Installing Outside Tap to Existing Pipework

[pyjamas27]

I have some pipework at the back of my house which I'm told is for an Outside tap (see image). However I'm not sure what fitting is required to install a tap, the pipework looks to narrow for tap fittings available.
Any help welcome.

 

[Stigster]

This is a bit of a weird one because this isn't exactly an existing installation, but it's not really a new one either.

Therefore I would treat as a new installation. This means you need (inside the building) an isolating valve on that pipe, a drain off point so it can be drained down properly and a double check (non-return valve) before the outside tap. After that you need to cut down that external pipe (ideally renew that pipe because it should be sleeved through the wall), add an elbow pointing downwards with a short piece of pipe going into a 15mm - 1/2" Female Iron backplate elbow and finally a bib tap into that threaded female connection. Any external pipework must be insulated too. I'll try to find a schematic for you but have just run out of time right now.

Edit to add you could use one of these to take the pipe through the wall instead of using the backplate elbow Outside Tap Kit With Through Wall Back Plate / Flange | Stevenson Plumbing & Electrical Supplies

If any other forum member can find that and post it before I can that would be most welcome.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

I would say that is something for the boiler or heating circuits not mains water

Are you 10000% sure it's mains cold water

 

[pyjamas27]

Thanks guys. No I'm not sure, however there was storage heating in the property and the boiler was upstairs, so in some ways that wouldn't make sense. We had a new boiler installed in the kitchen recently and the plumber said it was for water. More investigation I think.
Thanks

 

[Stigster]

I would say that is something for the boiler or heating circuits not mains water

Are you 10000% sure it's mains cold water

Yeah, that needs to checked "10,000%" as you say. My installation tips only apply if it really is a mains water supply of course. It's a strange way to terminate/cap a pipe installed for future use as a garden tap feed.

 

[Darren Jackson]

Loads of property around my neck of the woods have these sticking out of the wall. they are there for draining the radiators/heating system. As mentioned you need to double check it is deffo cold water not the heating system.

 

[pyjamas27]

What would be the key differences between a draining facility and a water outlet?

 

[ShaunCorbs]

What would be the key differences between a draining facility and a water outlet?

One not connected to the mains water and being heating water

 

[Harvest Fields]

Looks like a place to drain you radiators mate. I would get it checked first to make sure that it is from the cold feed. Or you could try and trace it back yourself to where it goes inside the house

 

[Gasmk1]

quite a few round mancheste rwith drain off for heating like this but tend not to stick out that far, a few of the old plumbers used to do it around south manchester.

 

[pyjamas27]

OK Thanks all. The interesting thing is the house doesn't have central heating?

 

[ShaunCorbs]

" we had a new boiler installed in the kitchen "

?????

 

[pyjamas27]

" we had a new boiler installed in the kitchen "

?????

Yes! for the hot water and we have installed a couple of radiators downstairs. There are storage heaters elsewhere, the old boiler was in the bathroom, not allowed anymore.

 

[Harvest Fields]

Yes! for the hot water and we have installed a couple of radiators downstairs. There are storage heaters elsewhere, the old boiler was in the bathroom, not allowed anymore.

The couple of radiators you have is central heating.

 

[townfanjon]

The couple of radiators you have is central heating.

FFS !!!! Lol

 

[pyjamas27]

The couple of radiators you have is central heating.

Indeed, but the mysterious pipe precedes it by 10 years 🙂

 

[Stigster]

Please can you trace back the pipe inside the house and see what/where it connects to if possible, or is it all concealed on the other side of the wall? We gotta know where this thing goes!

It does have a drain cock on it and it's hanging out there in an unusual way. For all of our sanity at least let us know when you find out exactly what that pipe is for. If it really is a cold mains feed we can help you. If the pipe is concealed and it is mains cold then you'll need to "unconceal" it to work on it anyway.

It really does look like an overly long drain off point.

 

[Darren Jackson]

the old boiler was in thebathroom, not allowed anymore.

Not true. You can install in a bathroom, as long as the switched fused spur and controls are elsewhere, cross bonding is present & independent RCD protected circuit.

