It's worth mentioning your proper method for turning the main valve back on. Fully open, then back a partial turn. Lots of folks get this wrong. Good work!
The number of times that one of your videos covers something I have just done, or am about to do is beyond coincidence! :O One of "tomorrows" tasks is to take out and cap off the old toilet and bidet to give some work around space for the bathroom renovations. Its always good to see that great minds think alike as regard Speedfit being the best option. I been using em for 20 or so years
Thanks Stuart, very good of you to sacrifice one of your clamps just to demonstrate this for us, I too have always been a little sceptical of these fittings ! Intrigued now to hear more of why and how you take on this project !
It's interesting that finishing stages like skirting boards are often the last stage of an installation, so they often block you in. It's also shows how often an oscillating cutter like that gets you out of tricky problems neatly. A really useful tool to have in your toolbox.
Just my personal note without any criticism, but I think this method leaves a few metres of dead leg pipe in the system which can cause serious bacterial legionella problems due to standing warm water. It would be better to locate the junction to the bathroom and cap it there. Great educational video, thanks Stuart.
Most copper pipe systems already have dead end sections that are installed on purpose. They hold and air space that stops what's called 'air hammer ' That pounding vibration in the walls when you turn the water on or off quickly.
Just the advice I needed. I've got some already capped-off pipes which I need to shorten and these push-on fittings should be just the ticket. You got yourself a new subscriber! 🤓
JG Speedfits are great joints. I have some in my house that have been installed for 36 years. Not a single leak. We used them at work for fuel lines before they made plumbing versions. I have used their end stops, temporarily only, as I prefer to get back to the T and remove the branch from there. It helps I have a house with floors that are easy to lift!
Great instructional as always 👍. Bonus tip you showed but didn't mention... for stop valves, open all the way but always turn back a touch. Don't leave them jammed at full travel.
Just wish I had any of the fittings a few weeks ago. A my son's a compression fitting installed by a professional plumber had blown apart on Sunday aftenoon. Fortunately after lots of rummaging in plumbing box I managed to find compression stop end. Job done. In preparation for next time got some more compression stop ends and the plastic types. Never used them. You made these plastic fittings look so simple that even my son could fit it. Interesting coverage of the options
Used a shark bite push on fitting 10 years ago to cap off a radiant line. I was chastised, sentenced to life in prison, stoned to death, threatened with death threats etc. etc. etc. by every arm chair plumber nay saying push on fittings. 10 years later...never dripped a drop.... take that plumbers!!!!
The work you do expresses the sincerity of your work. From Algeria🇩🇿 Greetings to the English people🇬🇧. Only if you please use leather gloves to avoid any form of injury
Regulations state the "dead leg" length on 15mm pipe should be no more than 1.5cm ie 15mm. You have an increase chance in legionella forming anything over 150mm / 6". Best to take the floor up and cap off at the T junction. More hassle but safer in the long run
@@neilmcalester other factors come into play such as pipe position. Where gravity can help the risk is reduced. Legs coming off a horizontal going down a dead leg are the worst. Whereas pipes going up and capped are the better option.
Do you know whether the legionnaires risk immediately disappears once you reconnect a "dead leg" end, and water starts flowing through the pipe again? Would the chlorine / fluorine in the tap water kill any bacteria straight away?
A few minutes will flush the system, and chlorine wont kill of the legionella, well not totally. There is a lot of info available online, from the HSE among others@@Showing_the_car_
Wonderful advice and demonstration on how to cap off water pipes. The best & most conscientious plumber I've ever seen & known - TREVOR FRASER - gave me a (novice) a great tip which saves stress & worry: If concerned about your DIY plumbing joints, simply wrap them in toilet tissue. Check on them occasionally and you'll be totally reassured.
I am a supporter of Stuart’s channel, his content is honest and well created - it is fine to comment on issues so we can learn but …. I would say that all you tube content is never going dot every I & cross every T. re regs etc. I have come across several pipes where professional trades have capped dead ends so the trade does need to take care to make sure they do correct work also ! One of the reasons I do so much DIY is I just hate the way some professional people complete the job (not all) just think though Stuart has left those pipes live for 2 plus years with so little use and his family have not been on the news with bacteria outbreak yet.
Regulations change over time. 10 years ago it was thought about less. However as more and more issues arise regulations are brought in to counteract issues. The old rule of “everything’s alright until it’s not alright” applies. It is definitely an issue that needs consideration
@@newlinerealboi3434 Consider the way expansion vessels are plumbed of necessity into pressurised hot water systems. A high capacity dead end positioned perfectly to inject its culture into the cold feed to the tank and to do so preferentially when the tank is colder. The bugs could be coming out of your shower head within minutes. Dead ends are ok, apparently, when the system requires them.
Its always advisable to fit collet clips to these type of speedfit fittings as they can sometimes fly off if they are up against a joist.thats why john guest updated most of the fittings to a screw lock collar.
A method I have used to seal off 15 and 22mm copper pipe it to get a good pair of grips and squeeze the end of the pipe flat/closed and run a little solder over the end.
Brilliant video - thank you for answering all the questions going around in my head as to whether these work as efficiently and easily as I hoped they would 😊👍🏼
Great demo of the plastic cap grip - sorry about the clamp! The other thing about soldering end caps, is that when you're fixing them to a closed end pipe (unlike your demo where the other end of the pipe was open) the heat of the blowtorch expands the air inside the pipe, which keeps trying to pop the cap off or force its way past the solder. There's probably a trick to it, but I've not yet discovered it, so I'll use plastic next time round. I wonder if it gets brittle over time.
