

The bold bits;

1) Then do it

2) maybe, but you will worry forever

3) then don't, remove the suspect elbow

bottom line you think putty is a fudge, well yeah, you are right it is.


You can solder, yeah?,

elbow £1 tops, metre pipe £5 tops. what is the issue???????????

HHarry

Leave the repair putty at B&Q and do it properly.

A bit of pipe, some new olives and an elbow and you're set. Although I think you'll have to use a soldered elbow, I'm not sure you'll get a compression elbow in there.

DaftyDuck

Got a bending spring, or borrow one? That'd even get rid of the join altogether. I'm 100% convinced I'd replace it. Remake joint? Difficult, potential to damage pressure valve. Repair putty? Not reliable, and would probably cost quite a bit. Replace pipe, either with elbow or by bending pipe, cheap, particularly if you have a bit (prolly not, OK) or ask on Freecycle for 25cm bit from some kind soul.... permanent solution, probably quickest, possibly cheapest.

Avoriaz

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

The bold bits;

1) Then do it

2) maybe, but you will worry forever

3) then don't, remove the suspect elbow

bottom line you think putty is a fudge, well yeah, you are right it is.


You can solder, yeah?,

elbow £1 tops, metre pipe £5 tops. what is the issue???????????

The issue is partly that, if I have to solder, that means finding my blowtorch, which is still buried in one of many boxes still in the shed unpacked after our move three years ago, and hoping there is enough gas left in the canister.

Do I have enough space to get a section of new pipe with a 90 degree bend, cut it to size and replace the entire section from pressure valve to non return valve (or whatever that fitting might be) without using any joint. I'll get new olives for the compression joints if required.

I'm a bit surprised the original plumber didn't fit the pressure valve an inch or so higher. That would have made it easy to fit a section of pipe bent by 90 degrees rather than using two short pieces of pipe and an elbow.

Avoriaz

DaftyDuck wrote: »

Got a bending spring, or borrow one? That'd even get rid of the join altogether. I'm 100% convinced I'd replace it. Remake joint? Difficult, potential to damage pressure valve. Repair putty? Not reliable, and would probably cost quite a bit. Replace pipe, either with elbow or by bending pipe, cheap, particularly if you have a bit (prolly not, OK) or ask on Freecycle for 25cm bit from some kind soul.... permanent solution, probably quickest, possibly cheapest.

Thanks DaftyDuck, our posts crossed.

Yes, I have a few ancient bending springs but they are, like the blowtorch, as yet unpacked.

I'm sure I can get a piece of pipe bent to 90 degrees from a friend or an obliging local plumbing supplies shop. (or I might get lucky if I pass a skip with an offcut in it). I do know where my pipe cutter and spanners etc are so that is what I shall do. Or alternatively I will just buy some pipe and a compression elbow. I think there is just about enough room for one. If not I can move the pressure valve up by an inch.

I had my doubts that repair putty would be viable but I thought it would be worth checking.


Thanks everyone for your advice. :beer:

cyclonebri1

Avoriaz wrote: »

The issue is partly that, if I have to solder, that means finding my blowtorch, which is still buried in one of many boxes still in the shed unpacked after our move three years ago, and hoping there is enough gas left in the canister.

Do I have enough space to get a section of new pipe with a 90 degree bend, cut it to size and replace the entire section from pressure valve to non return valve (or whatever that fitting might be) without using any joint. I'll get new olives for the compression joints if required.

I'm a bit surprised the original plumber didn't fit the pressure valve an inch or so higher. That would have made it easy to fit a section of pipe bent by 90 degrees rather than using two short pieces of pipe and an elbow.

No you don't you simply do what the original bloke did and use an elbow;)

The reason I asked if you could solder had two edges, could you and can you? find the gas then you can answer yes to both.

Avoriaz

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

No you don't you simply do what the original bloke did and use an elbow;)....

It would be useful if you could give the reason for that.

Is there something wrong with bending a pipe through 90 degrees, provided the radius is large enough not to cause a problem?

I have seen plenty of plumbing with pipes with similar 90 degree bends. Is that bad practice?

Ruski

And while you're at it put in a drainoffcock as you have no way of draining the pipe as it stands

HTH

Russ