Is there a worst job in plumbing than this?
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- Опубликовано: 7 мар 2024
- Day in the life of a plumber
Join me as I hunt for a leak under a tiled floor.
As always, thanks for watching, all the support is greatly appreciated
#plumber #plumbing #apprentice #howto
my day sucks, so I came here. Thank you for posting your struggles.
Thanks for the support mate, hopefully you're day wasn't to bad
Whoever thought putting copper pipes in the ground unprotected needs their heads checked 😂😂
The installer will have spent the money long before the copper pipes corrode through. So they just don't care. They will only do installation work so never get called back to remedy their mess.
It's just asking for trouble, like you say the original guy has long gone, it doesn't help the next guy, thanks for watching 👍
Cement will eat through copper pipe.
@@patrickwatters7555There is no cement around the pipe it is all soil.
It's terrible but actually standard. I see copper underground daily. Concrete around it as well. Luckily today we have pex.
Such a shame for the customer, you did a great job resolving the leak. Have a good dry weekend Tom.
I always feel bad for the customers on these ones, such a shame to go chopping up nice tiled floors, thanks for watching Steve, have a great weekend
Tip for next time: If you use a Dremel with a diamond cut off wheel to grind out the grout around the tile, and you heat the tile up a bit with a propane torch and give it a couple gentle love taps with the handle end of a hammer, you can usually lift the tile free without breaking it.
I will certainly give that a try, the worst that would happen it would only break the tile which would be broken anyway, thanks for watching 👍
Nice one mate, thanks for that
@@HuneeBadger. Plumbers don't have much time to make decisions.
Water does a lot of damage, which is why we have the highest insurance premiums.
Actually rather than a Dremel, use an oscillating tool with a diamond bit
Hey , electrician here ...that poor poor screwdriver , naughty naughty plumber !
Thats my good one as well, thanks for watching mate 👍
I was just thinking the same thing. It WAS a nice Wiha insulated screwdriver...
Well that’s the first thing I noticed but you know who wants to go get the right tool while your doing some detective work your enthralled can’t get away.
The screw driver liked it! Naughty screw driver….
@@PlumbLikeTom You need to get a wet and dry vacuum cleaner.
I spent a lot of time doing jobs like this. A good quality aquavac is your best friend, it clears out the water and muck quickly in one go.
Thanks for the support Colin, I do have a titan one but running a lead is a pain, I need to invest in a battery one
I second that get a makita wet vac it will change your life forever
I feel your pain. It's not only the work involved but the disruption for the customer that makes these situations so difficult. Keep us updated.
Thanks for the support mate, hopefully everything works out well for the customer on this one
Great video Tom.
Real day to day jobs and getting stuck in.
Thanks for the support mate, hope you have a great weekend 👍
You have my sympathies. I’m a machine technician and I understand your pain.
Thanks for watching Robert
Hi Tom, another tricky mission for you there, as you say, you can only do your best on a job like that.
I’m sure you have done the best you could in that situation, the pipes need re running on that job.
The problem will only happen again in the future with a repair, I’m looking forward to part two of this job.
Have a great weekend and take care mate. 👍👍👍
Thanks for the support as always Chris, you are right, the pipes really do need rerouting, thanks for watching and have a great weekend
What fantastic video. Tom excellent work super fault finding. Thanks for the content.
Thanks for the support Mark, I'm so pleased you enjoyed the video
great work Tom, love the videos
Thanks for the support mate, I'm so pleased you are enjoying the videos
Can’t wait for the next videos 👍
Great as ever Tom 👏😎
Thanks for the support as always Neil, have a great weekend mate
👍👍 another good one Tom. Get yourself some gloves. They are no good in the Van. 😂😂
Thanks for the support as always Colin, have a great weekend mate 👍
Fair play to you, Tom. This job looked absolutely grim.
I hope you the client was grateful
I hope they were, I think there may be further issues down the line with this pipework so they are looking at getting it re-routed, thanks for the support
I've had jobs like this before.....1x i couldn't find the source of the leak and had to reroute the plumbing thru the attic and another job i was able to find the direct leak and just patched it up and let the customer back fill it and tiled up the hole.
Impressive video showing the reality of sorting out a nightmare job! Well done getting the leak stopped on that mess. Not sure why the original plumbers thought it was a good idea to have the pipes in concrete like that! 😱
Thanks for the support as always Steve, pipes in floor screeds are always asking for problems, like you say it does make you wonder what plumbers think will happen to them in the future
Wow great video Tom, you certainly don’t get many easy jobs. Hope you have a peaceful weekend. 👏👏
Thanks for the support as always Andy, hope you have a great weekend 👍
I have to say Tom you really didn’t look like it was you’re best day, always do your best mate, looks like remodel job 👍😎
Thanks for the support as always Neil, hope you have a great weekend 👍
Going down memory lane watching this water leak especially dealing with people involved.
