Central Heating Bloomsbury

Winter is Here!

No time of the year is worse for the durability of pipes than the winter. The very last thing that anyone wants is to come home or wake up in the morning to the devastation that can be caused by a major leak in the home.

Despite the fact that the considerable majority of pipes are made of copper, a typically durable metal, they are still prone to leaks, especially during the winter. Depending on the type of water running through the pipes, leaks can even begin to appear after even a couple years of use.

What cause a pipe to burst?

The main causes of a burst pipe are internal corrosion and increased water pressure.

  • Corrosion is the act of gradual destruction of a surface by a chemical reaction. The chemical reaction in this case would be caused by the acidity of the water. Water that’s very acidic will cause corrosion, however alkaline water will cause limescale build up.
  • A limescale build up can actually decrease your chances of pinhole leaks – as the limescale acts as a sort of internal coating. Acidic water will start to wear away at the pipe’s internal coating rapidly decreasing it’s strength.

Be aware of water pressure

The diameter of pipes should roughly be matched to the pressure of the water being fed into them. The diameter of the pipe being too small will result in increased pressure, which will in turn begin to cause excess strain on the pipes. Over a period of time this strain will simply become too much for most pipes to handle and cracks will begin to appear as a result.

The moral of this is that the higher the water pressure is, the wider the pipe should be.

These are some of the most common almost-natural causes of pipes that develop leaks. Corrosion is much more common on older pipes, but if you’ve just had some plumbing work done and you notice a leak – this is most probably down to poor quality workmanship.

If this is the case then the first thing to do is to call the plumber who last did any work on your water pipes. If you can prove to them – or they acknowledge themselves – that the leak is a result of them not installing or repairing the pipes correctly then they should fix it free of charge, depending on your contract with them.

Further Information

If you need the assistance of a high quality team of Gas Safe Registered plumbers, give us a call  on Tel. No. 020 7610 1616 and our skilled team of plumbers will be able to quickly pay you a visit.

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Last Updated on June 18, 2018 Pay for your plumbing and boilers with a credit card