When is a turned off tap not turned off?

[Jgo]

My son recently moved into a new house. He got home from a weekend away to find water all over the floor of his cloakroom but could see no obvious source of the water.
After making 3 holes in the wall the plumber came to the conclusion that even though the sink tap had not been left on, so no water was coming out, it hadn't been turned off properly and therefore had still been running somewhere. Is this possible or is this the builder trying to make excuses for poor installation? It sounds very strange to me that anyone would design a tap that would do this. Thanks.

 

[rpm]

I want a mod to check your address before I respond.

(Think recent 38:11)

 

[Jgo]

Sorry, don't understand

 

[Chalked]

Yes it can happen with certain taps. If there is a slight amount of water still coming out of the tap, it can run back down the spout.

 

[steadyon]

Even with water coming out of a tap, that water should be running away down the drain, not onto the floor.

I think I'd be looking for an intermittent fault. Once had a problem of a bathroom flooded to a depth of 1/4 an inch every morning, but no apparent leaks. Checked everything and wriggled all connections. Turned out to be the plastic threaded inlet to a WC cistern which had cracked. All day crack closed up and no problem. At night, when the pressure rose, it opened like a valve and sprayed water onto the floor.

 

[plumb_know]

hate plastic threaded float valves, think they should make all with brass thread never fit a plastic thread one

 

[Jgo]

Thanks for you comments. The builder has said that water wasn't coming out of the tap but because it wasn't fully turned off it was being forced back down the pipe and coming out somewhere behind the sink.
I'm no expert but this sounds odd to me..

 

[Best]

Thanks for you comments. The builder has said that water wasn't coming out of the tap but because it wasn't fully turned off it was being forced back down the pipe and coming out somewhere behind the sink.
I'm no expert but this sounds odd to me..

If the builder used those exact words, then he obviously knows nothing about plumbing, or he is telling lies.
Needs a decent plumber, not a builder, to have more chance of getting the correct diagnosis

 

[Dotty]

Thanks for you comments. The builder has said that water wasn't coming out of the tap but because it wasn't fully turned off it was being forced back down the pipe and coming out somewhere behind the sink.
I'm no expert but this sounds odd to me..

Builder?

You'd be better off asking your plumber!

 

[Best]

Chalked mentioned the water can follow down the spout of some taps. This might be an explanation of what the builder meant and can run off on some basins that have badly shaped top surfaces and onto floor

 

[rpm]

I`m thinking the plumber and the builder are in cahoots with each other.

 

[REDSAW]

theres your own answer in thread 7...

there is a leak on pipework more likely and have ptfe on the threads & flexi hoses!!!!!!

 

[Last Plumber]

I think chalked and best are right with that one.
It also sounds like your builder asked a plumber and completely misunderstood the explanation.
I hope your builder isn't doing your plumbing !

 

[Last Plumber]

I think chalked and best are right with that one.
It also sounds like your builder asked a plumber and completely misunderstood the explanation.
I hope your builder isn't doing your plumbing !

 

[student plumber]

Did he mean a dribbling tap and running down side of tap onto basin and running off, or running down inside pipe and coming out somewhere.

Sounds like tap not fully off or a leak surely, so why builder not just say that.