Noisy water system using ceramic mixers

[timbalcombe]

Hi,

If the mixer taps are on anything less than full flow, then there is a horrendous noise of the water rushing through the pipes.
We have a vaillant ecotec combi and this also affects the rattling of the aqua sensor.
There is a restrictor valve entering the house which is a bit old, and obviously is there to restrict the mains flow on our shared water supply.

The pipe is 15mm feeding the boiler and has a 2 m run up from the feed on the ground floor to the combi on the first.
Should the water be on 22mm pipe?
The pipes which feed the bathroom are all 15mm as well except for the bath which branches into 22mm somewhere!

There are many bends, and there is a seperate tap for turning off the cold supply to the downstairs bathroom from the same feed as the combi.

There is a problem of water hammer as well but I think this is caused by the pipes being loose.

Anysuggestions? I'm think that we need a total replumb. I had the combi put in 6 months ago as i was sick of the sound of water rushing from the upstairs tank. Now I have the opposite!

 

[Nige F]

Hi,

If the mixer taps are on anything less than full flow, then there is a horrendous noise of the water rushing through the pipes.
We have a vaillant ecotec combi and this also affects the rattling of the aqua sensor.
There is a restrictor valve entering the house which is a bit old, ******* Fit a new pressure reducing valve @ £20.00 even in the Smoke **********and obviously is there to restrict the mains flow on our shared water supply.

The pipe is 15mm feeding the boiler and has a 2 m run up from the feed on the ground floor to the combi on the first.
Should the water be on 22mm pipe?
The pipes which feed the bathroom are all 15mm as well except for the bath which branches into 22mm somewhere!

There are many bends, and there is a seperate tap for turning off the cold supply to the downstairs bathroom from the same feed as the combi.

There is a problem of water hammer as well but I think this is caused by the pipes being loose.

Anysuggestions? I'm think that we need a total replumb. I had the combi put in 6 months ago as i was sick of the sound of water rushing from the upstairs tank. Now I have the opposite!

 

[timbalcombe]

Cheers for reply, so these things are different to isolation valves?
It looks similar.

 

[Nige F]

Cheers for reply, so these things are different to isolation valves?
It looks similar.

Best check with Vaillant.......not sure what your restrictor valve entering the house actually is PR. valves don`t look like isolation valves ( I can hear the boiler experts laughing)

 

[timbalcombe]

Its quite old and looks like a compression tube fitting with a screw in the middle.
It has a ball bearing or similar inside as something is also rattling in there.
Your the second person who's said not sure what a restrictor vlave is.
Its a shared water supply with possible lead pipe!
Vaillant engineers are muppets, they don't seem to know much about it coz its so new they say.
They did put in 4 new aqua sensors each one does the same.

I think it would be best t have 22mm wat d'ya reckon.

 

[Nige F]

Its quite old and looks like a compression tube fitting with a screw in the middle.
It has a ball bearing or similar inside as something is also rattling in there.
Your the second person who's said not sure what a restrictor valve is.
maybe it`s not called that, could be a ball-o-fix
Vaillant engineers are muppets, they don't seem to know much about it coz its so new they say.
They did put in 4 new aqua sensors each one does the same.

I think it would be best t have 22mm wat d'ya reckon.

yeah, probably

 

[timbalcombe]

So whats a ball o fix then.
I've had a look and its pretty much the same looking thing.

 

[Gasguru]

"Ballofix" is a brand name of isolating valve and is incorectly used to describe any screwdriver operated isolating valve.

Plain isolating valves should only be used to isolate the water supply not for flow regulation as they will be noisy.

It is possible to obtain isolating valves with flow restictors built in, however they are still operated with the valve fully open.

If you need to restrict the supply use a purpose designed presure reducing valve.

Cheap ball valves have "O" rings either side of the ball and it is possible these have dis-integrated allowing the ball to rattle.

 

[timbalcombe]

cheers for that, do u think it would be wiser to replace this broken o ring device with a proper stop cock?
It is on the incoming mains.

 

[Gasguru]

If you can trace the noise to the isolating valve replace it with a stopcock, if the pressure is excessive go for a presure reducing valve.

 

[kevplumb]

one of these