Can i bury plastic speedfit connectors in the floor

[stevieboy1]

I plan to terminate 2 pipes which used to provide a water supply to a washing machines and would liek to terminate them / in the concrete floor. I do not intent to re-use these.

I have 2 x 15ml speedfit stop ends for the pipes (they are plastic) and I am wandering if I can simply cut the pipes below the floor level, apply the stop ends and then fill the hole with screed / cement?

Any advice / coments greatly received.

 

[tamz]

Not recommended. Can you not cut them back where they branch off.

 

[shneld]

you can from the point of view that the concrete will not attack the plastic but its a really really bad idea.

 

[GQuigley67]

best thing to do is cut them where they branch off, avoid dead legs

 

[stevieboy1]

Thanks for the quick responses. I cannot terminate them where they branch off as this happens underneath the livign room floor which has a laminate floor on top so, only option is to terminate.

Presumably this is considered a bad idea from the point of view that they may leak? but if i teminated soemwhere else under the floor would the situation be any different? maybe I could insert an access box around them?

 

[tamz]

Might be a good reason to get rid of the laminate :smile:

 

[GQuigley67]

bad idea from the point of legionnela bacteria, which can build up in the pipes and make you unwell or even kill you, you must be able to get under the floor somewhere else like the hall and crawl over ?

 

[SafeGasInstall]

other option is leave them service low level

 

[stevieboy1]

Interesting points. With regards to the issue of legionella. If that is a risk, surely it is a risk now at they are just tapped off above ground? what difference does it make? Not going to remove laminate. Could leave lower level termination maybe. Have spoken to plumber who installed this and he has confirmed that the spur is under the living room floor so really can't get to it there.

 

[GQuigley67]

is any of the other rooms in your house carpet and not laminate ? you can get under the house from there if there is enough crawl space, best to remove all dead legs.

 

[stevieboy1]

have exhausted all options with regards to terminating them where they spur off unfortuanately, I am not prepared to take the floor up. I am concerned now about the risk of legionaires disease, I have other taps, for example an outside tap which hasn't been switched on for years is that a risk too? should i terminate these above ground with a tap and run water through occasionally? Have not considered this before. I think that I might box them in, therefore allowing access still if required, not sure I have that many options actually. All of this advice is greatfully recieved many thnask to all. any other ideas please let me know!

 

[stevetheplumber]

dont forget the pipes need inserts in them just cap and bury them if you die of legionaires disease let us know

 

[GQuigley67]

i take it ever room in your house has laminate ?? if not then you can gain access through one of these rooms and crawl through into the living room and remove the pipes, or you can cap them at floor level and leave them in, water regulations now state that NO dead legs are allowed, don't know the actual chances of catching legionaires disease are but must be a problem

 

[plumbster3456]

cap the pipes were they are lol lift floor aye right

 

[plumbster3456]

its fine to cap were they are best practice is to go to were they tee off but if in my house with no access i would cap were they are also

 

[Guest123]

Fit non return valves first to stop any bacteria etc contaminating the water supply. It's not a good idea to encase Speedfit in concrete as these type of fittings need room for thermal movement/expansion and the lime in the concrete will attack the plastic, that's why Speedfit supply conduit pipe

 

[stevieboy1]

Entire downstairs is either laminate or concrete, definately no-where to crawl unless you are about 3" tall. Given that these have effectively been capped off for the last 2 years and we are yet to die I think I will take the risk, not sure why the fact they are capped off underground should make any difference. Given the comments regarding the lime in cement attacking the plastic, I think I will build a simple box around them to leave space and access should I need it, will just lay the new linolium over the top of that.

 

[Paulus]

Personally I still wouldn't use a speedfit cap for a permanent job. I would either use a soldered cap or compression cap. I just can't get my head around relying on plastic.

 

[AWheating]

Managing legionella in hot and cold water systems

it would be better if you could run them to outside taps and you can then run water throught them to avoid contamination issues.

 

[WaterTight]

i'm sure all this belt and braces, best practise, by the book stuff is wise but i can't help but think if you wait by the phone to hear of the next job where a speedfit end cap in concrete has started to leak you'd be waiting a verrrrrry long time.

 

[Guest123]

i'm sure all this belt and braces, best practise, by the book stuff is wise but i can't help but think if you wait by the phone to hear of the next job where a speedfit end cap in concrete has started to leak you'd be waiting a verrrrrry long time.

True, but as professional plumbers we have an obligation to describe the pros and cons.

 

[WaterTight]

I agree. I do wonder though - since it's never really mentioned - how big the gulf is between the practises people preach on here and what they do on the job. What is described most often on here is what you should do. I'd love to know what semi-bodges and 'ahh that'll do's' some of the guys on here get up to when they're frustrated, tired, against the clock, fighting a losing battle etc..

Probably includes many of the things they strongly advise against.

My experience of working with people much more experienced than me is that best practise is very much an ideal to aspire to rather than a practicality.

Then again I think it's also a symptom of jobbing work. Doing a high spec bathroom from scratch probably encourage less corners being cut than five 45-60 minutes trips to houses in a day to look at leaking-this or not-working-that.