Pipe burst over ceiling

Tar.Aldarion

Woke to fire alarm last night. Went downstairs and there was no fire, however what I can only describe as a waterfall was coming through my kitchen ceiling, burst pipe. Water going through lights, fire alarm, down walls, floor soaking.

Eventually got mains turned off, boiler and all pipes drained, water removed. Fire alarm off. Took an hour as it wouldn't come loose, and it had all the other alarms going off, head ringing from it.

New build house. Trying to figure out do i need to hire a dehumidifier or not while i wait on plumber, or anything else I should do? Contact insurance?

Wood floor looks normal now so don't know, walls dried, so just the ceiling looking ​​​wet. Would the floor survive an hour or two wet, or be resistant? Or would I need to hire one?

Wearb

Contact insurance. Certainly get a loss adjuster.

Tar.Aldarion

Plumber is a legend and has been out now for a few hours. Floor seems dry and there is underfloor heating, so seems that should be grand and no dehumidifier needed. He opened up the ceiling and found the leak randomly first try, he's been amazed for the last hour - fair play to him. Popped that pipe back in and tightened it. Everything back working, lights etc, just leaving fire alarm to dry out. Ceiling may dry out fine, and try and remove the stains will see. He's been some man helping me for hours, and isn't charging me for his part, back in to check on it next week, and to replumb boiler and fix shower. Did find out there's a ton of mice in the attic though, feck sake.

https://i.imgur.com/LqxqyRR.jpg

Wearb

I think using concealed fittings isn't the norm in modern plumbing.

Is current plumber also the original one?

Tar.Aldarion

Original plumber yes, was built a year ago, how do you mean concealed vs not concealed? That he had to go through the ceiling? I think that was because this is directly below the shower/bathroom.

Wearb

Even though it means more piping, its better to avoid having any pipe joints in inaccessible places.

Are there inserts in those pipes? A clear picture of the end of the pipe that blew off would reveal it's presence or absence.

Tar.Aldarion

I get you, they should have then. No idea as the plumber has it all back working now, so will keep an eye on it.

DublinDilbert

Hard to believe the olive slipped off the end of the pipe, normally they really bite into the pex. There doesn't even appear to be a mark on the pipe where you would expect the olive to sit. Looking at the photo there doesn't seem to be an insert inside the pipe, unless it is a coper one with a very small lip.

Tar.Aldarion

It wasn't completely out like that, this pic was after he was taking it out to look and have a fix of it, so not sure what state it was in, or if there is an insert. What's the insert for? No idea about any of this.

Lenar3556

Hard to understand how that went from not leaking to completely come apart like that.

Looks like it was never tightened. friction and whatever bit of jointing compound held until now.

Good to hear you have got away relatively lightly. I would suggest change the smoke alarm. (Not just try and dry it)

greasepalm

Qualpex have an insert to stop pipes from coming apart and now question the other fittings lack of.

https://www.screwfix.ie/p/floplast-mdpe-pipe-inserts-25mm-10-pack/14371?tc=AI7&gclid=Cj0KCQiA5NSdBhDfARIsALzs2EAzlS-92StzH_kDxpApkXR5Qq72K1bgg60HLH4KO7mkboX5aJYcItkaAum9EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Tar.Aldarion

think i should probably still get a dehumidifier in the morning, couple hundred quid vs possible replacing a lot of flooring. Will ask about the inserts thanks!

Yeah I wouldn't want the smoke alarm to fail because of this. Though from the tinnitus not even water can stop it haha.

greasepalm

How new is the build as i would be wanting answers to why this has happened and how much water was on the floor and did the plasterboard get wet , might mold set in ? If you have wood underwater things might start to bulge funny.

As said before get someone in to see the damage , take photos loads of photos as what we might not see they will know will happen at a latter date.

I would also like to hear from plumber when system is drained down the other connections have inserts and are good or will happen again will be another nightmare indeed

Jinglejangle69

Yeah wouldn’t be confident of the rest of the plumbing in your house going forward sorry.

Definitely be getting a second opinion.

Tar.Aldarion

Thanks guys, I'm going to ask about the inserts. can you tell if there is a pipe insert in it if it's all put together? or is it something you just see before you connect it in?

I hired an industrial dehumidifier for a week now.

Common problem in new-builds where pipes are not being connected properly. Builders don't have to be thorough in this day and age.

greasepalm

No you wont see it as its pushed into the pipe but looking at photo of pipe no black end of pipe as its seen on a pipe if there.

If Other connections dont have it i could see trouble ahead and only a matter of time until something else blows.

That fitting wont be seen in a connection and only seen when disconected

Only a 1yr old not good enough and be chasing builder up as not to specs or purpose.

Not sure if need a solicictor ?

Tar.Aldarion

Thanks, I'm going to ask him about it, he may well have taken out the insert before I took that photo as he was in the middle of fixing things, or it wasn't there and they need to be added. I'll check it out.

DublinDilbert

There would be no real need to take the insert out or the olive off the end of the pipe. Unless he decided to cut a little bit off the end of the pipe to give a fresh surface to clamp on to, but it looks like 3/4", so you probably wouldn't be able to cut a bit off the end as the pipe would be too short. If it was me i would definitely be interested in what happened, to make sure it won't happen again.

Tar.Aldarion

For sure, when he is back in I want to question about it happening again and how to prevent it, bring up inserts then to see.

10-10-20

Oh - and if you go down the dehumidifier route then just remember to take out the humidity gradually. If you run the dehumidifier too hard you'll cup/bow the wood and plasterboard as you'll dry off one side while the other is still wet. Makes for an interesting look when the sun shines.

Tar.Aldarion

Ah right, maybe I should leave it off at night then, and on during the day. It's been a beast so far. Humidity went from 74 to 50 in a couple of hours and temp in room raised to 25 degrees.

DublinDilbert

Also the fact the nut is still on the compression fitting, one would assume that the olive is still inside this fitting.

I've seen shark bite fittings work their way off, but never a compression fitting. I'm not a professional plumber, but have done plenty. I never really use shark bit fittings, my preferred method is using compression fittings with qualpex and usually solder copper if possible.

Tar.Aldarion

I was wondering what that thing was I found, apparently an "olive", I assume he put in a new one but I have one lying around now, must ask about that too. I see those shark bite fittings can have a pipe insert built into them?

greasepalm

The olive on pipes will only work if they compress against a solid object and remembering years ago having 2 sizes of copper pipe 1/2 and 13mm and olives loose on one and tight on the other.

In your case the pipe shrunk as there was no insert and the olive could not compress it and became disconnected and flooded underneath.

If that olive fitted on pipe it might have been reused??