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Dear Plumbers

Recently my hot water cylinder was leaking from the return pipe, a council plumber tried to tighten the check nut but the pipe broke and the contents of the tank poured through my living room cieling.

Does anybody know of the correct procedure when encounting this problem. I.e. should the plumber drain the cylinder first?

Also 6 months previously the thermostat was not working and the hot water tank started to boil, could this of effected the leak to the return pipe.

I do not know the age of the cylinder but its rather old.

I hope some one can answer my questions, if you require any extra info please dont hesitate in asking

Kind Regards

If he was just trying to tighten a nut, it doesnt sound unreasonabke for hiim not to have drained the cylinder first...... sounds like a bit of bad luck if the nut broke the pipe...... if it was the return pipe it wouldnt have been the cylinder contents, but the CH water in the primaries, that would have leaked.

A boiling cylinder is unlikely to have affected the previous problem if you have copper piping...... It must have been a immersion heater that caused the boil over anyway - I presume you have one?

I could understand if the cylinder connection was seriously corroded or he was overly keen with a monkey wrench, tightening the nut could shear off the end of the heating coil. This would not only allow the primary water to pour out, but so would most of the cylinder's contents. Lots of water, and no way of stopping it.

Depending on what he was trying to do, maybe the heating should be drained, but not necessarily the cylinder. I did the exact repair several months ago and I did not drain down. Saw no reason to. I was aware of the possibilities, but felt experienced enough to gauge the maximum strain the fitting would take. Copper cylinders are thin and not very strong. Maybe he was unlucky.

Draining down is cumbersome and time consuming and can cause other problems.

Hi amfne2008,

any cylinder over a few years old will brake if you mess with any of the flanges, the thin copper wall is not designed to be messed with and will buckle, if it is leaking ? would you open a door if there is water flowing from under it?

Hope they paid to repair it and the rest of the damage!

Regards

Skids

Thank you to everybody who have took the time to reply.

The council claim that it was not there fault and the plumber took reasonable steps to stop the leak so they refuse to pay out.

All the water in the cylinder did pour out the tank ruining my living room, i just think that with it being an old tank it should of been drained first so that there was no possibility of the leak worsening.

Although it was bad luck im sure the council should take on the chin and pay out just for the floor, walls and roof.

Anyway im really gratefull for your replys

Thank you

is this a council house then? are you not insured?

[quote="nitro23456"]is this a council house then? are you not insured?[/quote]

Insurance was on the todo list :roll:

ah

I just thought if its local authority, its in their best interests and obligation to put right the ceiling etc.