Browse Forums DIY, Home Maintenance & Repair 1 Sep 12, 2019 2:36 pm Hi there, the pipe connecting to our water tank recently started leaking / dripping. I believe this pipe is only active when there are enough water to be pumped to the house for use. It hasn't been used recently as there are not enough water in the tank due to little rain (I'm in Brisbane). Just wondering what is causing the leak and if this is an easy fix for myself (or should in contact a plumber?) Thanks Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Re: Water tank pipe leak 2Sep 12, 2019 3:07 pm Any chance of a couple of photos from above? Is there a mains water switching device above the tank that also connects to the mains water and a submersible pump? I suspect that the water leak is mains water. It looks like they have used copper pipe to transfer rainwater. Rainwater is naturally acidic and reacts with copper. Is the leak coming from a copper pipe? Before you contact a plumber, you need to understand the issues because a plumber probably wont know unless you know a good one. 3in1 Supadiverta. Rainwater Harvesting Best Practice using syphonic drainage. Cleaner Neater Smarter Cheaper Supa Gutter Pumper. A low cost syphonic eaves gutter overflow solution. Re: Water tank pipe leak 4Sep 12, 2019 5:19 pm Thanks for the quick reply. I was hoping to see what those pipes connected to but there has to be a mains water switching device. Can you tell where the leak originates? Is it from a pipe or a brass fitting? A leaking brass fitting will be a compression fitting that has been overtightened, kinking the inside ring. To remove the pipe, you first need to turn the mains water and the isolation (ball) valve off and depressurise the system (open some taps). You then undo the compression nut and slide the ring off the pipe. You cannot use a compression ring twice, you will have to buy a new one. You then slide the new ring over the pipe, push the pipe into the fitting and do up the compression nut (but DO NOT overtighten). Legally, only a licensed plumber can work on the mains water supply and fixing a leak will be a simple task. If you get a plumber, there are other things that you should ask him to check while he is there. 1. The copper pipe diverting water into the house should be lagged because it is in full sun. This is covered in AS/NZS 3500.1 Section 2.3(b) and 2.4(d). Also, the Plumbing Regulations state: “Drinking water that is not intentionally heated must be delivered at a temperature of less than 40 degrees Celsius”. You can lag this pipe yourself. 2. I am assuming that you also have a submersible pump. Many submersible pumps draw water from intakes at the bottom of the pump and these pumps should be isolated from the tank's floor so that they don't vacuum sediment. If you can see the bottom of the tank and if the floor is clean around the pump, it is vacuuming the floor and needs to be isolated on a platform above the floor. A cut down upside down milk crate or similar is good because it doesn't allow a sediment build up like a solid flat surface does. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ 3in1 Supadiverta. Rainwater Harvesting Best Practice using syphonic drainage. Cleaner Neater Smarter Cheaper Supa Gutter Pumper. A low cost syphonic eaves gutter overflow solution. Re: Water tank pipe leak 7Sep 13, 2019 12:39 pm The compression ring at the mains water line's ball valve almost certainly is the problem and a plumber wouldn't be there more than 1/2 hour of which only minutes would be spent on the repair if it is what I suspect. Always ask if a call out fee is applicable and how much as well as the minimum time charged and how the time is charged before you book a plumber. You don't want a plumber to be doing a simple job if they have a 1 or 2 hour minimum charge and/or charge by 1/2 or 1 hour blocks. I have found a simple You Tube video for you that shows the compression ring. If it is a kinked ring, it is easy to replace but remember to turn the mains water off at the meter and depressurise the water pipe before you start unscrewing things. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KR9cQwnnHXw 3in1 Supadiverta. Rainwater Harvesting Best Practice using syphonic drainage. Cleaner Neater Smarter Cheaper Supa Gutter Pumper. A low cost syphonic eaves gutter overflow solution. DIY, Home Maintenance & Repair We have a hot water copper pipe that runs from our hot water unit on one side of our house under a concrete slab to our bathroom and laundry...old house so not ideal. The… 0 2730 If you make sure all taps inside and out are turned off, what does the water meter show if you leave it for a while. 2 16135 Hi all, I am hoping someone has some ideas as to what is causing my bathroom leak. The leaking appears to mainly happen when we turn the sink basins on. It takes a while… 0 4011 |