Neighbours overflow pipe in attic has constant water flow

newtoboards

Our neighbours have been out of their house for the last week with no heating on. We don't know them as they are tennants and the landlord is uncontactable tonight. We can hear their water tank filling the whole time and the overflow pipe has a constant full flow out of it. It's pi**ing water out if it at the moment. We cannot turn off their water as the outside stopcock is too far down. Any suggestions?

Dunne.Drift

Onto the council & tell them its an emergancy!

Once they hear water, flooding out & being wasted they should hop up & be out to turn it off gladly!!

newtoboards

Thanks, I'll give them a call. Is there risk of damage to our house if the council can't come out? I've tried every plumber in the locality and all are either ringing out or switched off. Terrible night for this to happen.

Tom Slick

Was the water off in your area, or maybe the neighbours' supply froze?
The ballcock in their tank may have become frozen in the 'down' position & now the tank will fill constantly until it thaws.
It could be stuck in a thick layer of ice, so this could take some time.

newtoboards

Called the emergency contact for our county council and they told us there's nothing they will do because we are a private dwelling, so much for water conservation. All we need is the stupid tool to cut off the supply externally to their house and I will get some sleep tonight.

One of the unoccupied houses in the estate further down the road actually flooded from the attic down when we had the bad weather earlier in the year and the house beside it was also destroyed. The water was flowing out the walls by the time we saw the damage that had been done and neither the ESB nor the County Council would cut the electricity and water as the builder had gone awol - the Gardai ended up having to be called to get the stuff cut off. I'm so afraid the same will now happen to our house.

No our supply was not off. We have had water all through Christmas but we've been in the house constantly using our water. Our neighbours went home to Poland for the holidays and have been gone for over a week now and the lovely absent landlord is unavailable - probably out partying lucky so and so.

Tom Slick

Well at least the tank won't overflow internally but this doesn't rule out burst pipes in the house. The water should have been turned off when the occupants left.

newtoboards

Tom Slick wrote: »

Well at least the tank won't overflow internally but this doesn't rule out burst pipes in the house. The water should have been turned off when the occupants left.

To be honest I doubt the landlord even knows that they have gone home. It must be a burst pipe causing the constant flow into the tank. Our attic/pipes are really well insulated but we doubled what was up there already. Fingers crossed our house doesn't get damaged with the problems next door.

Doom

Ballcock valve is fooked( or a leak) , tank may over flow eventually if it fills faster thanks it empties, happened to me :-(

newtoboards

Haven't slept with worry. No plumbing service available after ringing every plumber in the phone book. Back trying to ring next doors landlord and hope he'll come down and turn off the water internally.

indie armada

where abouts are you, do you know anyone with a water key that can turn the mains off outside for you. i had this happen to me yesterday, a piece of grit got stuck in the ballcock valve when the water came back on but the overflow did its job.

newtoboards

I'm in Athlone. The council guy suggested a socket set but the stopcock is too far down. The landlord is our next hope. Living in a semi is not pleasent when next door sounds like there's problems

indie armada

ye could allways ask the counsil for a lend of a key, used to use a rachet and socket with an exstension bar untill i got the propper key. the valves are usually down about a foot and are difficult to get to without the right tool.

Atlantic Dawn

Woodies or Atlantic Homecare sell the shut off key, they are quite cheap, less than €10, they are in the plumbing section.

Joey the lips

You have no right to turn off anybodies water without there consent. There is an implied consent if you are acting in good faith to protect your neighbour but as you dont know them...

What you should have done is sent the council an e mail saying the water is causing a terriable slip hazard and you need something done.

There is 2 reasons the water can be leaking.

1, Is the overflow as mentioned.

2 Is the safety valve on the heating has blown and the boiler is spilling water. If the heating is sealed this will stop however if the heating has an auto fill valve fitted it will be constantly refilled and you turning off the water will cause a heating drain down.

Now as the frost has just gone this will not be a bigh problem but if it were still here you could be doing damage to the house for which you would become liable.

When the people come back they will have no water and no heat and if you dont tell them they wont know why.

You understand now why you cannot do it.,

However I understand your pain. Get yourself something like a big lump of foam and stick it on the ground where the water hits it. It muffles the sound.


The reason overflows make this sound is to p1ss people off and make them get something done about it. Its why Dublin city council was so against internal overflows on toilets.

In the next couple of years this practice will die out fast as meterd water will sort it quickly.

Buford T Justice

Plumbers merchants should be able to give you one.

Joey the lips

Fingers McGee wrote: »

Plumbers merchants should be able to give you one.

They dont open till the 2nd.

ted1

relax it'll have no effect on your house.

Buford T Justice

ted1 wrote: »

relax it'll have no effect on your house.

Potentially no, but its always a possibility.

Not to scaremonger, but if the water is filling faster than it is draining it will overflow the tank and will flood the place. Not really a problem for the neighbour except for the fact that there is the potential of water to leak through the wall and stain the walls on the far side.

I've seen this happen before.

newtoboards

Landlord returned our phone calls today and sorted it out. He agreed with us and turned off the water, there is a pipe burst but no plumber was available, so better to stop the flow. The heating was not on for the last week in the house. We have external boilers and it hasn't kicked in once. The council guy said he didn't have the key for us to borrow but suggested a socket set but the stopcock is too far down as I said already. I have seen six doors down from me what can happen when a pipe bursts and the overflow can't keep up with the flow. It damaged the adjoining house. I am worried for both houses, ours and our neighbours so my reasons to turn off the water are justified. We are going to get a key to be ready for next time if it happens again. The boiler can easily be stopped in addition to switching off the water. Thanks for the advice last night all. Really helped me out.

cubix

IF your in a managed estate your management agent will usually have a contractors list. A question for the pros, due to the possiblity of a storage tank over filling why is the overflow pipe only 20 odd mm. Point being if your ballcock failed and you have decent mains pressure would water not come in faster than it can get out the pipe??

Sparkpea

ahh burglars love to see peoples overflow running constantly, means no one is home and are likely away on hol - might as well leave the milk out and dont have anyone collect the mail

when will people learn to turn there bloody stop cocks off even if they are away for a weekend? winter and summer! anything can happen.. washing machine hose blow off, rad go into a pin hole etc.

kscobie

the jet in the ballcock is split, replaced 2 since yesterday