 

[pyjamas27]

The couple of radiators you have is central heating.

I know, but the pipe preceds those radiators by 10 years! 😉

 

[pyjamas27]

Please can you trace back the pipe inside the house and see what/where it connects to if possible, or is it all concealed on the other side of the wall? We gotta know where this thing goes!

It does have a drain cock on it and it's hanging out there in an unusual way. For all of our sanity at least let us know when you find out exactly what that pipe is for. If it really is a cold mains feed we can help you. If the pipe is concealed and it is mains cold then you'll need to "unconceal" it to work on it anyway.

It really does look like an overly long drain off point.

I'll check it out over the weekend and let you know.

 

[townfanjon]

Just open the drain off !!

 

[pyjamas27]

Well! Surprise, surprise, it' doesn't go anywhere. no sign of it coming through the wall internally. Maybe it was fitted in preparation, Odd really. Hey ho! Thanks for your help everyone.

 

[Harvest Fields]

Well! Surprise, surprise, it' doesn't go anywhere. no sign of it coming through the wall internally. Maybe it was fitted in preparation, Odd really. Hey ho! Thanks for your help everyone.

It will be connected somewhere. It may be behind the plaster board or kitchen units?

 

[Amateur]

the old boiler was in thebathroom, not allowed anymore.

Not true. You can install in a bathroom, as long as the switched fused spur and controls are elsewhere, cross bonding is present & independent RCD protected circuit.

Sorry to hijack but I had a little panic when i read this, my 3yr old combi is in the bathroom but was fed from a fused spur in the kitchen next to it (bungalow). I rewired the kitchen to be on its own circuit and wanted the boiler on its own circuit too.

I had wondered why the boiler installers hadnt utilised the old redundant immersion circuit and fitted a fused spur. Needless to say that is where i rewired the boiler to.

Following this i had a new consumer fitted complete with RCD protection.

Your post made me panic until i realised that my boiler is in the bathroom but it is fitted in the airing cupboard complete with a door so in effect a separate room. Im assuming your quote relates to mounting switches on the wall in the actual bathroom, not a cupboard within it?

 

[pyjamas27]

It will be connected somewhere. It may be behind the plaster board or kitchen units?

I have a clear view of all the pipe work, there is no plasterboard behind the kitchen units on the outside wall just breeze block. perhaps it's running between the breeze block and the outer wall?

 

[Amateur]

I have a clear view of all the pipe work, there is no plasterboard behind the kitchen units on the outside wall just breeze block. perhaps it's running between the breeze block and the outer wall?

Have you tried opening the valve to see what comes out of it?

If nothing comes out of it i would give the pipe a light pull, it might have been chopped off inside and plastered over and now its just a bit of dead pipe left in the wall that might pull out.

 

[pyjamas27]

Nope, Looked everywhere there is no pipe coming in from that outside wall in the kitchen. A thought is it could have been drainage for the Gas water heater that was in the bathroom upstairs above the kitchen?

 

[pyjamas27]

Have you tried opening the valve to see what comes out of it?

If nothing comes out of it i would give the pipe a light pull, it might have been chopped off inside and plastered over and now its just a bit of dead pipe left in the wall that might pull out.

I'll try that.

 

[Harvest Fields]

it is definitely time to open the valve

 

[heliotrope]

it is definitely time to open the valve

Ohhhhhhhh....Do it, just do it .

 

[pyjamas27]

Lo and Behold! Water comes out at a reasonable rate. So How can I turn this into a tap fitting?

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Run it for 5 mins does the pressure drop ?

 

[pyjamas27]

Run it for 5 mins does the pressure drop ?

After 5 minutes there is still a strong flow of water?

 

[ShaunCorbs]

After 5 minutes there is still a strong flow of water?

That's good and means it's connected to the mains water you can fit your outside tap onto that as long as you follow the rules

 

[pyjamas27]

That's good and means it's connected to the mains water you can fit your outside tap onto that as long as you follow the rules

Can you point me to a
guide on the rules please? Thanks

 

[Ric2013]

Your post made me panic until i realised that my boiler is in the bathroom but it is fitted in the airing cupboard complete with a door so in effect a separate room. Im assuming your quote relates to mounting switches on the wall in the actual bathroom, not a cupboard within it?

