Help! Bathroom pipe squirting everywhere!

[GretchenFranklin]

Came back this morning pipe upstairs going bananas, water going through ceiling downstairs.

I know literally nothing about plumbing but I know to turn the little screw round and the water has stopped.

Is the water building up somewhere in the pipes and will the house likely to explode like a burst dam? What should I do?

Call a plumber out. If you are worried, turn the supply off at the stop cock in the house or the one in the street.

I'm waiting for a call from the plumber, but know idea how long it will take. I don't know where the stop cock is

Under the kitchen sink, under the stairs maybe or next to the water meter? Time to find these things out.

No the water won't be building up and you've done exactly the right thing by turning the valve off. Have a look under your kitchen sink if you want to find the stopcock, it's often there.

"Is the water building up somewhere in the pipes and will the house likely to explode like a burst dam?"

No.

Also call your insurance company. They may have a panel of approved plumbers.

If water is coming through a ceiling, poke a hole in it with a skewer or screwdriver and put a bucket underneath for the water to run out. It is easy to fill a little hole, not se easy if the ceiling falls down.

Resolve to find out where your stopcocks are. There is usually one under or near where the sink used to be when the house was built, and one outside, typically next to where the front gate used to be when the house was built. Some idiot may have paved over it. There may also be one in the pavement outside your house. It may have been tarmacked over. If you have a water meter it has a stopcock that can be operated with a T-shaped handle that comes out of the side, facing up. If the handle is missing ask your water company for one.

Stopcocks have T shaped handles, not rings or knobs. They are not the same as ordinary taps, and will work even if old and worn or if the jumper has come loose. They are a different shape. The moving parts can usually be replaced even if it is a hundred years old.

When you open a stopcock, don't wind it hard up against its stop or it will jam. Wind it fully open, then half a turn down.

The best time to find your stopcocks and practice turning them is when there is not an emergency.

Thank you both. Is it safe for me to go to work? The plumber could show me these things (if he ever calls)?

Piglet thankyou didn't see your instructions. Reading through now.

it would be a lot safer if you found and turned off the stopcock first.

Do you have a tank in the loft?

yes there is

I've tried to use the one in the street but it's full of water and just rummaging about with it blindly. I think the stop cock is under the floorboard somewhere near the door (does that sound likely?) looking now.

the one in the street has filled up with rainwater.

You can bale it out with a cup or ladle. This is a bit tedious.

I have also used a child's squirty water gun that is designed to suck up water from a bucket.

I don't suppose you've got an Aquavac.

p.s.

you have a tank in the loft.

In the event of a leak, it might be that it is supplied from the tank.

You can minimise the amount of water that can leak by turning off the stopcock, and also running the bathtaps until they stop. This will empty the loft tank. It won't work unless you have already turned off the supply.

It doesn't empty the hot water cylinder, and there is no need, because of the way they work.

What a fun day!

As for the internal stopcock, there is a faint chance it might be under the hall floor, probably close to where the front door used to be when the house was built. Any sensible person would provide a small trapdoor that is easy to see and to lift. A buffoon will nail it down and fix carpet or laminate on top.

No I can use an old washing up bottle. So, I turn the stopcock to close it right? like turning off a tap?

yes

it screws downward like a tap.

Righty tighty lefty loosey

Gosh thanks so much everyone.

piglet or anyone! ...one last panicky question.The plumber won't come till Monday - should I buy some kit from BandQ to temp stop the leak?

Don't know.

Post lots of photos of the leak, the thing you have turned off to stop it, and tell us what no longer works (turning something off has presumably stopped the supply to one or more taps, WCs or tanks.)

have you phoned the insurer yet?

That's a rusty old pipe

plus the little thingy I turned.

Just the one tap doesn't work - the one connected to the pipe I switched off.

I have a plumber recommended to me, but you think this is an insurance matter? There doesn't seem to much ceiling damage downstairs.

So so grateful for all this advice.

the snake-like thing is, I presume, a flexible braided tap connector.

Does it supply the cold tap in the bathroom basin?

They are somewhat prone to bursting or leaking. The one(s) on the other taps are probably the same age and the same make so it would be a wise precaution to change them all. The bath taps and WCs may be connected with the same things.

The outside braid should be knitted from stainless steel wire so it should not go rusty. A lot of cheap stainless comes from China now and quality control is poor.

The insurance co will cover the cost of repairing damage caused by EOW, though not of repairing the pipe. But because they have an interest in minimising damage, they will usually come and stop the water coming out. Often they can get a plumber round quicker than you can yourself.

Yes it's to the cold tap, you're right the snake to the hot tap doesn't look too clever either.

I will phone the insurers.

Given what you can see do you think it will be safe to leave for when I can get plumber to it?

probably

the cold tap is probably supplied at higher pressure than the hot (there are regional variations around the UK) so more likely to burst.
(this only applies if you have a loft tank)
you can tell by putting your thumb on the spout of the hot tap to see if you can stop the flow, then on the cold tap

this company supplies UK-made connectors which are likely to be better than the cheap ones in the sheds. They say "Good flexible hoses will have the red band through the braid (some makers have black and blue to signify WRAS approval) also generally the larger bore hoses have a thicker internal hose and so giving them better durability, although they will still develop leaks over time if they are kinked or strained."

Kinking is likely if the hose is twisted during fitting, or if it is too long and is squashed into place with a sharp bend.