Stuart, nice video on different capping off methods. However, as a few others have mentioned, I'd be concerned about the length of the leg from where it tees off. Water sitting stagnant in a dead leg can lead to legionella forming, compromising the rest of your water supply. I'd definitely look into seeing if you can remove them, even if it is a hassle having to take the tiles and chipboard up. Not worth getting legionnaire's disease.
@@pedrosmits That causes an entirely different problem as you are creating a sort of short cut for the flow and return so hot water will be returning to the boiler without losing much of its heat, and the pressure driving water through the radiators will be reduced.
the only effect is in the primary heating loop. On a sealed system, as with a combi boiler, that water does not go anywhere else (except, maybe a small amount via a pressure relief valve into a drain). It certainly can't contaminate the rest of the water supply. Even on unpressurised systems, there's a separate header tank, and it can't contaminate the main water supply. A typical UK household heating system is going to have several of these sort of blind ends as things get changed over the years. Legionnaires disease isn't a significant problem in domestic households. It is much more associated with large scale systems, especially with air conditioning and where evaporative cooling is used. Those sort of blind ends might be more of an issue with drinking water supplies.
I normally keep a couple of push fit end stops for emergencies and use coloured collets so I now if it is a hot or cold pipe if they are going to be left permanently. Last year I had to repair a fitting which was on a copper pipe that had become slightly distorted and was in a sutuation where I could not access enough pipe to replace it so I decided to try a push fit before cutting up a fitted cupboard. This was far more in hope than expectation but it worked.
That's exactly what I thought. Secondary layer of protection too with the isolation valve acting as a stop too if you were hesitant to use compression fittings alone
The previous owner of our house fitted those speedfit stop ends on a pair of unused 10mm heating pipes under the floor on our upstairs landing. They worked fine until about 7 years later we changed the boiler and the extra pressure popped one off and caused a leak.
Noticed that you turned the main stopcock on fully then turned it back off about a half to a full turn a trick that my uncle a plumber for many years tought me but you didn't mention not everyone would know to do that
compression fittings are a genius idea. house i bought was extended and the only way to have a tap outside was to split water under a bath to the side of the house. they even sell a plastic stopcock i fitted under a bath panel to ensure outside water doesn’t freeze!!
A waste of 2 iso valves, but on the other hand doubly protected, iso then stop ends. However, you cannot cap an iso valve so you either add an extra bit of copper or get rid..... hope this helps
i am no plumber but last year i fitted a outside tap using plastic all the way though the house i say that because the kitchen is at the front of the house and the drive, hot tub and family garden is at the rear of the house, the only part i found nerve racking was the compression elbow from plastic to the copper that goes through the wall but i followed the instruction to the T and my tap has been working for over a year and i am no longer afraid to now pull out my plumber bag full of plastic fittings and give it a go lol. P.S. you can buy some red and blue little clips to put in between where you push the push fit to remove i have them to identify the hot and cold under my sink also if the pipes drop for any reason its reassurance they don't clip the push fit causing the ends to remove.
Good to see many fellow H&S geeks out there advising on the issue of Legionella! The dead legs you made are potentially an issue depending on many factors - including are you intending to use these pipes for a new project?
WRAS guidelines state that the length of any dead leg should be limited to two times the pipe's diameter. Water cannot circulate in a dead leg, so if the dead leg is much longer than that, it could be a breeding ground for Legionella or other biofilm. If you are unsure, consult a professional plumber.
JG speedfit having Collet Locking Clip, to reduce the risk the locking knives/tangs back out. // JG Speedfit collet locking clip prevents the accidental release of a pipe from a standard push-fit fitting. Red and blue options available to provide colour coding of hot and cold water pipes. //
My son has had two major leaks from his plastic pipe fittings, which were part of the original plumbing in a new house. I would therefor not trust them for mains pressure. With regard to the capping off, I would have just removed the valves and fitted a cap onto the pipe using the existing olive and nut left from the valves. Far better and easier job.
The push fits fails only through user error. Mark the pipe for maximum insertion depth before pushing on, especially in fiddly areas. Thinking you pushed it on correctly against being sure it in ALL THE WAY will happen when its in the hardest spot.
the good thing about those plastic types is you can use them on a 'live' water pipe... such as I experienced last year when my pipe burst in my garage where someone who joined plastic to copper pipe. we couldn't turn off the water so we simply tapped off the garage tap.
If you mean the brass cap with rubber inside it's not a great idea because the isolation valve is made to accept an olive so the edge on the isolation valve is somewhat sharp and can pierce the rubber and cause a leak over time ,
Stuart the flexi tap connector was screwed directly to the isolation valve which has a somewhat sharp edge to accept an olive, so over time and especially if very tight the isolation valve could have pierced the rubber washer and caused it to leak,so maybe good timing!?
Hello Stuart, Personally I only use push fit caps as a temporary measure and don't use push fit pipe and fitting on any jobs. I have never seen push fit installed to manufacturer's instructions as regard to clipping, this incorrect installation invalidates the warranty and the constant movement of expansion and contraction can lead to total failure and flooding, especially as there are more and more 1/4 turn taps in homes creating a high hydraulic pressure when tap is turned off. I have attended numerous jobs where this has happened, and on one new build estate in Wickham, Hampshire 3 houses out of 12 had this happen over the first 6 months, 2x 22mm Hep2O pipes under baths and 1 x 22mm Hep2O cold main, the damage was terrible. this has led to a ban on push fit by some building companies favoring instead Press Fit. As regards to central heating and push fit, the plastic can become brittle and the stainless teeth fail, this is not what you want if water temperature is high as leaking hot water through a ceiling can be very dangerous. As an experiment leave some fittings on copper pipe filled with water or dirty central heating water and leave for 6 months, then remove the fitting and see the corrosion caused by electrolytic action. Soldered or compression would have been my choice. As mentioned dead legs are a No No. As always I think your channel is brilliant.
