Reply to: Plumbing Question

[aceboy]

I had a similar problem, except it was affecting all water outlets. It urns out i have knock the task stat up when I was in there, which caused the water to get a LOT hotter and trap more air in the systems. I turned the water temp back to 60-65 and bled the system. problem solved

[original PM]

Dishwasher was leaking once.

Under the kitchen sink was 2 taps. Red and Blue. Turned both off.

Pulled out dishwasher.
Got a large pair of very sharp scissors and cut the cold water pipe off.

Oh dear.

Flooded the kitchen, part of the lounge, flooded the kitchen of the flat below.

I finally had to point the cut hose out of the window for 30 mins, whilst holding it (due to pressure), soaking wet, with 18 towels on the floor, whilst Mrs BGG tried to find another cut off valve.

She did...there was a second one at the end of the hose I was holding.

Lol Epic Fail!

[Board Game Geek]

Fortunately if you know how to use a spanner and nip to B&Q it's a trivial thing to fix (obviously turn the water off at the stopcock 1st before attempting the repair).

Dishwasher was leaking once.

Under the kitchen sink was 2 taps. Red and Blue. Turned both off.

Pulled out dishwasher.
Got a large pair of very sharp scissors and cut the cold water pipe off.

Oh dear.

Flooded the kitchen, part of the lounge, flooded the kitchen of the flat below.

I finally had to point the cut hose out of the window for 30 mins, whilst holding it (due to pressure), soaking wet, with 18 towels on the floor, whilst Mrs BGG tried to find another cut off valve.

She did...there was a second one at the end of the hose I was holding.

[Moscow Mule]

Thanks all

Do let us know how wet you get...

[Platypus]

Thanks all

[TykeMerc]

I've had this sort of problem recently, had a bad case of water hammer. It was caused by a faulty ball valve in the cold water header tank.

Fortunately if you know how to use a spanner and nip to B&Q it's a trivial thing to fix (obviously turn the water off at the stopcock 1st before attempting the repair).

[TykeMerc]

Check DaveB's suggestion first, it takes some effort, but it's worth it. I would also test the top floor bathroom and run that since an airlock higher up the water system can cause all sorts of grief.

It's worth opening the taps at the top and running the ones in your main bathroom for some time. If it's an airlock which seems quite likely you need to shift that damn thing until it effectively gets pushed out of an open tap. You might need to run the taps for quite a while 30+ mins isn't unusual.

Obviously check the water feeds 1st as per my previous post.

[Mr Crosby]

What he said.

Also check that the cold header tank has a good feed and that the ball valve on the cold tank isn't knackered or sunk.
Are you in a hard or soft water area? If hard water there's an outside chance that the feed or outlet pipes from the hot tank are full of lime crud, but that's less likely than an airlock.

I've had this sort of problem recently, had a bad case of water hammer. It was caused by a faulty ball valve in the cold water header tank.

[Sausage Surprise]

A clog in the tank? have you checked it to make sure it is filling?

Shirley a clog would float...

[Platypus]

Is the problem limited to the bathroom or happens in the kitchen too? Do you just have one bathroom? Do you have a shower that's fed from the hot water system or is it (they) electric and cold fed?

Sorry to ask apparently random questions, but I've had to deal with a similar issue myself in the past.

Thanks for the sensible reply!

I haven't noticed the problem in the kitchen. I have two bathrooms, one on the top floor (of my 3 storey house) which I don't use so I haven't noticed the problem up there.

The hot water tank is adjacent to the bathroom on the middle floor and that's where the problem is seen because it's the bathroom which gets all the use. The shower is over the bath and is connected using one of those combination taps/shower changers. Lever flipped one way, water comes out of taps. Flipped the other way, diverted to the shower. The pressure is now poor whether diverted to taps or shower. Recently I became convinced that flipping this lever back and forth a few times improved things, but that's no longer the case (if indeed it was ever true).

[lilelvis2000]

A clog in the tank? have you checked it to make sure it is filling?

[TykeMerc]

Sounds like an airlock somewhere. One thing you can try before calling out the plumber.

Connect a length of hose or similar from the cold to the hot tap. Turn on the hot tap, then the cold. Pressure from the cold should force water up the hot pipe and force out the air.

If you have a combi tap rather than seperates try blocking the outlet then turn on the hot tap followed by the cold. This version carries greater risk of getting you wet though

What he said.

Also check that the cold header tank has a good feed and that the ball valve on the cold tank isn't knackered or sunk.
Are you in a hard or soft water area? If hard water there's an outside chance that the feed or outlet pipes from the hot tank are full of lime crud, but that's less likely than an airlock.

[DaveB]

Sounds like an airlock somewhere. One thing you can try before calling out the plumber.

Connect a length of hose or similar from the cold to the hot tap. Turn on the hot tap, then the cold. Pressure from the cold should force water up the hot pipe and force out the air.

If you have a combi tap rather than seperates try blocking the outlet then turn on the hot tap followed by the cold. This version carries greater risk of getting you wet though

[TykeMerc]

Tank fed.

Is the problem limited to the bathroom or happens in the kitchen too? Do you just have one bathroom? Do you have a shower that's fed from the hot water system or is it (they) electric and cold fed?

Sorry to ask apparently random questions, but I've had to deal with a similar issue myself in the past.

[Platypus]

African or European?

European. And before you ask, unladen.