Wanting to replace bath taps

[SwitchTheElectricsOff]

Hi everyone

I want to replace my bath taps (1969 house), but couldn't find the appropriate valves so traced the pipes back to the immersion and boiler.

One of the valves I twisted switches off the cold water to the taps immediately, but the hot water pipe doesn't have one on. When I feel each pipe I know which one it is, and i think it's coming from the top of the immersion. I checked the boiler, and it has two 22mm (I think) pipes going between it and the immersion

I was going to switch off the water completely, but can't find my stopcock. So far the system is beating me. Can anyone give pointers?

View media item 79888 View media item 79889 View media item 79890 (The far left valve switches cold water off)

 

[Newboy]

Look for the supply entering the hot water cylinder at it's lowest point & see if there is a valve to shut the supply to the cylinder

 

[stardanny]

Try the gate valve with red handle on left of the blue heating pump in 2nd pic.

When off, hot water will run for a few seconds then stop.

Daniel.

 

[SwitchTheElectricsOff]

Thankyou both for the quick replies!

I followed the lower pipe in to the cylinder, and it goes straight down, I think it might be going across the floorboards as the airing cupboard is in the middle of the house

For the gate valve, what does it do? Do I need to switch the boiler and cylinder off? I've only had experience of a combi and that was a doddle. I looked in the loft and can see two black tanks - one small and one large, lots of pipe work but nothing to switch off.

I'll try the gate valve tomorrow morning!

 

[stardanny]

Thankyou both for the quick replies!

I followed the lower pipe in to the cylinder, and it goes straight down, I think it might be going across the floorboards as the airing cupboard is in the middle of the house

For the gate valve, what does it do? Do I need to switch the boiler and cylinder off? I've only had experience of a combi and that was a doddle. I looked in the loft and can see two black tanks - one small and one large, lots of pipe work but nothing to switch off.

I'll try the gate valve tomorrow morning!

No need to switch off boiler. Switch off immersion heater during work.

Gate valve turn water off on cold feed to cylinder. That will stop hot water running. If you can see pipe from that gate valve, does it run to bottom left side connection of cylinder.

Daniel.

 

[SwitchTheElectricsOff]

Thanks Daniel

After some investigation this morning, I think this is the suspect, I was looking above the immersion as all the pipes were there, didn't even think about looking below

View media item 79909 View media item 79910http://www.tradingdepot.co.uk/DEF/product/!!TCB1522LS!!/

I think a trip to a diy store to get a lock key is now in order!

 

[kidgreen61]

Those are pipes connected to the heating system.

Leave them alone!

As said, you need to trace the pipe coming from the larger of the two cold water tanks in your loft, which will go straight to the bottom of your hot water cylinder, (filling it from the bottom, emptying from the top).

At some point, usually above the level of the cylinder there will be a tap/valve of some sort to isolate that water allowing you to work on your bath tap.

Quite often, the valve will be seized solid, in which case just bung the outlet of the tank in the loft to achieve the same result.

 

[stardanny]

These are for heating pipe, that on the right side. Leave it alone.

As you look at cylinder, on the left hand side, at the bottom, you will see pipe connected to it, follow the pipe and you will see the valve with red handle on same pipe?

Have you tried the gate valve with red handle on left of pump? I think this is the one that turn off and on hot water. When off, open bath taps and hot water will run for a few seconds then stop.

Daniel.

 

[SwitchTheElectricsOff]

Thankyou, thankyou, thankyou - got it!!!

It was the only valve I didn't touch aswell, typical

 

[fluxeyfingers]

Just to add to what stardanny said, the lockshield valve on the right hand side (in your last pic) is the balancing valve for the hot water coil.

 

[Bosswhite]

dont forget to fit isolating valves to the new taps for future maintenance.

 

[SwitchTheElectricsOff]

Valves added! First time I'm using olives (usually use pushfits), so that's a learning experience, had a few leaks but realised I didn't turn the nuts tight enough (need a bit of confidence)