I've searched this forum but cannot see anyone else reporting a similar problem with the last generation grey Hep2O fittings: they unscrew!
Our whole house was re-plumbed in 1999/2000 and Hep2O fittings were used throughout for all out-of-sight fittings - just over 200 of them. One evening back in October last year we heard running water and discovered that a joint had "burst" with the central heating water pouring out into the a cavity wall below DPC - fortunately. Could not understand at the time how it had "burst" but, with half the thread (that the cap screws on to) exposed, that's what it looked like. Thought that the pipe leading from the joint - which went through a conduit under the screed to a radiator some 6m away - must have "shrunk" and pulled the joint apart so I added an additional pipe on an elbow to give it plenty of room for movement and replaced the fitting which, on close examination, looked fine with no damage to the threads. Oh well, one of life's little mysteries . . .
Then on Monday just gone, my wife spotted a new brown patch on a ceiling downstairs! Pulling up the carpet and floorboards above it, I discovered the fitting that I am showing in the photo. The 22mm pipes are part of the main return path that runs the length of the house with the 15mm going off to a nearby radiator.
It is now clear to me that the pipes must move with the many times a day expansion and contraction of boiler firings and rests and that these movements must exert a micro-twist on the fitting cap. The friction of the pipe against the lip of the cap would appear to be sufficient to unwind the cap until - after 20 years - the o-ring is no longer being held firmly in place and out comes the water!
It is also now clear to me why Wavin did away with screw caps in the current generation of white fittings!
Knowing how many fittings I have under floorboards and in (now) inaccessible ceiling voids, am I going to have to spend the rest of my days in our house just wondering where and when the next water leak is going to appear or do I rip up floors and tear down ceilings and replace the lot!!! I can't see Wavin helping me with that . . .
So I would be VERY interested if anyone else has experienced this phenomenon. Did you speak with Wavin and what was their response?
Thanks, Andrew
Our whole house was re-plumbed in 1999/2000 and Hep2O fittings were used throughout for all out-of-sight fittings - just over 200 of them. One evening back in October last year we heard running water and discovered that a joint had "burst" with the central heating water pouring out into the a cavity wall below DPC - fortunately. Could not understand at the time how it had "burst" but, with half the thread (that the cap screws on to) exposed, that's what it looked like. Thought that the pipe leading from the joint - which went through a conduit under the screed to a radiator some 6m away - must have "shrunk" and pulled the joint apart so I added an additional pipe on an elbow to give it plenty of room for movement and replaced the fitting which, on close examination, looked fine with no damage to the threads. Oh well, one of life's little mysteries . . .
Then on Monday just gone, my wife spotted a new brown patch on a ceiling downstairs! Pulling up the carpet and floorboards above it, I discovered the fitting that I am showing in the photo. The 22mm pipes are part of the main return path that runs the length of the house with the 15mm going off to a nearby radiator.
It is now clear to me that the pipes must move with the many times a day expansion and contraction of boiler firings and rests and that these movements must exert a micro-twist on the fitting cap. The friction of the pipe against the lip of the cap would appear to be sufficient to unwind the cap until - after 20 years - the o-ring is no longer being held firmly in place and out comes the water!
It is also now clear to me why Wavin did away with screw caps in the current generation of white fittings!
Knowing how many fittings I have under floorboards and in (now) inaccessible ceiling voids, am I going to have to spend the rest of my days in our house just wondering where and when the next water leak is going to appear or do I rip up floors and tear down ceilings and replace the lot!!! I can't see Wavin helping me with that . . .
So I would be VERY interested if anyone else has experienced this phenomenon. Did you speak with Wavin and what was their response?
Thanks, Andrew
