Dead leg problem? Outside tap removal, but pipes are underground...

[Oxbow16]

Hi all

 

Got a very old looking outside tap at our house which is not in use. A plumber is visiting soon to do a bathroom refit, and whilst here will remove the tap and cap it off. I asked whether this would cause a problem with a "dead leg" and he said no, but I want to check with you guys here please.

 

The tap is behind a fake door which is just there for aesthetics as it's bricked up behind. I guess the tap itself is a dead leg isn't it? If so, shortening it can only be a good thing, but is it enough?

 

The last photo shows the water meter cover in the ground. So the tap isn't far away from that. There are two stop cocks in the house, neither of which are near the meter or outside tap. One is around 8 metres to the left and the other about 10 metres to the right (both in the middle of the house, not on the outside wall you're looking at). So I've no idea at all where or how the outside tap is connected, if/where it is tee'd off from, etc. Also, a you can see there is a slab of old concrete in front of the door. Plus the oil pipe is underground somewhere between the meter and tap, which would make digging a little more of a pain.

 

Goes without saying that the cheaper and easier option is preferable, but at the end of the day I want it to be right and most importantly I want my drinking water to be safe.

 

To dig or not to dig (cap and forget)... That is the question?

 

Many thanks for any help   

 

 

 

 

 

[Oxbow16]

...

 

 

 

[TonyT]

Personally I would keep it as it allows you to flush the pipework contents with chlorinated water on a regular basis.

 

removing the tap doesn’t allow for this.

If this was at my place of work and it couldn’t be isolated it would be added to a flushing regime to ensure water was drawn off on a weekly basis and recorded but that’s cause I have a duty of care at work, and need to comply with L8 guidance not so at home.

 

Insulate  the pipework and keep a handy tap!

 

 

 

 

[Oxbow16]

Many thanks @TonyT... Much appreciated.  

 

We've got two more outside taps, both in better locations, newer, etc. which is why this one never gets used and I wanted to get rid.  So it's not particularly handy and we never have reason to use it.  Not only is the location awkward, but we also need to do something with that wall at some point, to insulate it better, and tidy it up. When we bought the house the surveyor outlined what he thought needed doing there (I'll have to dig out the report and check). Also, I think it's one of the spots where mice are getting in. The dog certainly likes sniffing around at the spot!  Furthermore, the tap and pipe work looks pretty old and knackered, although that's to my untrained eye

 

So from what you've written it seems the dead leg is a potential cause for concern and as suspected I need to either dig to find the source and have it capped there, or keep the tap but run it periodically to remove any stagnant water...

 

Decisions, decisions...!

 

 

[Nickfromwales]

Turn off both internal stopcocks and see if the tap still works. If it does, then it’s a rising main vs cold feed, so should really be dug out to a healthy bit of pipe and capped off with some fines around it to keep it safe from movement. 
In terms of a dead leg, the risk is minuscule as the fresh incoming ( chlorinated ) water will always pass this on its way to consumption. 
Do the above test first and then weigh up the pros and cons. 

[Oxbow16]

Thanks for that Nick.  I'll try then when I get home.  I'm not sure I understand what the different requirements would be for rising main vs cold feed, but I'll find out which it is first and then go from there.  I'd be very surprised if it comes after either stop cock, but you never know.  What this space, as they say!  

 

As for risk, glad to hear it would only be miniscule.  If it were your house, would you just leave it?  Or does that also depend on the result of the above? 

 

Cheers