That's always the hardest part, giving customer bad news and dealing with issues in people's homes , thanks for watching 👍
I would retire and work in a supermarket if i were confronted with this…
I feel like it sometimes, I do love the job though
There is always some one, doing something, somewhere, that will have to sorted by some other unfortunate soul. I give you copper buried in concrete. A nice looking bathroom having to be chopped about. Great video Tom. Keep your chin up Captain. Peace and goodwill.
Thanks for the support as always Martin, you are right, pipes are still being buried when we all know what happens in the end
Top plumbing work!
Thanks for watching mate
HVAC guy here, i have worked on homes built in New Jersey that were built after WWII and everything including duct work was in the concrete slab. Iron pipes copper tubing and electrical conduit all installed cheaply during the housing boom.
I do appreciate the years of work generated from this design, but I was said for the homeowners.
You have done fine work with the this unfortunate installation . Always ask a good mechanic what they think before you hide your mechanicals.
I will bet the customer is more concerned about finding the matching tile.
Thanks for the support mate, pipes in concrete floors are always going to cause issues, like you say it does lead for plenty of work down the line. I hope they can get a good tile match
30 years ago I had a similar issue, (central heating) ball valve continuously filling, damp climbing up the wall. My insurance company refused to cover! In the end I traced the leak to a cracked pass under in a 15mm copper radiator pipe under my newly vinyl tiled kitchen floor. I managed to get away with only lifting 2 tiles as I could feel the heat in the floor indicating the 2 junctions, and suspected them first. As I had spare tiles the whole job only cost £15 for a plumber to bend and fit a new pass under.
Finding the leak is always the worst part, sometimes it can be a real pain. Thanks for watching mate
Good repair job Tom
Not many lads call to them jobs anymore 😂
Have a good weekend
👍👍🤜
Thanks for the support as Tony, hope you have a great weekend mate 👍
Well done mate. Job looked well tricky.
Thanks for the support mate, it is greatly appreciated
What a pain of a job Tom, but you got it in the end, pipes in concrete, inevitable problems 👍🚽 take care
I agree Peter, the pipes will eventually leak if they are in concrete, hope you have a great weekend 👍
Love watching your videos Tom, you certainly do tackle the more tricky jobs, keep up the great work 👍
Thanks for the support mate, I'm so pleased you enjoy my videos
What a ball buster mate. I thought it was only me that got jobs like that. All the best.
I get my fair share, thanks for the support 👍
A good, honest tradesmen is worth their weight in gold, well done sir
Thanks for the support Derek
Well done, Tom! You found the leak, got the services back on! Hopefully a happy customer!
Thanks for the support David, I think they were happy, probably a bit stressful for them though as well, have a great weekend 👍
These kind of jobs are never easy to resolve but we plough on regardless. Great honest video Tom, you show the highs and the lows in our trade. I remember going to some offices that were over a restaurant. They'd had a major leak going into the restaurant and the first company out started drilling up the office floors, they hit more pipes so they drained the large storage tanks and the 2 heating systems and ran. It was a nightmare to sort out and probably the worst I'd been to....... But i survived and completed the mission 👍😎
Some jobs are just sent to try us, it's a nightmare when you hit other services and end up causing more problems, we have all done it though I'm sure, thanks for the support as always PB, have a great weekend mate
I'm 6 mins in and feel your pain. Even when you pin point this leak it will be a nightmare to repair. I always find the copper has blackened and is really pitted when installed in concrete. I'm gonna keep watching and hope you get it sorted.
I always hoover out the holes with the wet vac. Makes it cleaner.
I really need to do that, I want the Makita 18v wet vet, I probably should treat myself, thanks for watching mate
@@olivergilcreest5941 That's because the previous plumber was a moron. Use the correct alloy and thickness of coated and wrapped copper pipe if it's going to come into contact with alkaline like damp concrete and make sure not to run it near steel rebar to avoid electrolytic corrosion.
You can just tell I'm not a plumber can't you?
I know I shouldn't say it but it's nic to see someone else having jobs like this , not just me ! Love your perseverance mate .
Good video tho mate .