Push fit stop ends are ok as a temporary fix. I would trust them as a permanent fix. I have seen these loosen when the water pressure drops or if the water is turned off. Always use collet clips.
Would you ever use push fit stop ends on a plastic pipe as a permanent solution? I've got a redundant hot and cold feed so have cut them back and I have used push fit stop ends. Those pipes will eventually live behind some plaster board. I read that they should only be used temporarily, but I'm struggling to find what a permanent stop end on a plastic pipe is? Any help would be great.
I had a capped mains pipe in the loft with a push fit fitted by pro bathroom fitters. It came off after about a year and when I was out for the day. What a mess, I needed to move out for 9 months while house was repaired. So I will always use a compression fitting.
A very easy way is to remove the copper pipe from the plastic fittings. Using a similar under slung support such as coat hanger wire or cable ties. Then slip in manifold stops. Neat, easy and no dog leg.
You showed the different fittings to cap off and I agree the Speedfit is the best but where you had a nut and olive to go into the cap you could have used the normal compression stop end. which would use the existing olive and nut. Other point for a DIYer when testing for leaks after a job switch the water on about 1/4 turn to test. It will pressurise just the same but if there is a leak you won't be flooded!! Then turn on full.
You should avoid any length of pipe with non flowing water in it because of legionaries disease. When capping off you should go back to where it will flow. If it was short I would have just put a compression stop in the isolation valves to make it easy to reinstate something.
Hey, thank you (and everybody else with similar advise)! I have a question regarding the topic. I completely renovated my bathroom. Everything out and started from scratch. Sink: Reconnected. Bathtub: Reconnected. Radiator: Removed and used stop ends. Eventually we will connect the radiator again but right now those two pipes are just dead ends. Is that a problem? I would think that we would already have gotten legionnaire's disease if it were a problem here? Heating and normal water are used daily.
@@zakkvanish3668Central heating( radiators) are totally separate from the normal hot and cold water supplies so there is no risk from dead legs on the heating side of your system. That is on the assumption that your heating system is a properly designed and installed system.
In the USA we have push on fittings, first so far as I know are Shark Bite brand. I prefer to use the brass or copper versions. My biggest concern with the life expectancy of these is not the physical metal fingers that hold them on. Lots of test have shown that they will hundreds of PSI, many times the max pressure permitted for plumping. My concern is that the seal relies on a synthetic rubber o-ring or seal. The same applies to the crimp on connectors. I worry that 25 or more years down the road some hapless owner is going to have a plumbing nightmare when those fittings start failing.
I realy would have put collet clips on the speedfit fittings, just as a matter of course. If someone were to come along yanking at the pipes at a later date, it is feasible that the release mechanism could be triggered. The difference between speedfit and copper fittings is that when they fail a speedfit will likely come off and you have a mains pressure flowing everywhere and a copper fitting will likely drip. I had a Speedfit isolator fail and a massive flood in minutes, worse still it was hot water.
Over time isolation valves are notorious for leaking from the tap seal. Tbh I'm a bit surprised to see them buried under the floor like that. Correct thing to remove them.
BTW, the way those clamps work, _while tightening,_ all the force is being applied to a pretty small pin, typically held in place by less than 2 mm of plastic. Once you let go, a stronger metal piece takes over, but yeah, it's pretty easy to break the pin (or the plastic that holds it in place) if you have strong hands (or use two). Edit: maybe disassembling a couple of quick clamps (from different manufacturers) and showing how they work would make for an interesting video.
If you have a combi boiler you may get the boiler starting up if you turn on and off cold main water because there is air left in the capped off pipes I think it is called bounce,Plumber 50 years experience experience
In Australia you are not permitted to use flexable hoses under floors or inside walls as they have a life span of 10 years.Why not cap of the valves and leave them in place, in the shut off position that would provide added leak protection.
If I already had olives on them I would rather use the plug ends than compression caps. Might cost a bit more but less effort and they make me feel safer.
Uk water regs allow max 30mm dead leg on 15mm pipe. Ideally chase it back and remove it altogether. Massive legionella risk, I'd redo it for your family's health, just not worth the risk.
I am a bit old fashioned, and am a 100% soldered joint person when it comes to joints and stops which are in inaccessible places. Normally I'd use capillary joints, where this is all out of sight, then I'd use the Yorkshire joints as they are out of sight and less to go wrong. Also, I would have said there was plenty of room for soldering, nor was it particularly flammable. What I would have questioned is why whoever installed that heated towel rail put service valves in an inaccessible place. It just seems to be another joint that could fail and which is difficult to get too.
