Outside tap for first floor flat

[RAW85]

Hi ladies and gentlemen,

Been asked by the owner of a first floor flat to fit an outside tap, they own the garden and there currently isn't a tap in the garden.
Haven't seen the property yet but told the kitchen faces the garden.

Firstly I think they should get permission from the people below if the pipe is to run on the outside wall. I don't really want to run it on the outside wall as it'll look ugly and be prone to freezing/damage etc. Is it braking any regs?

Is there any other way round it?

Thank you.

 

[kris]

Hi mate . Check to see if seperate water supply and try and find out where the main goes into the building and tee into that with a shut off aswell. This will save running surface.. but things can be tricky if come accross lead etc

 

[WHPES]

You can't run it along an outside wall or every winter it will go pop!

How about a tap in utility room with threaded spout they can attach hosepipe to and dangle out of the kitchen window?

 

[kris]

When i say tee into main i mean under ground.

 

[WHPES]

What about water meters if you do that?

 

[RAW85]

You can't run it along an outside wall or every winter it will go pop!

How about a tap in utility room with threaded spout they can attach hosepipe to and dangle out of the kitchen window?

Exactly that's why I want to avoid doing it.

No utility room and the garden is 120 foot long.
I'll go check it out.

 

[RAW85]

Thanks for the replies guys

 

[morganb]

If the pipe runs straight down from first floor to ground just make the customer aware of the need to isolate internally and run tap off to empty water out of the pipework in the winter, then there should be minimal chance of it freezing. It won't look the best but most of the taps I come across have 1-2 feet of external pipework for no good reason.

 

[brum]

Hi there are the folk in downstairs flat okay with running apipe on their wall also fixing a tap to their property?What about any neighbours in the future.
Either Kris's advice re tapping into underground main (so long as property not metred) or WHPES advice dropping a temp pipe maybe connected to bib tap on stake can be connected disconnected as needed

 

[PlumbersMate]

I fitted one 3 years ago for someone, cold main from loft, to outside and down rear of the house, lagged it, and still hasn't burst 3 winters later.

 

[kris]

We only use water meters if its a business , no domestic houses have them,

 

[brum]

Kris in England its a different story regarding water metering Severn Trent Water Authority STWA meter everything commercial properties inc all forms of retail shops etc caravan sites camping the list goes on and on free meter option was offered to householders along with a customer "survey" sheet sent to householders alongside their water bill.
Anyone with either a Swimming pool,Power shower or garden sprinkler had a meter enforced STWA got their info off customers unwittingly filling in these forms.
I done agency work for these and they were very smug about how they got their info.
Also every new build within their area had a water meter installed if property was built after a certain date in the eightes will google date.
Was when poll tax community charge came into England and property rateable value was scrapped.
Sorry for going on and on but many properties in England metered unmeteredis the rarity.

 

[rpm]

Could be another reason for voting Kris?

(PS I hear that item you were asking me about is not selling)

 

[brum]

It was any property built after 31st March 1990 I hate these robbing water companies where families only do one flush a day don't wash etc coz there worried about cost water meters in domestic properties should be banned in my opinion especially low income families with kids.
That's my rant over!!

 

[kris]

Oh well rpm theyre probably askin way too much per install,

 

[plumben]

If you run your feed externally straight down, insulate the pipe and run it inside a waste pipe to keep it looking reasonably neat and it will help with insulation as it wont perish in the sunlight or become damaged, also I would make sure you put an internal stop tap or valve,

 

[REDSAW]

fit a shower!!

 

[T & H Plumbing]

We only use water meters if its a business , no domestic houses have them,

Scotland don't use Meters as there water is normally Tennant's super strengh 🙂

 

[Joncpi]

If there is an external water meter that is for the upstairs flat only then as long as you connect after the meter there is no problem. Anywhere underground tee into service and install an underground isolation valve in a box then run new MDPE to outside tap. Alternatively as the regs say you must have a isolation valve and a double check install these upstairs and tell the customer to turn off and drain in the winter. "Groundbreaker" do an insulated plastic duct that is made to run up or in your case down the outside of a building. It is neat and full insulates the pipe.

 

[PETE 123]

Throw a hose out the window and wind it back when finished.

 

[josh]

We only use water meters if its a business , no domestic houses have them,

sounds good to me, as brum said, everyone here is being pushed onto them and i think there is a date where everyone should be on a meter, atleast in my area anyway.

 

[plumbandplumber]

Throw a hose out the window and wind it back when finished.

This needs to be done with care.

Few years ago, a neighbour in an upstairs flat had the same idea. Passed the hose out the window thinking it would just be going to the ground below.

Unfortunately, as he passed it out the window, on it's way down the end of hose curved round and went inside the downstairs flat's open window. He then turned the kitchen tap on that the hose was attached to.

Couple of mins later, he went downstairs to find his by now irate neighbour who wasn't best pleased that their bedroom now had a new water feature.
:bigcry:

 

[inco]

Its always pleasure to see your energy ideas and its great information for read.