Regards Frank 😊
Thanks for the support Frank, these are all the jobs they don't teach plumbers at college, the majority of time it isn't all easy
You’ve done very well there Tom, as I’ve said before doing mine and I’ve taken all the old copper pipe out of the floor and running Hep John guest quit fit with locking clips on all connections red and blue too denote hot and cold , I bet some of Newbies were wondering what Tom doing Listening with the screwdriver 😂👍👍👍🛠💦🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧
These pipes all the pipes need replacing really as they could leak again, I have discussed with the customer putting drops in, we will wait to see what they want, thanks for watching as always mate, have a great weekend
Hey Tom, run an angle grinder around the grout line first of all, It reduces the risk of disturbing the adjacent tiles.
Good tip that John, thanks for watching, have a great weekend
@@PlumbLikeTomOr a carbide/diamond oscillating multi tool works on grout
@PlumbLikeTom I got a banging deal on a fein multimaster oscillating tool with a bunch of carbide and diamond heads for working with tile
The little diamond mini-blades are a lifesaver if you ever need to make a square hole in tile after it's been fitted, making a round hole is easy, but a square one under 1" on each side is a major pain
One of the freebies they gave me normally retails for £60 👀 infact the shelf price of the extra freebies added up to nearly the cost of the tool
if u do that u may chip other tiles
I love those multi tools. In the old days, severing that pipe would have been waay more work.
One of the best tools on the van, thanks for watching mate
What’s wild to me is that the tile is laid straight on the soil. Good job Tom
Thanks for the support mate 👍
What an absolute nightmare fairplay for getting stuck into it👍🏻
Thanks for watching mate 👍
@@PlumbLikeTom I enjoyed it👍🏻
Loved the vid Tom, not so much for you or the customer but more good varied content 👍
Thanks for the support as always Charles, have a great weekend
I guess it was lucky or good judgment to find the issue without ripping full suite out. Nice job 👍🏻
Probably just lucky, thanks for watching mate
@@PlumbLikeTom it was a good video that looked a nightmare but turn out well in the end 👍🏻
there is amplofied listenin devuces to listen th leakin sound of wate which works sometimes.. and thermal cameras works sometimes... but doesnt work as is .
3/4 Copper is the standard Water main buried from the street through the foundation and all throughout the house. Direct burried, what else would you suggest? Galvanized pipe?
Nightmare that Tom, great content ad always mate.
Thanks for the support as always James, hope you have a great weekend 👍
I just had a similar job....i had a leak test done and i found a faulty hot water pipe under the washing machine...had to dig under floor tiles and thru the concrete slab....had my plumber weld a patch voila......it was fixed....saved me a pretty penny.
Glad you got it sorted, the hardest part is finding it normally, thanks for watching
We all know the worst job in plumbing is renewing blocked Urinal waste pipework! Been at it today in a primary school!
True, I can't argue with that fact, I've had my fair share of them over the years, hope you got it sorted, thanks for watching
What a sod of a job Tom......but you sorted it buddy....well done.👍👍👍
Thanks for the support as always mate, we got there in the end, hopefully a good result for the customer 👍
Did a great job 👏
Thanks for the support as always Ross, have a great weekend mate
They were lucky to get some as professional as you to do it.
Thanks for the support mate 👍
makes me glad i have a house with a cellar.. if a pipe ias drippin its just goin downstairs, rippin it and replacing it!
wow, the relief!
Thanks for the support as always mate
I thought it was only me had them jobs!. Sometimes the pipework has degraded in the ground, and leaks in other places after fix. Who puts pipes direct into rubble?. Nightmare!.Good work Tom
Thanks for the support mate, these will likely all need replacing in the end, like you say the pipes just de grade and leak in other places, you end up just chasing your tail
Aww!! The joys of repair jods, you never know what your going to get!?!? Plumbing repairs are always the most enjoyable LoL.
Thanks for watching mate
Yes try crawling through that new lagging in a loft space 🔥🔥🔥
Well done there... this type of issue puts me off looking at being a plumber. I would have just ran out the house and jumped in the nearest canal.
I feel like doing that most days, thanks for watching mate
good job mate . You stuck with it when a lot wouldn't have fancied the hassle.
We got there in the end, thanks for watching
nice skills mate👍
Thanks for watching mate
Same happened to me. 43 year old hot water pipe leaked under the slab. Instead of trying to have the plumber rip up the tile and repair the pipe we decided to do a pex repipe of the whole house. Best decision in my opinion because you know there is going to be another leak in the future. What's ironic is my neighbor had the same issue a month after my repipe and they decided to do the same.