There is a lot of talk about Bacteria forming in dead legs. Question, How big of a risk is this really? What about things which are effective dead legs, Say an outside tap that Was fitted by a previous owner, but the current property owner doesn't really use it. Or a supply to a Utility room/ Garage Which, again, the owner doesn't really use. I'd also question how common this would actually be in copper piping anyway, as copper is a natural Antimicrobial. Sitting stagnant would only increase the copper ion concentration in the still water. Studies that were popping up when looking into controlling of Legionnaires while mentioning dead legs, talk about Legionnaires in the context of controlling it in hospitals Because of the high risk of pneumonia outbreaks. The risk is also increased further in hard water environments, giving mineral buildups that can form pockets for bacteria to live. It sounds like one of those things that you do not need to worry about too much in general in DIY, But it's definitely something a professional would have to keep note of, as the regulation is put in place due to it being a service utility, thus must account for outliers in the regulations, Such as people with weakened immune systems. Kind of like how all pedestrian Crossings have to have a non-visible queue installed for the blind, Whether that be a beep or a little spinning thumb dial on the bottom.
I was thinking the same.I do maintenance for a chain of betting shops and the staff often turn one of the customer toilets into a storeroom and the toilet/taps are never used and I can think of more situations like you mentioned.
Perfect timing for this video, very informative! For the plastic push fits, would they work on an old lead pipe too? I've got one on the garden that I'm hoping to cap off and not sure the best method
You had a stop valvs already in place, why didn't you simply remove flex and job done? (Apart that there would be less of the video material 😊). If you're worried the stop valve would stop working you could simple put a short pipe with end stop behing it. It would still sbe you lots of work and risk loosing pipe into the void, and the fact your pipes are shorter now 😊
Should use a collet insert with these fittings. This keeps the collar with the grip teeth in the locked position. They come in red and blue also for pipe indication.
Sorry Stuart - it's a soldered copper end cap for me every time. Also, I'll buy your bath and taps if the price is right I'm fixing up a 17th C pub with a stupidly small budget.😁
I’d think twice about using a plastic fitting under the floor where we live; in the middle of farmers fields. Every year after harvest the mice seek out new homes and food supply. Usually anything plastic that performs a useful domestic function!
The manufacturers of the push fittings are sneaky. Most advertise a 25yr guarantee but if you look at the small print in the guarantee it only applies to the plastic part and doesn't include the o-ring. I have had o-rings perish in as little as 5 yrs. If I was going to cap a pipe and bury it under the floorboards and then build on top of it, I probably would have gone to the effort to use a more permanent method of capping the pipe.
ماتقوم به من اعمال يعبر عن عن صدق عملك . من الجزائر🇩🇿 تحياتي للشعب الإنجليزي🇬🇧 . فقط إن سمحت إستعمل القفازات نوع جلد حتى تتفادى الإصابة من شكل من اشكال الجراح
should not have used compression fittings that are not accessible, ie under floors, i was taught that as an apprentice plumber back in the 1970's. Soldered, back then, or push fit nowadays. if you had taken the copper out of the plastic and used an internal stop end, no dead leg in pipework.
Everything seems a criticism, sorry, but I got bollocked as an apprentice for using a small pair of stilsons, instead of a movable spanner. They scar the fittings you see👍
It is proper DIY but unfortunately as many have stated here about the WRAS guidelines on 'dead leg' length, it's not proper plumbing. But then again, there are a lot of plumbers about who are not 'proper plumbers' either.
It's worth mentioning your proper method for turning the main valve back on. Fully open, then back a partial turn. Lots of folks get this wrong. Good work!
The number of times that one of your videos covers something I have just done, or am about to do is beyond coincidence! :O
One of "tomorrows" tasks is to take out and cap off the old toilet and bidet to give some work around space for the bathroom renovations.
Its always good to see that great minds think alike as regard Speedfit being the best option.
I been using em for 20 or so years
Thanks Stuart, very good of you to sacrifice one of your clamps just to demonstrate this for us, I too have always been a little sceptical of these fittings !
Intrigued now to hear more of why and how you take on this project !
It's interesting that finishing stages like skirting boards are often the last stage of an installation, so they often block you in.
It's also shows how often an oscillating cutter like that gets you out of tricky problems neatly. A really useful tool to have in your toolbox.
Just my personal note without any criticism, but I think this method leaves a few metres of dead leg pipe in the system which can cause serious bacterial legionella problems due to standing warm water. It would be better to locate the junction to the bathroom and cap it there. Great educational video, thanks Stuart.
So an unused hot water line to a granny flat can do the same? Or to a turned off radiator? Really?
Most copper pipe systems already have dead end sections that are installed on purpose. They hold and air space that stops what's called 'air hammer ' That pounding vibration in the walls when you turn the water on or off quickly.
Just the advice I needed. I've got some already capped-off pipes which I need to shorten and these push-on fittings should be just the ticket. You got yourself a new subscriber! 🤓
JG Speedfits are great joints. I have some in my house that have been installed for 36 years. Not a single leak. We used them at work for fuel lines before they made plumbing versions. I have used their end stops, temporarily only, as I prefer to get back to the T and remove the branch from there. It helps I have a house with floors that are easy to lift!
Great instructional as always 👍. Bonus tip you showed but didn't mention... for stop valves, open all the way but always turn back a touch. Don't leave them jammed at full travel.
thank you for doing this. i need to do this and have been apprehensive about these but now im going to save a small fortune . THANK YOU
The string trick is genius, great stuff Stuart.
Keep it up mate. 👍
Just wish I had any of the fittings a few weeks ago. A my son's a compression fitting installed by a professional plumber had blown apart on Sunday aftenoon. Fortunately after lots of rummaging in plumbing box I managed to find compression stop end. Job done. In preparation for next time got some more compression stop ends and the plastic types. Never used them. You made these plastic fittings look so simple that even my son could fit it. Interesting coverage of the options
Used a shark bite push on fitting 10 years ago to cap off a radiant line. I was chastised, sentenced to life in prison, stoned to death, threatened with death threats etc. etc. etc. by every arm chair plumber nay saying push on fittings. 10 years later...never dripped a drop.... take that plumbers!!!!
