Stopping Hot Water

[jeetmistry]

I'm in the process of replcaing the downstairs cloakroom suite on the ground floor, and the hot water pipe for the basin does not have a isolator. I read a few related questions on this forum and got the gist of what to do, but have a few questions.

So I turn the valve to shut off water to the bottom of the cylinder, Then open the hot water tap to drain the hot water.

1. Do I turn on all hot water taps in the house and drain them all? or just the one I'm changing?

I'll fit an isoltoer on it and then turn on the valve leading to the cylinder.

2. What is the best way to avoid an air lock? Do I open all hot water taps?

Any help appreciated.

 

[sime10]

I would forget about the valve feeding the cylinder espescially if it a gate vale, Turn the mains off that feed the tank in the loft and open all the taps.
There is no way of guaranteeing an airlock on refilling.


The reason I would leave the gate valve alone is- If it is old the spindle sometimes snaps off.

 

[shaunyab]

One option I have found prevents airlocks is to freeze the hot water pipe if you think that you can cut the pipe and put the isolator on quickly enough. Another alternative is to bung the vent and feed to the hot water cylinder.

 

[Softus]

I would forget about the valve feeding the cylinder espescially if it a gate vale, Turn the mains off that feed the tank in the loft and open all the taps.

Er, this is an horrendous waste of water.

The reason I would leave the gate valve alone is- If it is old the spindle sometimes snaps off.

That's a very good reason to find out now and fit one of top quality if there's a problem, not a reason to avoid finding out until the day you really want it to work.

 

[sime10]

So ok you turn off not knowing how good the quality is of the gatevalve that was fitted 30 years ago was (maybe good quality then) How do you explain to a DIY novice how to start his hot water off again after the valve has snapped shut ( he is B__LLO_ED) forget the waste of water its the best way

 

[sime10]

That's a very good reason to find out now and fit one of top quality if there's a problem, not a reason to avoid finding out until the day you really want it to work.

So how do you fit one now of top quality without draining ? and if you have to change it you may have to drain the cylinder too, How high is that gate valve? waste of water?

 

[Softus]

So ok you turn off not knowing how good the quality is of the gatevalve that was fitted 30 years ago was (maybe good quality then)

For every 100 cheapo gate valves I turn off, probably 50 of them drip a bit. With gentle and judicious wiggling I can reduce that to 20 of them. Probably about half of those are seized, and probably about half of those refuse to budge even with expert coaxing. I don't remember ever encountering one that I got to shut and then wouldn't open again - you must be an utter butcher to achieve that.

How do you explain to a DIY novice how to start his hot water off again after the valve has snapped shut

I would use my keyboard and mouse to explain that he then needs to drain the cold storage cistern, then undo the compression nut below the valve, then undo the compression capnut above the valve and catch the four foot of water in bowl of a large towel.

( he is B__LLO_ED)

No he isn't.

forget the waste of water its the best way.

No it isn't.

So how do you fit one now of top quality without draining ?

You don't. That appears to have been a stupid and/or disingenuous question.

...and if you have to change it you may have to drain the cylinder too

You might, occasionally, but a valve that doesn't work is a pointless valve, and waiting for an emergnecy to find out whether or not one is faulty is just stupid.

How high is that gate valve?

I don't know. How do you expect me to know?

waste of water?

Not when it happens only 5% of the time, and not compared to your reckless suggestion to waste the water 100% of the time.

 

[sime10]

Have you ever had a non ingenious gate valve that you fit snap shut?

 

[sime10]

For every 100 cheapo gate valves I turn off, probably 50 of them drip a bit. With gentle and judicious wiggling I can reduce that to 20 of them. Probably about half of those are seized, and probably about half of those refuse to budge even with expert coaxing. I don't remember ever encountering one that I got to shut and then wouldn't open again - you must be an utter butcher to achieve that.

Maybe experience but calling people names like butchers does sink quite low

 

[Softus]

Have you ever had a non ingenious gate valve that you fit snap shut?

I have no idea what you mean by a "non ingenious gate valve", but I've never had any type of gate valve snap when shut, but then I'm careful.

 

[sime10]

I am careful to (no Butcher) and in 23 years I have had 5 snapped shut maybe unlucky but please I am no Butcher

 

[sime10]

Nobody is perfect and if I want to spend 2 hours draining down and wasting all that Welsh water that maybe going to the English I will waste it rather than spend that extra 2 hours plus changing that f***ed Gate valve

 

[sime10]

Sorry all Softus got my back up

 

[Softus]

I am careful to (no Butcher) and in 23 years I have had 5 snapped shut maybe unlucky but please I am no Butcher

Well then, speculating that you might come across one gate valve per working week, then the five snapped ones represent less than 1% - hardly a failure rate that merits draining down every time.

Nobody is perfect and if I want to spend 2 hours draining down and wasting all that Welsh water that maybe going to the English I will waste it

I see. So this is just a racist ploy?

rather than spend that extra 2 hours plus changing that f***ed Gate valve

Two hours to change a gate valve?! You might not be a butcher, but you're incredibly slow at being a plumber.

 

[sime10]

Yes it merits every time because I can keep my costs down

And no unless you are of ethnic majority no rascism is meant

and as for slow, maybe but the job is done right the first time