Cutting off hot water? Where!

uranium233 · Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 6:28 pm Post Subject: Cutting off hot water? Where!

I cannot cut off the hot water supply and want to change the kitchen taps. The cold is no problem, but I cannot seem to stop the hot.

I have an indirect system, I have two more gate valves in the airing cupboard, one at the bottom of the hot water cylinder, one on a pipe running straight up to the loft (this valve is frozen, I think it is the cold water up to the water tank).

When I shut off the bottom valve, nothing noticable happens - do I have to shut this off and then drain the whole thing? Would the best approach be to turn off the cold main, then the bottom valve and let it run till empty? Do I have to stop the header tank (prop up the ballvalve or something)?

I'm tempted just to cut the hot water live and fit an isolation valve as it looks like the simplest option!

Paul Barker · Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 6:35 pm Post Subject:

The 3/4 inch or 22mm diameter pipe which runs between the loft and the very bottom of the cylinder is the one to isolate.

I usually do hot taps by bunging the tank, which you may find difficult. If I can't be r sed I just run another hot tap, take the top off the hot tap I am wsorking on and change washer live, in a gravity situation this is perfectly manageable for someone who is familiar with the procedure.

You may prefer (IF THE GATE VALVE IS STUCK OR SHAFT BROKEN MORE LIKELY) to turn off stop cock and wait until no water flows from hot tap. Probably take 20 minutes.

Paul Barker · Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 6:37 pm Post Subject:

Of course if a gate valve is broken we are on the whole obligated to renew it for the householder. Wherin it shan't ever be touched until many years ahead when it will break again when most needed. They are a load of rubbish, I try not to touch them. But they are a bluddy site better than ball valves.

Beans-on-Toast · Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 6:45 pm Post Subject:

Why dont you turn your boiler off to start with. Just in case you really do try cutting into it live as you put it.

If there isn't a valve to shut down the water supply from the main tank, then as you rightly said, tie up the ballcock with some string and a piece of wood.

Go to the cylinder and trace the hot water valve by tracing where the pipe exits from the top of the cylinder. Then turn it off.

Open all hot taps and hey presto, you should be able to start installing your new kitchen taps.

JPC · Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 6:50 pm Post Subject:

u dont have to turn ur boiler off.

seems to me for you the best thing to do is tie up the ball valve in the loft on the larger tank..

run the hot water till no more comes out and change ur kitchen taps

untie the ball valve and job done (apart from the airlock that will follow !

)

__________________
Jamie

uranium233 · Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 8:09 pm Post Subject:

Ok, thanks guys. I figured out the system in the end, and without draining a lot of it I couldn't shut off the feed to the taps ... bummer.

So I let it cool down a bit, cleaned up a nice piece of pipe, cut it and stuck and isolation valve in there, bit a spray, but over in 2 minutes (touch wood).