Description: As part of an ongoing training support programme, KOBUS Services attended a live site with a newly trained team from ADI Plumbing. A pipe replacement was to be performed on a water supply pipe serving a private domestic property in east London.
The ½” lead pipe to be replaced ran from the stop-tap inside the kitchen, underneath the property and to the external stop-tap at edge of the property. As the pipe lay underneath the property, the only alternative was to open-cut – this was not chosen to avoid lengthy works, and associated costs involved.
Following site inspection, it was discovered that the 9m pipe had been installed with a connection that had had caused damage and, rather uncommonly, the final 4m of external pipe lay just 3” from the surface.
Outcome: The pipe was exposed inside a kitchen cabinet with the opposite end at the damaged joint. The length of the lead pipe was removed and replaced with MDPE from inside the kitchen, under the property footings and to the external wall. The pipe replacement itself took just 300 seconds.
The homeowner was present at the time of works and praised the team for the quick operation and short disconnection of the water supply.