How to troubleshoot water supply systems

Problems with communications can cause significant inconvenience to residents of an apartment building and a summer residence, since it may take more than one day to eliminate them. It is important to regularly monitor the operation of the system and repair the water pipes in the apartment on time.

The main malfunctions of the water supply

The most common cases of malfunction of water supply systems:

• water leakage at pipe joints;
• mechanical damage and wall defects;
• internal frosting of the pipe in winter;
• the formation of garbage blockages.

Determining the specific type of malfunction is an important task, since it depends on which actions and who will have to take to correct the situation.

Getting rid of pipe defects

If the communications have been serving for more than a dozen years, microcracks form in the pipes due to wear, as a result, a breakthrough may occur. This is the most dangerous case of a water supply failure, because the liquid inside is ejected outward in a dense jet under high pressure. The consequence can be serious flooding of the apartment and neighbors below, as well as getting burns if the water in the pipe is hot.

At the beginning of the repair of water supply networks, it is necessary to shut off the system as soon as possible in order to eliminate the leak by turning the valve near the meter. If the crack is small and invisible, it must be localized. Wrap the pipe with toilet paper where there is water outside. When a crack is found, mark it with a marker.

There are two ways to stop a leak: replace the pipe section or insulate it.

Replacing the pipe

Follow the steps in the following sequence:

1. Shut off the water supply.
2. Use a grinder to make two cuts on either side of the crack and extract the fragment.
3. Take a new pipe of the same length and diameter to fit into the empty space.

Anchoring the pipe is done in one of two ways. The first is welding. Take the welding machine, firmly fasten the inserted fragment so that it cannot move. Make two quality perimeter seams on both sides. When you complete the process, make sure there are no micro cracks left.

The second way is fastening with special inserts. Used in the repair of plastic water supply pipes. Buy two threaded inserts that have the same diameter as the pipes. Slide them in tightly or slide them over, depending on the design. Don't forget to seal with tow. Tighten threaded plugs securely.

Isolation of the problem area

A crack in a plastic plumbing can be repaired using a patch. To do this, you need a special textile polymer that does not allow liquids to pass through, and two clamps. Take a piece of plastic tape and cut a piece so thick that it is several centimeters wider than the length of the crack. Wrap the fabric tightly and attach two pipe clamps around the edges.

Make sure that there are no folds - the tape should be firmly pressed against the pipe. Use a screwdriver to tighten the clamps as tight as possible. At the end of the work, check how tight the insulation is. To increase reliability, it is advisable to put the polymer element on glue.

How to get rid of leaks at the joints

To get rid of a malfunction in the water supply system at the pipe joints, you need to know what type of fitting is used to branch pipes. There are 4 options:

• Welded fitting. It will not work to disassemble such a system, so the only way to eliminate the leak is to apply additional seams with a soldering iron over the old ones.
• If the connection between the pipes is one-piece, that is, a press fitting is used, the problem area will have to be cut and replaced with 2 new couplings, as well as an additional pipe section between them instead of the cut one.
• If the pipe is threaded or crimped to the fitting, a leak indicates a loose fit. It is enough to tighten the connection tighter.
• The glued fitting is sealed by crimping the problem area with a metal ring patch. Cut the ring axially, slide it over the pipe-to-fitting connection, using glue to hold it together.

The area needs to be degreased before starting any compaction procedure. Otherwise, the required tightness will not be achieved, which increases the likelihood of relapse in the near future.

Elimination of ice plugs and blockages

Ice plugs inside the pipeline are preventing fluid from flowing. They carry a great danger in themselves, as the pressure inside builds up, provoking a rupture.

First you need to determine in what place frostbite was formed. To do this, pass a flexible rod into the pipe and push it further until it hits the plug. Determine the exact location of the ice along the length of the rod. Next, you need to defrost the internal icing with hot air. For this purpose, you will need a hair dryer or a burner. The main thing is to heat the pipe so that the ice inside begins to melt.

If the plumbing is clogged with debris, you need to, as in the case of ice, find the location with a flexible probe. You will need a special pipe cleaning brush, matched to the diameter. It is desirable that the metal hairs be enclosed by the walls as tightly as possible. Insert it all the way and make translational movements, while scrolling around the axis. Continue these steps until the brush begins to pass further without the slightest resistance.

How to avoid breakdowns in the plumbing system

All communications become unusable over time and must be replaced. Malfunctions in the operation of water supply systems can be postponed if you adhere to simple rules:

• Invite a plumber every six months to inspect pipes and connections. A specialist will help you identify weaknesses in time and avoid unpleasant surprises in the future.
• If you are replacing the old water supply system, put in their place only new proven communications without defects.
• If your plumbing has threaded clamps or couplings, check monthly to ensure that they are tightened to the limit, as these parts tend to loosen their grip over time.

Dirt and debris get inside through the sink. Therefore, you should not wash your hair and other small waste of human life there.

Who should pay for the repair

To understand who needs to repair water systems, you need to consider the type of property. If you are the owner of your own country house, a building at a summer cottage, and have an autonomous water supply, according to the law, you yourself must be responsible for the quality of the work of all communication and engineering systems of the building.

With housing in apartment buildings in urban areas, things are a little different. There, the responsibility between the owners and the utilities is divided according to certain rules. The company that manages the apartment building (MKD) is responsible for the vertical part of the communications on the riser that runs through several floors.

If a malfunction occurs with the horizontal part, which includes the gap between the taps and the meters, the repair of the water supply falls on the shoulders of the apartment owner, and he cannot demand that the utilities take action.

Measures that the tenant has the right to take in the event of a malfunction of the vertical part of the water supply system:

1. In the basement, shut off the water on the riser by turning the blocking valve.
2. Report the incident to the Criminal Code by phone.
3. Upon the arrival of the repairmen, demand the drawing up of an act confirming the breakdown of the riser.

If the tenant has a legal action with the flooded neighbors, the act will prove his innocence and avoid the repair bill.