The work you do expresses the sincerity of your work. From Algeria🇩🇿 Greetings to the English people🇬🇧. Only if you please use leather gloves to avoid any form of injury
Great video, always easier to link two push fit/compression fittings with a length of copper.
Regulations state the "dead leg" length on 15mm pipe should be no more than 1.5cm ie 15mm. You have an increase chance in legionella forming anything over 150mm / 6". Best to take the floor up and cap off at the T junction. More hassle but safer in the long run
My old man was one of the original investigators into Legionella ;)
Why 15mm if there's no increased chance of legionella until 150mm?
@@neilmcalester other factors come into play such as pipe position. Where gravity can help the risk is reduced. Legs coming off a horizontal going down a dead leg are the worst. Whereas pipes going up and capped are the better option.
Do you know whether the legionnaires risk immediately disappears once you reconnect a "dead leg" end, and water starts flowing through the pipe again? Would the chlorine / fluorine in the tap water kill any bacteria straight away?
A few minutes will flush the system, and chlorine wont kill of the legionella, well not totally.
There is a lot of info available online, from the HSE among others@@Showing_the_car_
Thanks for this, it was very helpful for part of today's job 🙏👍
Wonderful advice and demonstration on how to cap off water pipes.
The best & most conscientious plumber I've ever seen & known - TREVOR FRASER - gave me a (novice) a great tip which saves stress & worry:
If concerned about your DIY plumbing joints, simply wrap them in toilet tissue. Check on them occasionally and you'll be totally reassured.
Good job thanks for sharing from Australia😉
I am a supporter of Stuart’s channel, his content is honest and well created - it is fine to comment on issues so we can learn but …. I would say that all you tube content is never going dot every I & cross every T. re regs etc. I have come across several pipes where professional trades have capped dead ends so the trade does need to take care to make sure they do correct work also ! One of the reasons I do so much DIY is I just hate the way some professional people complete the job (not all) just think though Stuart has left those pipes live for 2 plus years with so little use and his family have not been on the news with bacteria outbreak yet.
Regulations change over time. 10 years ago it was thought about less. However as more and more issues arise regulations are brought in to counteract issues.
The old rule of “everything’s alright until it’s not alright” applies.
It is definitely an issue that needs consideration
@@newlinerealboi3434 Consider the way expansion vessels are plumbed of necessity into pressurised hot water systems. A high capacity dead end positioned perfectly to inject its culture into the cold feed to the tank and to do so preferentially when the tank is colder. The bugs could be coming out of your shower head within minutes.
Dead ends are ok, apparently, when the system requires them.
Its always advisable to fit collet clips to these type of speedfit fittings as they can sometimes fly off if they are up against a joist.thats why john guest updated most of the fittings to a screw lock collar.
A method I have used to seal off 15 and 22mm copper pipe it to get a good pair of grips and squeeze the end of the pipe flat/closed and run a little solder over the end.
Cowboy
Brilliant video - thank you for answering all the questions going around in my head as to whether these work as efficiently and easily as I hoped they would 😊👍🏼
Great demo of the plastic cap grip - sorry about the clamp!
The other thing about soldering end caps, is that when you're fixing them to a closed end pipe (unlike your demo where the other end of the pipe was open) the heat of the blowtorch expands the air inside the pipe, which keeps trying to pop the cap off or force its way past the solder. There's probably a trick to it, but I've not yet discovered it, so I'll use plastic next time round. I wonder if it gets brittle over time.
Great idea with that piece of string
Stuart, nice video on different capping off methods. However, as a few others have mentioned, I'd be concerned about the length of the leg from where it tees off. Water sitting stagnant in a dead leg can lead to legionella forming, compromising the rest of your water supply. I'd definitely look into seeing if you can remove them, even if it is a hassle having to take the tiles and chipboard up. Not worth getting legionnaire's disease.
Just couple the 2 ends together, problem solved 😅
@@pedrosmits 😂
@@pedrosmits That causes an entirely different problem as you are creating a sort of short cut for the flow and return so hot water will be returning to the boiler without losing much of its heat, and the pressure driving water through the radiators will be reduced.
the only effect is in the primary heating loop. On a sealed system, as with a combi boiler, that water does not go anywhere else (except, maybe a small amount via a pressure relief valve into a drain). It certainly can't contaminate the rest of the water supply. Even on unpressurised systems, there's a separate header tank, and it can't contaminate the main water supply. A typical UK household heating system is going to have several of these sort of blind ends as things get changed over the years.
Legionnaires disease isn't a significant problem in domestic households. It is much more associated with large scale systems, especially with air conditioning and where evaporative cooling is used. Those sort of blind ends might be more of an issue with drinking water supplies.
@@TheEulerID of course I know that. I was just joking.🙃
I normally keep a couple of push fit end stops for emergencies and use coloured collets so I now if it is a hot or cold pipe if they are going to be left permanently.
Last year I had to repair a fitting which was on a copper pipe that had become slightly distorted and was in a sutuation where I could not access enough pipe to replace it so I decided to try a push fit before cutting up a fitted cupboard. This was far more in hope than expectation but it worked.
Would it not be easier to just add a brass stop end on the isolation valve? Great info as I actually gotta do this today!
Yeah have to say i agree with you, also gives some redundancy as keeping the valve closed now gives two barriers on each pipe.
