Direct line home emergency cover

cyber69 · 21 Oct 2016 at 20:18

I put a nail through a central heating pipe today, not good news. In a panic I tried to get hold of the usual plumbing chap we know and he is on holiday somewhere abroad. In the meantime I managed to stem the flow with gaffer tape but not sure how long it would hold.

I then remember I have direct line home insurance so give their emergency line a call and ask for a plumber to come out to fix the pipe. 2 hrs later I get a call from a firm who say they cannot come out today but will be with me in the morning tomorrow. So I call direct line back and they do some more calling and come back to me to say they cannot get hold of a local plumber but would I like a hotel for the night.

So I have to settle for the next day plumber and manage to get it down to a drip by using cable ties on either end of the gaffer tape. My plumbing skills are not that great but I think it will hold.

So Direct line say they will get a plumber out within 3 hrs for a uncontrollable leak but in my case I have to wait.

Pho · 22 Oct 2016 at 00:04

I you have one available I "fixed" a water pipe that had a pinhole in it a few weeks ago with a rubber grommet placed over the split (one without a hole in it) which was then insulation taped onto the pipe and then held down with a jubilee clip. It's not leaked since and I've decided I'm not going to risk chopping it out and putting a proper coupler in

. This was on my own house for the record.

Saves a claim on your insurance!

bremen1874 · 22 Oct 2016 at 00:41

You haven't got an uncontrollable leak (you've controlled it), and they've offered alternative accommodation.

As they haven't been able to get the reported leak fixed any resulting damage would be their problem.

Maybe not quite what they suggest in their adverts (and it is just an advert with the usual caveats), but they can't just magic up heating engineers on demand.

a1ex2001 · 23 Oct 2016 at 07:25

bremen1874 said:
You haven't got an uncontrollable leak (you've controlled it), and they've offered alternative accommodation.

As they haven't been able to get the reported leak fixed any resulting damage would be their problem.

Maybe not quite what they suggest in their adverts (and it is just an advert with the usual caveats), but they can't just magic up heating engineers on demand.

Heating engineers lol

Lumeycom · 23 Oct 2016 at 08:49

a1ex2001 said:
Heating engineers lol

Agreed

plumber!!

cyber69 · 23 Oct 2016 at 13:23

I've had the pipe fixed now by a company that the home insurance contacted, my temporary fix held until the next day.

He drained the system down and cut into the pipe and added a coupler and soldered it into place and it's done the trick. Heating and hot water was tested before he left and the boiler is holding it's pressure ok.

I asked him if he had put any inhibitor into the system and he said no, he did not have any. My local plumber who fitted the boiler and rads always put inhibitor into the system every time he drained it down.

I'm reluctant to drain it down myself to add the inhibitor, I have a Magnaclean device which I have used before to add some but he said it's best to drain it down and put it in one of the towel rads we have.

Should I definitely get some inhibitor added? and by pouring it into the Magnaclean, would this be ok or is it best doing it some other way?

Lumeycom · 23 Oct 2016 at 17:06

Yes you should have inhibitor and adding it via the magnaclean is part of what the magnaclean was designed for so no issues there.

cyber69 · 23 Oct 2016 at 17:22

I bought some Fernix F1 and then isolated the towel radiator upstairs, drained 500ml out and then added the Fernix through the open bleed valve. Seems to have done the trick ok.