Leaks in domestic plumbing systems have a nasty habit
of happening at the most inconvenient of times, often when it isnt possible to
carry out a proper permanent repair. What you need is a plumbing emergency
first aid kit, and there are now several proprietary products available that
will at least enable you to make a temporary repair and get the water flowing
again.
With any leak, the vital first step is to stop the
flow of water. Even a small leak can create a surprisingly large pool of water
in no time. Stopping the flow in any pipe is relatively easy provided that you
know the locations of the various stop-taps or valves that isolate parts of
your water system, or cut it off completely from the mains supply.
Water comes into the house through a pipe known as the
rising main, and because water in this pipe(and others leading from it) is
under mains pressure, leaks from it will be particularly serious. It enters the
house underground, and from there leads either to all the cold taps and a water
heating system, or to just the cold tap in the kitchen and to a cold water
storage tank.
Leaks can result from a number of causes. Pipework may
have been forced or strained at some point, resulting in a leak atone of the
fittings connecting the lengths of pipe together, or in a fracture at a bend.
Corrosion within pipes may lead to pinholes in pipe
lengths, while frost damage can lead to bursts and splits in pipes and to leaks
at fittings caused by ice forcing the fitting open. Whatever the cause
, cutting
off the water supply to the affected pipe is the first vital step.