Bathroom is upstairs and has another floor above it. Bath hot tap had no water for months. Called plumber, he fixed, but after he left fitment in the cold water pipe (also under the bath) blew off. Why?

What kind of pipe?

Can you show us a picture?

I know you are new with only one post but this question was asked word for word over a month ago. Aren't you the same person?

Sorry, I'm still new. I meant to click in reply and clicked in yes, just now. Anyway, what I meant to say is that insurance company does not want to help at all because it says it was an "Act of God". So, I'm trying to gather information from as many experts as possible for me to understand what happened.

The pipe was repaired and I don't have a picture. It is a copper pipe and the fitment blew off cold water pipe when property was empty for a month, just after hot water pipe (next to it) had been fixed. Hot pipe had no water for months before plumber fixed it.

I wish someone (you probably do also) would define what "An act of God " is. Short of fire and brimstone reigning down from the sky, I don't know what it means. But I'm pretty sure that fitment blowing off a water pipe can be attributed to either defective workmanship, defective material or pressures which exceed design values. Somehow, I don't think God will take the credit.

PS
Use the "Answer this Question" block to post responses. Do not use the comments feature. Please answer the question about what kind of pipe and whether you could show us a picture.

First, I am assuming that you are not USA (we would say fitting not fitment). Here, if the pipe is copper that fitment would have to be a soldered joint. A soldered joint will not blow off. It may leak if not properly done but that should be detected as soon as water is in the pipe. In extremely rare occasions a soldered joint could develop a leak after a period but I've never seen one do that. Mechanical joints such as compression joints, Shark Bite fittings and other clamp type fittings are not allow for concealed locations.
The reason for requesting a picture was to try to determine what kind of fitment was used and whether the plumber could have or may have made changes to the cold water piping when repairing the hot water.

Both hot and cold pipe are now repaired. I don't have a picture of the damaged one and pipe work is behind bath panel, under the bath. I will try to get pictures to send you, though. It is a copper pipe with a copper fitment and the fitment blew off cold water pipe when property was empty for a month, just after hot water pipe (next to it) had been fixed. Hot pipe had no water for months before plumber fixed it. So many pipe work at home and why the problem with these 2? How likely am I of being right in thinking that these 2 pipes must not have been well maintained? Also, what steps can be taken to make sure a pipe won't burst when property is empty for a long time?

I guess we were writing to each other at the same time. Now that I read your answer it means that I no longer need to send you a picture. Thank you for all you have explained. I do feel grateful.

Bathroom is upstairs, gets heating from downstairs and has another heated floor above it. Property was empty for a long time. No problems with other pipe work in the property, only with the one under the bath.

Bath hot tap had no water for months. Finally called plumber, he fixed it. Soon after he left, fitment (copper) in the cold water copper pipe (also under the bath) blew off.

We had bad weather before the plumber did his job and he says that he checked the cold water pipe, too. By bad weather, I mean that temperature outside home reached 0 °C and a bit below over a short time during Christmas 2010. Leak happened almost 3 weeks after bad weather. As soon as the water stopcock was turned off, water stopped running into the property.

We live in the South East of England. Over Christmas, Ireland, Scotland and Wales (usually cold regions) had really bad weather and Northern Ireland Water appealed to people to check their empty properties and report burst pipes because there was no water, the system drained there. Now insurance company is using such weather conditions, in the Northern region, as an excuse to blame on an “Act of God” (no human error) on South East and it does not want to help with any financial costs. I am trying to get plumbing expert opinion to understand what caused the flooding.

Bathroom is upstairs, gets heating from downstairs and has another heated floor above it. Property was empty for a long time.

Bath hot tap had no water for months. Finally called plumber, he fixed it. Soon after he left, fitment (copper) in the cold water copper pipe (also under the bath) blew off.

We had bad weather before the plumber did his job and he says that he checked the cold water pipe, too. By bad weather, I mean that temperature outside home reached 0 °C and a bit below over a short time during Christmas 2010. Leak happened almost 3 weeks after bad weather. As soon as the water stopcock was turned off, water stopped running into the property.

