Check valves, Mixers and Mains Cold

Joined
3 Sep 2005
Messages
33
Reaction score
0
Location
Sussex
Country
United Kingdom
Some advice please :)

Re-doing 2 bathrooms in a large 1950s house with gravity feed system etc. All the old sanitary ware has been thrown out and new purchased. My wife choose mixer taps for the 2 basins, bidet and bath --- although following an earlier mistake :)( ), we were careful to buy mixers suitable for low pressure systems (0.1 bar).

Having lifted the floorboards and traced all pipework, I now realize upstairs cold is fed from the mains and hot from the tank. While this was fine when we had separate taps on all the old sanitary ware, it's no good with these mixers.

It would be relatively easy to switch the upstairs cold pipe work to use the cold water header tank since the 2 power showers already use hot & cold from their hot & cold tanks...or should I just fit check valves everywhere (I don't like the idea of them being under the new floor where I can't get to them.).

Related to this, the old cast iron bath, which we're keeping, has a 22mm hot feed and a 15mm cold feed --- understandable when it had separate taps and cold was from mains and hot from tank. But if I switch all cold to use the header tank, is it still ok to leave this 15mm feed to the bath?

All advice gratefully received. Many Thanks

Paul

BTW: A plumber installed our kitchen sink with a mixer about a year ago...cold from mains, hot from tank, no check valves. When you put hot and cold on, cold not only goes into sink but also back up hot water pipe :( I guess I need check valves here as well.
 
Sponsored Links
If it's relatively easy, convert the bathrooms to be fed from the cold cistern. If you do this ensure the cistern is large enough to cope with all that it is supplying and that you install the cold supply pipe work correctly relative to hot cylinder feed pipe work.
Put a px reducing valve on the kitchen tap.
You need to check the regs regarding the installation of a bidet, you can't (necassarily) just install it as if it were another basin.
 
Breesey said:
You need to check the regs regarding the installation of a bidet, you can't (necassarily) just install it as if it were another basin.
Thanks! I just checked....

I think I'm OK based on my limited understanding of IRN 140 (http://www.wras.co.uk/Directory/IRNs.asp)...since I have an Over-Rim Type bidet and the plumping looks identical to the diagram shown for this type. But I wish I understood IRN 109 :(
 
Sponsored Links
That is saying that your basin tap, for example, must have at least a 25mm air gap between the point from which water comes out and the top of the water in the basin when it is going down the overflow.
 

DIYnot Local

Staff member

If you need to find a tradesperson to get your job done, please try our local search below, or if you are doing it yourself you can find suppliers local to you.

Select the supplier or trade you require, enter your location to begin your search.


Are you a trade or supplier? You can create your listing free at DIYnot Local

 
Back
Top