Hi what a job you had there the pipe you caped off what about the other end no water came out then I take it you left that open still? How long did all that take you? Love watching your videos can learn so much I was plumbing and heating years ago I wish RUclips was about then you would of helped me alot 👍Have a great weekend 👍
I did leave the other end open, I guess it was the old supply to the bath which must have capped further along anyway, it took me longer than it should probably, I was on site around 2.5 hours, thanks for the support, it is greatly appreciated
Is denso tape the best stuff to wrap copper pipes if going into concrete floors?
It is good stuff, I normally try and use climaflex pipe lagging as it insulates and protects the pipe as well as giving it room to expand, thanks for watching
Should see that house i was in last week..lead pipes leaks behind kitchen units .fitted a lead to copper fitting and a splashback on wall to cover broken tiles 😂
Hope you got it all sorted mate, sometimes this trade can be areal pain, thanks for watching
hard work broski
Thanks for the support mate
Plumbing is a nightmare when it goes like this. Never put pipes in the ground. Don't back fill with broken masonry.😊
Thanks for the support mate, pipes in floors are always problems, I know it looks better but it's a ticking time bomb
Where is the follow up video for this job ? How did u fix it ?
Every plumbing job I have is like this!
I feel sorry for you, I hate these ones, thanks for watching 👍
At least this was on the ground floor. I have a rental property on the second (top) floor of a block. I had a leak like this in the kitchen area which leaked into the flat below. I had to have the pipes re-routed in plastic above floor level, behind the kitchen units. Several other properties in the block have suffered a similar fate. Burying copper pipes in the concrete is never a good idea but this block was built in 1969 so I suppose it's done not too bad.
Pipes in concrete will always leak eventually, thanks for watching mate
Horrendous job mate but made a great episode❤
Thanks for the support as always Dan, I'm not sure why this one has got loads of views
I think I might have just pushed a speed fit end cap on.That compression end cap that you eventually managed to get on could just as easily be another future leaking point
Fair point, the pipework really needs replacing at this point as there will likely be further issues, thanks for watching 👍
Definitely a nightmare job Tom Ive been there many times a time on a call out no quick fix mate
Not only they bury the pipes without any protection arround it, you should have at least a mechanical protection on top of the pipes, but they welded AND added JOINTS in! You never bury joints for god's sake, you're not even supposed to weld if you bury it with no access!
I agree with you, it's always a disaster waiting to happen, thanks for watching
It's always an unknown Tom .you can only do your best .
That is where the problem was pin pointed so you have to start some where .
Considering what you where up against you did good job with only two tiles taken up ..
Not the best place for copper pipes under the concrete with no protection.
Thanks for the support as always John, it's never ideal having pipes in concrete floors, I am pricing to put drops in and re-route all the old pipes, it's the only way to real guarantee no more issues
Probably the best way .as there may be more problems to come .
Had to have my whole bungalows pipework (including all the central heating) rerouted over the top and down the walls because of leaks all over the place.
What R-Soles back in the day thought it a good idea to bury 99% of all pipework in concrete. Aesthetically it looks good, but brings massive and expensive problems years down the line.
Thanks for the support Dave, I think we are going to do something similar here, the problems will only continue with old pipes in the floor
I’m confused are those floor tiles just stuck on dirt? Looks like it lol shocking
There likely would have been a latex on top of the screed, or should have been, thanks for watching 👍
Insurance company normally cover tracing leak and making good the repair just not the repair itself. Can ask for any tradesman beyond a plumber in this respect. Not many plumbers willing to dig up concrete floor and will ask a builder does it first to expose pipes.
Thanks for the support mate, like you say the insurance cover track and trace and making good, they won't pay for the repair though which is usually the easiest bit
I loath these jobs, the whole time you know the bill is rising and rising and the customer is getting more and more anxious, its not our fault but we have to keep going. That 'In too deep to back out' feeling constantly lingering.
I know what you mean, we all just want to go in and do a quick efficient job with no damage, it isn't always like that though, thanks for watching
Literally digging a hole for yourself knowing its probably somewhere else is the worst whilst the destruction repair is on your mind for the current mess.
You know it Rob, thanks for watching
Proper real world plumbing that Tom, shows what happens when the 💩hits the fan! That wasn’t your normal chisel mate, have you upgraded?😂
I had to retire my old chisel, it snapped off so I thought I would treat myself, thanks for watching as always mate, it is greatly appreciated 👍
i think u get all the jobs nobody else wants tom, customers are lucky to have u though
Thanks for the support as always Scot
Hey you need a wet vac sweetie, will be a big help in these situations. Thanks for filming. Homeowners and plumbers nightmare that.
Thanks for watching, I feel it would be a good investment
At least in the states the concrete subfloor is at least 4 inches thick...