That's exactly what I thought. Secondary layer of protection too with the isolation valve acting as a stop too if you were hesitant to use compression fittings alone
Hi Stuart, very useful video some good tips on push fittings,as always a great video, Thanks
What a great product thanks for showing that it was most informative
The previous owner of our house fitted those speedfit stop ends on a pair of unused 10mm heating pipes under the floor on our upstairs landing. They worked fine until about 7 years later we changed the boiler and the extra pressure popped one off and caused a leak.
Noticed that you turned the main stopcock on fully then turned it back off about a half to a full turn a trick that my uncle a plumber for many years tought me but you didn't mention not everyone would know to do that
I think it's quite a well know old trick for stopcocks. I'm not a plumber, none in the family, but have know to do this for many many moons.
compression fittings are a genius idea. house i bought was extended and the only way to have a tap outside was to split water under a bath to the side of the house. they even sell a plastic stopcock i fitted under a bath panel to ensure outside water doesn’t freeze!!
Another good video stu. Keep them coming.
Hi Stuart, is it an option to leave the isolation valve in place and just blank off the open end of it?
A waste of 2 iso valves, but on the other hand doubly protected, iso then stop ends. However, you cannot cap an iso valve so you either add an extra bit of copper or get rid..... hope this helps
Great video Stuart !!! thank you
i am no plumber but last year i fitted a outside tap using plastic all the way though the house i say that because the kitchen is at the front of the house and the drive, hot tub and family garden is at the rear of the house, the only part i found nerve racking was the compression elbow from plastic to the copper that goes through the wall but i followed the instruction to the T and my tap has been working for over a year and i am no longer afraid to now pull out my plumber bag full of plastic fittings and give it a go lol.
P.S. you can buy some red and blue little clips to put in between where you push the push fit to remove i have them to identify the hot and cold under my sink also if the pipes drop for any reason its reassurance they don't clip the push fit causing the ends to remove.
I have a question... As the system is isolated on the 1/4 valves, could you just add a compression cap to the end where the Flexi was?
or compression fitting below using the same olive and nut
ok the shut off valve would be missing one nut and olive but that is a minor ? no ??
Good to see many fellow H&S geeks out there advising on the issue of Legionella! The dead legs you made are potentially an issue depending on many factors - including are you intending to use these pipes for a new project?
WRAS guidelines state that the length of any dead leg should be limited to two times the pipe's diameter. Water cannot circulate in a dead leg, so if the dead leg is much longer than that, it could be a breeding ground for Legionella or other biofilm. If you are unsure, consult a professional plumber.
You have literally just copied and pasted that from a google search! 😂
@@jayseabie215 easier than typing it out
@@Smuttleydoghahahahahah legend
JG Speedfit is great stuff and has its uses. For me, copper pipework if it's going to be on show, plastic everywhere else.
thanks Stuart, for your help, as I wondered wonder how to stop off a water copper pipe,but now I know, well I am no plumberl
JG speedfit having Collet Locking Clip, to reduce the risk the locking knives/tangs back out.
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JG Speedfit collet locking clip prevents the accidental release of a pipe from a standard push-fit fitting. Red and blue options available to provide colour coding of hot and cold water pipes.
//
Great video thank you.
My son has had two major leaks from his plastic pipe fittings, which were part of the original plumbing in a new house. I would therefor not trust them for mains pressure. With regard to the capping off, I would have just removed the valves and fitted a cap onto the pipe using the existing olive and nut left from the valves. Far better and easier job.
So a chrome nut from a valve and an old olive onto a new copper cap, that's great 👍
The push fits fails only through user error. Mark the pipe for maximum insertion depth before pushing on, especially in fiddly areas. Thinking you pushed it on correctly against being sure it in ALL THE WAY will happen when its in the hardest spot.
Rubbish
Quite right, I was a plumber for 40 years, and I always marked the insertion depth so I knew the fitting was properly on.
I been a human for over 50 years, dont mean I know anything about the human body @@Exgasman9072
the good thing about those plastic types is you can use them on a 'live' water pipe... such as I experienced last year when my pipe burst in my garage where someone who joined plastic to copper pipe. we couldn't turn off the water so we simply tapped off the garage tap.
Great video Stuart but you could have fitted the stop end compression fitting directly onto the isolation valve.
Did wonder that myself but probably wouldn't be that interesting a video 😁
If you mean the brass cap with rubber inside it's not a great idea because the isolation valve is made to accept an olive so the edge on the isolation valve is somewhat sharp and can pierce the rubber and cause a leak over time ,
@@ajvaack no a brass blanking cap.
Stuart the flexi tap connector was screwed directly to the isolation valve which has a somewhat sharp edge to accept an olive, so over time and especially if very tight the isolation valve could have pierced the rubber washer and caused it to leak,so maybe good timing!?
Hello Stuart,
Personally I only use push fit caps as a temporary measure and don't use push fit pipe and fitting on any jobs. I have never seen push fit installed to manufacturer's instructions as regard to clipping, this incorrect installation invalidates the warranty and the constant movement of expansion and contraction can lead to total failure and flooding, especially as there are more and more 1/4 turn taps in homes creating a high hydraulic pressure when tap is turned off.
I have attended numerous jobs where this has happened, and on one new build estate in Wickham, Hampshire 3 houses out of 12 had this happen over the first 6 months, 2x 22mm Hep2O pipes under baths and 1 x 22mm Hep2O cold main, the damage was terrible. this has led to a ban on push fit by some building companies favoring instead Press Fit.
