[ellied]

After managing fine through all the deep snow and -15 temps for weeks on end, I now have 3 burst pipes outside that happened the same night

And I'm leaving them all running (reducing the flow rate as much as I can with the water key) so that they don't freeze up again and I can keep supplies going to the fields meantime.

Does anyone have the skills to fix things and fancy a trip to north Fife?  I still have the semi collapsed barn and the semi fallen tree needing assistance too tho I managed to lop quite a few of the smaller branches within reach so I can get past to the field gate and trough at least...

At this point the whole place feels like it is collapsing around me and the weather is showing little sign of improvement as we were just getting thaws when we had another inch or so of snow overnight again

I suppose at least it's getting lighter and what daylight there is reflects better off snow than mud but still

[northfifeduckling]

I take it you are on a private supply, Ellie?
What a nightmare winter for you! Wish I could help...

[doganjo]

Kerstin, how about getting some other TAS-ers in Fife together and organising work parties to help each other?

[bamford6]

ARE THESE COPPER OR PLASTIC THAT HAVE BUST

[bazzais]

Had thousands ££ of damage from burst water pipes so far this year so I feel your pain.  Its mainly been fittings blowing off rather than pipes splitting not sure if its these 'surges' you hear about when the water finally comes back on or the freeze itself?

Def leaving water running overnight in the house next freeze even if I am on a meter and draining other buildings as there is no point in having it on anyway when its all frozen. (and if I am lucky enough to catch the freeze!)


As for fixing pipes, we need more detail, but it sounds like your going to need some kind of inline compression joint thingy.  The best thing to do is cut a small section of the pipe out (not to much as you need them to still virtually reach each other) and take it to your builders merchant or farm supply shop - they can advise you on the size of the 'joiner' you'll need - most of them are screww fitting now so you wont need any tools other than a pair or two of grips. (pair or two of grips sounds weird but two pairs of grips if you know what I mean! 'two poor mans spanners')

Good luck with the work, hope you get it sorted - I am too far away I am afraid.

Baz

[Helencus]

Poor you sometimes gets a bit much doesn't it. I'm so lucky my hubby is a carpenter and he can do plumbing too so he sorts things out here.
Annie think your idea is great wish I was close and could help. Chin up Ellied sending hugs

[doganjo]

Poor you sometimes gets a bit much doesn't it. I'm so lucky my hubby is a carpenter and he can do plumbing too so he sorts things out here.
Annie think your idea is great wish I was close and could help. Chin up Ellied sending hugs

You could start a group up in your own area, Helen?

[Helencus]

That would be a great thing to do but I work full-time sometimes long days so it's not really possible I'm afraid.  I already rely on hubby a lot to help me run the smallholding couldn't manage without him. So taking on anything else right now isn't something I can contemplate. Maybe in the summer though.

[northfifeduckling]

same here, things are a bit crazy at home at the moment, so have not much time to meet up and no transport of my own (car is stranded with a broken gear box outside the house  ) but in a few weeks/months things should look brighter for this. Sounds a great idea - just watch this space

[doganjo]

I don't suppose it would take much organising - might try it too - just a few emails to arrange dates after a preliminary meeting at a central point maybe?  And a list of jobs from each participant brought to that meeting that they couldn't tackle on their own, along with the timescale to do the job and a deadline for when it's needed.

[northfifeduckling]

should be fairly straightforward - first to check out who would be willing 

[Frieslandfilly]

Its a pain, I know from the other side of the coin, being married to a plumber!! He hates it when it starts to thaw after a major freeze cos he knows the phone is going to be red hot!!

[ellied]

It's mains connected at those points, one is copper pipe which a friend bashed nearly flat for me below the tap tho it still spills when running.  The second is a pipe after the tap so needs removing and refitting, and that tap is further along the same stretch as the first so tho it's currently off that means I have to turn it on to refill the bath at the far end below the second tap in order to water the animals there.  Leaving it running on a steady dribble is the only option when temps drop.  The third is somewhere within plastic fittings just before a trough - the spray is half going into the trough so have left it running as that can't be disconnected without losing 2 fields supply hte other way.

I can see it looks simple but I don't have the tools or experience to tackle it tho I'd watch and learn from anyone that did   I tried to unscrew the plastic fitting at the bottom of the copper pipe but it was too stuck to do by hand and looks like it was screwed on with tools rather than by hand as it's roughened.

Now the temps are above zero I've turned all the taps off and will have a go to see what I can manage, if anything on the first two.  Even if I could remove the copper pipe I'd feel less thick

A group would be fab but I'm not particularly skilled to offer much at this point, tho I'll have a go at unskilled work under supervision

[robert waddell]

hi ellied      plumbing is relatively simple (if you have the fittings ) if you don't have the tools that is the first stumbling block mole grip's/stillsons or adjustable pliers are essential to remove the fittings