Some houses over here are shocking, new builds are better as pipes aren't buried like this anymore, thanks for watching
Hi Tom. Another great one. A question - if WRAS says you can't put pipes in screed, where are you supposed to run them under a non-wooden floor? Cheers.
Pipes must be ran in ducts, you would still have to lift the tile but the pipes wouldn't be touching the concrete and would last much longer. If I'm doing a job like this from new I tend to run off a manifold system and use corrugated 22mm ducts for each service. With no joints under the floor you can pull the pipes back out if they ever failed, thanks for watching
Them jobs you need a magic wand Tom
You do Glyn, thanks for watching as always mate 👍
Am feeling your pain on this one Tom. Aargggh
They are tough jobs, thanks for watching as always mate 👍
That's my idea of a nightmare job, I wouldn't even of accepted it. Nothing worse than when leaks are behind tiles. If you get these jobs often it's worth getting an expensive thermal camera, as it makes finding hot leaks particularly easy to find.
I do have a thermal camera, I was given this job by a leak detection company who wouldn't touch the repair, I was just working off their report as to where the leak was, thanks for watching
I feel like the investment of a thermal camera would pay for itself and be worth its weight in gold on projects like these.
I do have one mate, I was working after a leak detection company had been in and was told the leak was under the first tile I lifted, thanks for watching
Hello, very novice DIYer here. Can anyone explain to me why there essentially just seems to be soil underneath these tiles? I assume its a ground floor house. But surely there should be some kind of void or concrete base at the foundations? not just straight to muddy / soil beneath the floor? Or am I missing something
There is a foundation below this, this is the top screed, they have put sand around the pipes to try and protect them from the concrete but it's not ideal, thanks for watching
@@PlumbLikeTom Thank you.
Pipe in pipe needs to be made the standard for going through solid floors.
It is in Scandinavian countries.
Keep copper for going through roof spaces and joisted floors.
That looked like a nightmare.
I work as a plumber in america and this is normal for us. We have concrete foundations though but all our plumbing is under the slab just about. This repair is pretty normal. The hard jobs I would say are the ones you don't want to do like sewer lines coming apart and leaking all winter under a peer and beam home. Now it's summer and smelly enough for the customer to notice. As a child I would work those jobs but as an adult I just pass them to another plumber.
Thanks for watching mate, it sounds like you get your fair share of tough jobs as well
Them bathrooms look good till something goes wrong 😂
It's always the way, thanks for watching mate
If there is no way around it I always put the pipe in a PVC tray with a clip on top level with the screed
Thanks for watching Keith, that would have been useful here, most people don't care about the future though and just get the job done as quick as possible
As much as i hate plastic, its the only time i use it to put heating pipes in floor as i know its got a better chance 😂. Actually got a full reheat next week using copper, think il just use the plastic as those new polyplumb fittings look nice and slimline. Thank god the hot and colds will be upstairs to be on drops. 😂😂
Plastic probably would have been better here, these pipes will likely all need replacing now, thanks for watching 👍
Sometimes you gotta just put the nut and olive and slide on that compression cap when the threads dont wanna play ball 😂
The thing about being knowledgeable in our trade is that even if you mess up 99% of the time you can sort it
You know it, everyone makes mistakes in our industry and experience helps you get over problems, thanks for the support, it is greatly appreciated
I feel your pain
Thanks for the support mate
Typical mate.. As they say, improvise, adapt and overcome.. well done 👍🏽
Thanks for the support mate, have a great weekend
All those pipes should be insulated before concreting. Concrete squeezes as it dries and crushes the joints. 🙁
I agree, if you are going to run pipes like this you should make every effort to protect them, thanks for watching
The other leak finding guy makes it look a lot easier!
True, a leak detection company had already been to this job but wouldn't sort it, I was just working off the report so I started where I was told the leak was, thanks for watching
👍👍
Thanks for watching Brain, have a great weekend
How was the pool of water hot if the leak was on the cold? just curious, Electrician that knows nothing 😂
Often when the heating is on, the cold water picks up temperature from these pipes, it's surprising how much heat can be transferred, thanks for watching
Ahhh my grandfather was a plumber..my father and uncle were plumbers…my father told me to be an electrician 🤪 been doing it 9 years next week and other than a few zaps here and there I don’t envy the plumber I’m working with lol. Bless you plumbers lol
Thanks for the support mate, both my brothers are sparks, I reckon I picked the wrong trade somedays, seriously though I do love the job and wouldn't have it any other way now
@@PlumbLikeTom hell no absolutely…be proud to be a plumber…come from a family of trades 👍🏻
🤘😎🤘
Thanks for the support as always Wayne, hope you have a great weekend