As regards to central heating and push fit, the plastic can become brittle and the stainless teeth fail, this is not what you want if water temperature is high as leaking hot water through a ceiling can be very dangerous.
As an experiment leave some fittings on copper pipe filled with water or dirty central heating water and leave for 6 months, then remove the fitting and see the corrosion caused by electrolytic action.
Soldered or compression would have been my choice. As mentioned dead legs are a No No.
As always I think your channel is brilliant.
Push fit stop ends are ok as a temporary fix. I would trust them as a permanent fix.
I have seen these loosen when the water pressure drops or if the water is turned off.
Always use collet clips.
"How do" and "How much" were the exact questions I was hoping Stuart the engineer will ask :D
You can use a heat gun to solder
Would you ever use push fit stop ends on a plastic pipe as a permanent solution? I've got a redundant hot and cold feed so have cut them back and I have used push fit stop ends. Those pipes will eventually live behind some plaster board. I read that they should only be used temporarily, but I'm struggling to find what a permanent stop end on a plastic pipe is? Any help would be great.
Cut pipe right back and don't leave any dead legs.
I had a capped mains pipe in the loft with a push fit fitted by pro bathroom fitters. It came off after about a year and when I was out for the day. What a mess, I needed to move out for 9 months while house was repaired.
So I will always use a compression fitting.
A very easy way is to remove the copper pipe from the plastic fittings. Using a similar under slung support such as coat hanger wire or cable ties. Then slip in manifold stops. Neat, easy and no dog leg.
You showed the different fittings to cap off and I agree the Speedfit is the best but where you had a nut and olive to go into the cap you could have used the normal compression stop end. which would use the existing olive and nut. Other point for a DIYer when testing for leaks after a job switch the water on about 1/4 turn to test. It will pressurise just the same but if there is a leak you won't be flooded!! Then turn on full.
Why did you not just leave the isolation valve on as your end stop?
"Dead leg length" New DIY fear unlocked
You should avoid any length of pipe with non flowing water in it because of legionaries disease. When capping off you should go back to where it will flow. If it was short I would have just put a compression stop in the isolation valves to make it easy to reinstate something.
Hey, thank you (and everybody else with similar advise)! I have a question regarding the topic. I completely renovated my bathroom. Everything out and started from scratch. Sink: Reconnected. Bathtub: Reconnected. Radiator: Removed and used stop ends. Eventually we will connect the radiator again but right now those two pipes are just dead ends. Is that a problem? I would think that we would already have gotten legionnaire's disease if it were a problem here? Heating and normal water are used daily.
@@zakkvanish3668 not sure about regulations on heating dead ends, but there is no actual problem, you don't drink or shower in heating water!
@@AlanBell Thanks a lot mate. That was my hope as well. After all the radiators have their own circuit.
@@zakkvanish3668Central heating( radiators) are totally separate from the normal hot and cold water supplies so there is no risk from dead legs on the heating side of your system.
That is on the assumption that your heating system is a properly designed and installed system.
Im guessing Legionella does not affect capped off rad pipes?
In the USA we have push on fittings, first so far as I know are Shark Bite brand. I prefer to use the brass or copper versions. My biggest concern with the life expectancy of these is not the physical metal fingers that hold them on. Lots of test have shown that they will hundreds of PSI, many times the max pressure permitted for plumping. My concern is that the seal relies on a synthetic rubber o-ring or seal. The same applies to the crimp on connectors. I worry that 25 or more years down the road some hapless owner is going to have a plumbing nightmare when those fittings start failing.
Thank you
I realy would have put collet clips on the speedfit fittings, just as a matter of course. If someone were to come along yanking at the pipes at a later date, it is feasible that the release mechanism could be triggered.
The difference between speedfit and copper fittings is that when they fail a speedfit will likely come off and you have a mains pressure flowing everywhere and a copper fitting will likely drip. I had a Speedfit isolator fail and a massive flood in minutes, worse still it was hot water.
Staurt (or anyone that knows), why not leave the isolation valves in the off position to block the pipe ends?
Over time isolation valves are notorious for leaking from the tap seal. Tbh I'm a bit surprised to see them buried under the floor like that. Correct thing to remove them.
If you use a push fit stopper on plastic pipe, you need to put a stiffening insert into the end of the pipe to be stopped.
BTW, the way those clamps work, _while tightening,_ all the force is being applied to a pretty small pin, typically held in place by less than 2 mm of plastic. Once you let go, a stronger metal piece takes over, but yeah, it's pretty easy to break the pin (or the plastic that holds it in place) if you have strong hands (or use two).
Edit: maybe disassembling a couple of quick clamps (from different manufacturers) and showing how they work would make for an interesting video.
If you have a combi boiler you may get the boiler starting up if you turn on and off cold main water because there is air left in the capped off pipes I think it is called bounce,Plumber 50 years experience experience
You could have also isolated the ballerfix valves and capped the other end of the valve with a 1/2” female cap end with a rubber washer 👍🏻
Push fit connectors give me so much work (repairing when they fail) I RARELY use them in my work.
Looks like you need some heating in that garage next! 🥶
you got anything for moving gas pipes Stu? got one needs rerouted in my kitchen!
You need a gas safe engineer for that mate
Depending on how they're designed, caps can actually use the water pressure itself to grip _harder._
Thanks
In Australia you are not permitted to use flexable hoses under floors or inside walls as they have a life span of 10 years.Why not cap of the valves and leave them in place, in the shut off position that would provide added leak protection.
Is this a temporary measure? When calling off water, apparently you should not leave a dead leg of more than 100mm to avoid legionnaires disease.
