Outside tap – have I got a burst pipe?

The flow of water from my outside tap is woeful, in contrast to it’s usual torrent. Makes me wonder if I’ve had a burst pipe during the cold snap recently. It’s pretty hard to check -my kitchen has a kind of false stud wall that all the pipework runs behind between that and the inner brick wall, then there’s the kitchen cupboards also in the way.

Tell me it’s a knackered tap not a burst pipe. Kitchen was redone 12 months ago after the washing machine leaked and ruined it.

Whoever did the kitchen should have thought about getting to the pipework! 🙂

Shut off all water usage and get a piece of something hard – like a large screwdriver or a spare bit of copper pipe. Rest it on the copper pipe and listen, you may hear water flowing. Next option, turn off all water items in house and watch your water meter if you have one.

check there s no stop tap on the outside tap in the house as should be fitted, are the other taps running ok, put your ear or a screwdriver onto the outside tap when closed and see if you can hear wooshing noise of water running,look for wet patches on the base of walls.

sounds like the tap/non return on tap or on the supply to the tap. Think about it, all the taps would be the same, if there was a drain on the pressure somewhere.

Sorry, that seemed quite rude!

No bother!

Other taps all ok. If there is a stop tap for the outside tap there’s no way I can get to it without cutting through the back of the kitchen cupboards and the plasterboard wall. There is only a short piece of pipe outside before it goes in through the wall, is that where I listen? It’s the only bit I can get to.

The plumbing in this house is awful. Don’t get me started on the macerator toilet some oaf installed upstairs (turned off since we moved in I would add).

sounds like the tap/non return on tap or on the supply to the tap

You’re not really helpign there, he already asked if it was the tap or the supply to the tap 😆

The cold tap is at mains pressure – you would know about it if the pipe had burst, maybe just iced up inside – strip it down and check washer – (turn mains off first)

is only a short piece of pipe outside before it goes in through the wall, is that where I listen?

Yup.

The cold tap is at mains pressure – you would know about it if the pipe had burst

Mains pressure isnt that high in many places (little over a bar). We had our main house feed burst and only knew about it because the tap pressure in the house dropped a little, the leak was spraying less than a (small) water pistol.

Its not affecting his other plumming tho’ – start with the obvious, pipes inside house are less likely to burst due to a cold snap

Very high mains pressure here. I’ve turned the mains off and taken the tap apart. Can’t see anything untoward. Have had a feel around as best I can behind the cupboard and not found any wet bits.

Ok, take tap innards out, go inside and turn mains on, or get someone to do it and see if the flow of water changes..

With the innaards out it’s still a pretty weak flow, not the torrent I was hoping for. I know the tap did freeze when it was very cold, maybe it’s only part thawed (maybe that’s very optimistic). It’s too windy outside to hear anything. Might have to have a look in the morning.

Just one other item you may check, have you got an isolator fitted inside – I think its a water board requirement as I had to have one when I had an outside tap fitted, if so, is it fully open ?

I don’t know, is that something inside the tap? There is a plastic and metal thing inside when I look up the spout, but that would have been there before.

It would be on the pipework inside your house – find where the outside tap connects to the mains supply and where it passes through the wall to the outside tap – the isolator valve will be somewhere between the two, you normally need a screwdriver to turn it on or off, its supposed to be off when you do not need the outside tap running to protect the rest of the main supply from contamination. (you will find the same on the water supply to your toilet cistern)

Ah yes I know the thing. If there is one, it won’t be easy to get to for the reasons above.

Thanks for all the help though, much appreciated.