We have walked up and down from the tank to the flat and house umpteen times, looking for wet patches on the ground which would be a clear indication of a leak, however with the rains we have had, and fairly heavy rains too, it has been difficult to detect because the ground is generally damp. Finally on Sunday morning, Johan's observant eye noticed a patch close to the house that looked more damp than the surrounding soil...aha...it could be the leak I was sure we had.
Thank goodness Johan asked Bongani to come and help clean up in the bird room over the weekend, so when he was finished with that he started digging. Well Johan's observation was correct and at the 'T' joint leading to the house, the connection had broken and once dug open was spraying water quite fiercely. Bongani first wrapped the pipes in plastic to try and stop the flow and then found a stick which he stuck in the side where the water leads from the tank, to close it off.
Next thing was to find a piece of water pipe of the same size!!!!!!
We have replaced many lengths of pipe over the years, all of which are different widths and thicknesses so there are loads of spare pieces lying around, but alas, none were the size we needed this time round. This piece for some unknown reason is small in comparison...but as they say here - 'n boer maak 'n plan'...or 'a farmer makes a plan' - and Johan managed to find an offcut of metal pipe that is the same size. For the interim it is fine and one day we will end up replacing everything with all the same size pipe...all of it plastic to stop corrossion.
The leak is gone...we hope...and if that was not the only one, then Johan's keen eyesight can pinpoint the next one as it becomes drier...
Observers...lol Louis - CF friend and NiQi
Louis holding the pipe closed till the stick was put in
Scooping water to get to the pipe
Stick in the pipe to stop flow of water from tank
I hope that minor repair fixed the leak. Burst pipes shouldn’t be taken lightly; they’re messy, highly dangerous, and not to mention an expensive patch-up. I suggest you check the other areas of your home where other water supply lines are located, and see if there are other weaknesses or potential leaks in your plumbing.
ReplyDeleteJames Warren @ Capital Care Plumbing
You made a very clever observation about the tank emptying too quickly, and speculated that it’s probably due to a busted pipe. Good thing it was prevented before it got worse, thanks to your logical intuition. I hope that Johan’s repair fixes the leak for good. Have a good day!
ReplyDeleteRoxanne Vaughn @ Total Plumbing, Inc.
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