Have a look at the pipe and fittings its no more than 3 inches or 75mm. ish, so it seems fine to me if nothing else it has created a mini arrestor
@@du7ch384 WRAS says the length should be no more than twice the width of the pipe in the UK, so 30mm max in this case.
If I already had olives on them I would rather use the plug ends than compression caps. Might cost a bit more but less effort and they make me feel safer.
Copper pipes, mucho Victorian and great for 17th century.
I would definitely cap after the ball o fix.
Uk water regs allow max 30mm dead leg on 15mm pipe. Ideally chase it back and remove it altogether. Massive legionella risk, I'd redo it for your family's health, just not worth the risk.
Would it not have been easier to open the floor a little and change the tee connectors to straight connectors, that way eliminating the dead legs
I am a bit old fashioned, and am a 100% soldered joint person when it comes to joints and stops which are in inaccessible places. Normally I'd use capillary joints, where this is all out of sight, then I'd use the Yorkshire joints as they are out of sight and less to go wrong. Also, I would have said there was plenty of room for soldering, nor was it particularly flammable.
What I would have questioned is why whoever installed that heated towel rail put service valves in an inaccessible place. It just seems to be another joint that could fail and which is difficult to get too.
Those caps are on a T fitting so no dead leg as the water will constantly flow
There is a lot of talk about Bacteria forming in dead legs. Question, How big of a risk is this really? What about things which are effective dead legs, Say an outside tap that Was fitted by a previous owner, but the current property owner doesn't really use it. Or a supply to a Utility room/ Garage Which, again, the owner doesn't really use.
I'd also question how common this would actually be in copper piping anyway, as copper is a natural Antimicrobial. Sitting stagnant would only increase the copper ion concentration in the still water. Studies that were popping up when looking into controlling of Legionnaires while mentioning dead legs, talk about Legionnaires in the context of controlling it in hospitals Because of the high risk of pneumonia outbreaks. The risk is also increased further in hard water environments, giving mineral buildups that can form pockets for bacteria to live.
It sounds like one of those things that you do not need to worry about too much in general in DIY, But it's definitely something a professional would have to keep note of, as the regulation is put in place due to it being a service utility, thus must account for outliers in the regulations, Such as people with weakened immune systems. Kind of like how all pedestrian Crossings have to have a non-visible queue installed for the blind, Whether that be a beep or a little spinning thumb dial on the bottom.
I was thinking the same.I do maintenance for a chain of betting shops and the staff often turn one of the customer toilets into a storeroom and the toilet/taps are never used and I can think of more situations like you mentioned.
Perfect timing for this video, very informative!
For the plastic push fits, would they work on an old lead pipe too? I've got one on the garden that I'm hoping to cap off and not sure the best method
No they are different sizes you need to look at lead-loc fittings.
Hammer it flat then fold over the end. Not exactly by the book, but it works.
2nd fix plumber mustve had a wonky tape measure
You had a stop valvs already in place, why didn't you simply remove flex and job done? (Apart that there would be less of the video material 😊). If you're worried the stop valve would stop working you could simple put a short pipe with end stop behing it. It would still sbe you lots of work and risk loosing pipe into the void, and the fact your pipes are shorter now 😊
Great job see what you mean tho about them not popping off but still in my head they seemed like they would pop off lol
Should use a collet insert with these fittings. This keeps the collar with the grip teeth in the locked position. They come in red and blue also for pipe indication.
Those JG fittings are the nuts, much better than the older ones.
Don't forget this is in his bathroom so not under mains pressure
Sorry Stuart - it's a soldered copper end cap for me every time. Also, I'll buy your bath and taps if the price is right I'm fixing up a 17th C pub with a stupidly small budget.😁
Dont leave deadlegs. Conform to Regs.
I’d think twice about using a plastic fitting under the floor where we live; in the middle of farmers fields. Every year after harvest the mice seek out new homes and food supply. Usually anything plastic that performs a useful domestic function!
The manufacturers of the push fittings are sneaky. Most advertise a 25yr guarantee but if you look at the small print in the guarantee it only applies to the plastic part and doesn't include the o-ring. I have had o-rings perish in as little as 5 yrs. If I was going to cap a pipe and bury it under the floorboards and then build on top of it, I probably would have gone to the effort to use a more permanent method of capping the pipe.
Wouldn't it be easier just to cap the valves?
According to the meerkat advert, you just rip the pipes out
Ya missed one...
Fold over and hammer flat.
I'll get me coat.
ماتقوم به من اعمال يعبر عن عن صدق عملك . من الجزائر🇩🇿 تحياتي للشعب الإنجليزي🇬🇧 . فقط إن سمحت إستعمل القفازات نوع جلد حتى تتفادى الإصابة من شكل من اشكال الجراح
I’d be happier finding the source of the pipework, probably in the hotpress and isolate from there?
I don’t know why you didn’t just use a screw type end cap
should not have used compression fittings that are not accessible, ie under floors, i was taught that as an apprentice plumber back in the 1970's. Soldered, back then, or push fit nowadays. if you had taken the copper out of the plastic and used an internal stop end, no dead leg in pipework.
Everything seems a criticism, sorry, but I got bollocked as an apprentice for using a small pair of stilsons, instead of a movable spanner. They scar the fittings you see👍
It is proper DIY but unfortunately as many have stated here about the WRAS guidelines on 'dead leg' length, it's not proper plumbing. But then again, there are a lot of plumbers about who are not 'proper plumbers' either.