I'm assuming that either you are certified as a competent person to be carrying out electrics in special locations such as bathrooms and kitchens, and adding new circuits, or that you notified this work to your town building control officer and have had it tested and signed off? Otherwise what you did is illegal whether your work is technically correct or not, though you won't be the first, nor the last. I think the question is more an electrical one than a plumbing one however, so this forum may not be the best place for an answer.
With regard to your airing cupboard technicality and putting aside regulations for the moment (I'm sure others will be happy to lecture you on the potential dangers of DIY electrics but I can't be bothered myself), I would be inclined to consider whether the switch is likely to come into contact with a naked person who is covered in water, or not. Surely that is why in the UK we can't have switches in bathrooms (within 4m of a bath or shower IIRC) (though they do abroad and they seem to survive)?

 

[pyjamas27]

I'm assuming that either you are certified as a competent person to be carrying out electrics in special locations such as bathrooms and kitchens, and adding new circuits, or that you notified this work to your town building control officer and have had it tested and signed off? Otherwise what you did is illegal whether your work is technically correct or not, though you won't be the first, nor the last. I think the question is more an electrical one than a plumbing one however, so this forum may not be the best place for an answer.
With regard to your airing cupboard technicality and putting aside regulations for the moment (I'm sure others will be happy to lecture you on the potential dangers of DIY electrics but I can't be bothered myself), I would be inclined to consider whether the switch is likely to come into contact with a naked person who is covered in water, or not. Surely that is why in the UK we can't have switches in bathrooms (within 4m of a bath or shower IIRC) (though they do abroad and they seem to survive)?

You've lost me there. I'm assuming you refering to the post hijacker. I'm just trying to fit an outside tap, no boilers, electrics etc involved.

 

[Ric2013]

Can you point me to a
guide on the rules please? Thanks

https://www.southernwater.co.uk/Media/Default/PDFs/WaterSupplyRegs.pdf
Follow page 5 of this and you won't be far off. What I don't get is how you'll be able to put your double check valve and isolating valve inside if you can't find where this pipe comes from. A double check valve outside or incorporated into the tap isn't a very good solution as they tend to freeze and then you will experience poor flow and the double check valve probably isn't going to act as a check valve after this.

However, pragmatically, what you have is has probably been installed as a non-compliant outside tap in the past, so I'd be inclined to say that, as an amateur you are unlikely to have the skills to be able to trace this water pipe back to the origin and cut out and repipe from scratch.

As a replacement tap, you would be allowed to fit something like this as a replacement: Pegler HU Bib Tap with Check Valve ½. , but it needs to attach to a wallplate elbow, which you'll need to fit. The Water Regulations aren't retrospective, so you can work on existing systems provided your work makes them more, rather than less, compliant. If you have a look at that Screwfix link, check out DIYmaniac's review, as he summerises the relevent regulations and loopholes in some detail...

 

[pyjamas27]

https://www.southernwater.co.uk/Media/Default/PDFs/WaterSupplyRegs.pdf
Follow page 5 of this and you won't be far off. What I don't get is how you'll be able to put your double check valve and isolating valve inside if you can't find where this pipe comes from. A double check valve outside or incorporated into the tap isn't a very good solution as they tend to freeze and then you will experience poor flow and the double check valve probably isn't going to act as a check valve after this.

However, pragmatically, what you have is has probably been installed as a non-compliant outside tap in the past, so I'd be inclined to say that, as an amateur you are unlikely to have the skills to be able to trace this water pipe back to the origin and cut out and repipe from scratch.

As a replacement tap, you would be allowed to fit something like this as a replacement: Pegler HU Bib Tap with Check Valve ½. , but it needs to attach to a wallplate elbow, which you'll need to fit. The Water Regulations aren't retrospective, so you can work on existing systems provided your work makes them more, rather than less compliant.

Thanks!