We live in the South East. Over Christmas, Ireland, Scotland and Wales (usually cold regions) had really bad weather over Christmas. Northern Ireland Water appealed (before the end of December) to people to check their empty properties and report burst pipes because there was no water straightaway, the system drained there. Now insurance company is using such weather conditions, in the Northern region, as an excuse to blame on an ACT of God (no human error) on South East and it does not want to help with any financial costs. I am trying to get expert opinion to understand what caused the leak.

Hi

Not clear here...

You said, "report burst pipes because there was no water straightaway, the system drained there", but then say that "as soon as the water stopcock was turned off, water stopped running into the property"

Was water to the property shutoff and drained or not? Please explain more clearly.

I will be back in later tonight or perhaps others can work on this after you clear things up a bit... ;)

Mark

Thank you for replying. I meant that insurance's excuse to not help at all is that there was no water in Northern Irland, which is on top of the map of the United Kingdom, a different country from where I live and very far, because of bad weather (in Northern Irland). I live at the bottom of the United Kingdom's map, in England, though. Insurance is trying to blame it on the weather, an Act of God.

The property was empty for a month and flooded then. Water to the property was not shutoff nor drained before the flooding, only afterwards. But, once this happened the flooding stopped immediately.

No problems with other pipe work in the property, only with both pipes under the bath. First, no water came off hot tap (hot pipe) for months. Plumber fixed this, but when he left the cold water copper pipe's fitment (copper, too) caused the flooding. Why?

Trying to be clear. We live in England (South of the United Kingdom's map), really very far away from Northern Island (North of the United Kingdom's map). Insurance is complicating things by mentioning the bad weather in other neighbour countries. It says flooding was caused by an Act of God.

We had bad weather where we live, but only for a short time over Christmas (temperature outside home reached 0°C). It is very unlikely that indoors would ever be as cold since there is wall insulation, the bathroom is upstairs (middle floor of the block of flats) and both the ground floor and the top floor were heated whilst the property was empty. Also, flooding only occurred 3 weeks after bad weather.

No problems with other pipe work in the property, only with both pipes under the bath. First, no water came off hot tap (hot pipe) for months. Plumber fixed this, but when he left the cold water copper pipe's fitment (copper, too) caused the flooding. Why?

Hi again...

With what you presented, it sounds like the cold water pipe and maybe even the hot water pipe(s) froze and only the cold water pipe broke/burst as a result... at least it sounds like this from here.

Is the tub on an outside wall? If so, it is possible that the wind/cold managed to freeze the area between the floor joists. Is this floor insulated?

In my area, if a pipe freezes, most insurance companies will cover the damage due to the leak/flood, but they will NOT cover the cost to repair the broken water pipe... wierd stuff, huh?

I might recommend that you contact a local building inspector in your area and see if he can come up with the right terminology to present to your insurance company. They may be getting hung up on a technicality here that is easily resolved when the proper people get involved... ;)

Good luck!

Mark

Sorry, I don't think that I was clear. Pipe did NOT burst. Waether was not freezing when problem occurred. Tub is inside and the outside wall is insulated. The problem with the hot pipe occurred sometime over summer although pipe was only fixed in winter. Etc.

Not sure why a Negative reaction needed to be made. The answer seems online with what was asked.

The threads were merged because the queations are all about the same issue.

I agree, no need for a negative (does not find this helpful.) Massplumber is the top plumber on this site and always does his best to help.

I would have come to the same conclusion. Frozen pipes don't always burst. Sometimes they just swell a bit and loosen the solder joint enough for the joint to blow apart down the road, could be right away, or could be months or even yeas later. Other than that, it one of those "stuff happens". I think Massplumber had a great idea about having a local inspector help you maybe word up a letter to smooth things with the insurance company. It is funny how insurance companys will respond differenty to people of authority in a trade over the home owner. Im sure we all hope things work out with the insurance, otherwise, there would not be as many responses as you have gotten. Just note not to be to quick with the negative ratings, as that does tend to shut any additional advice off fairly quickly.

Wishing you the best of luck, and please do let us know how things work out.

Please stop reporting this. The threads have been merged and they are not going to be split

Glad Mark got his balancer, he deserved one and I have to spread some around before I can rate him.