Cold Air Lock?

[gfb]

Hi,

I turned off the cold mains water supply and drained the cold water storage tanks in my house(storage tanks are in the attic). After turning mains water back on everything down stairs is fine but the cold water in my bathroom (upstairs) now trickles and eventually stops. I have checked cold water storage tanks and they are full. Any ideas or suggestions to remedy problem would be appreciated.

 

[gas4you]

If we assume that the cold bath tap is fed from loft tank, then put a hose from a cold mains tap to the cold bath tap and turn both on. This should push air lock out

 

[gfb]

all the cold water in the upstairs bathroom is fed from the cold water tank.

 

[gas4you]

Then you will have to take it from the kitchen tap etc with a longer hose

Have you checked that the cold supply gate valve is turned on fully?

 

[corgiman]

do you have a mixer tap say in the bath?

if so open the cold tap put your hand over the spout and open the hot water tap

this should clear the air lock, just make sure all the bog cisterns are full

 

[gfb]

Thanks for the responses.

I don't have mixer taps in the bathroom and a hose would not fit over tap spouts.

 

[gas4you]

How about a square tap adaptor from hozelock and the fittings to connect to it?

 

[gfb]

thanks gas 4 you, will give it a go tomorrow.
I take it an air lock doesn't stop water flow completely as the tap runs for a couple of seconds then stops. If I turn tap off and leave for a minute, turn on again water trickles again for a couple of seconds.

 

[corgiman]

thanks gas 4 you, will give it a go tomorrow.
I take it an air lock doesn't stop water flow completely as the tap runs for a couple of seconds then stops. If I turn tap off and leave for a minute, turn on again water trickles again for a couple of seconds.

nope an air lock typically stops it totally

you may have a blockage or the gate valves isnt open fully

 

[gfb]

thanks corgiman, I don't think I touched any gate valves (what are they)? the only water I turned off was at the mains which feeds kitchen taps and they are fine.

 

[corgiman]

gate valves are fitted on supplies from cold water storage cistern to taps and are their to isolate the water so u dont have to drain down



still may sort itself by morning

 

[gfb]

I'll turn off gate valves next time instead off emptying water tank!

 

[giblets]

You may find tomorrow morning that when you open your cold tap there will be much spluttering and things will be back to normal.

If not nip down to your local Robert Dyas and get one of those hair wash handheld sprays that pushes onto the basin taps. Fold the hose to the rose in half and turn on both hot and cold taps.

 

[gfb]

Just to let you know, I connected hose from garden tap to bathroom tap utilising one of those shower hoses and now everything is back to normal.

Thank you all for your advice.