blocked cold water downpipe from tank in loft

[suerealisma]

Help - can anyone tell me what to do to clear a downpipe from my loft tank. The plumber left, having dropped a lump of fibre glass lagging into the tank, which has subsequently drifted down the pipe as I tried to run a bath for the kids. I cleared the tank as best I could with a sieve, then drained the tank, and refilled. I now have a good supply to the kitchen, the downstairs sink & loo, the ensuite sink, but not the toilet, and no cold water at all in the bathroom to sink, bath or toilet! I do have hot in the bathroom. I've removed the filters on the mixer taps and taken out an amount of the fibre glass, but am now totally flummoxed!

Sorry if this sounds rather garbled, but as a mum of two, i really do need the bathroom to be functioning!

Any further suggestions that a non-plumber can try would be appreciated.
Sue

 

[Nige F]

a long hosepipe from the kitchen -mains -cold tap to the mixer in bathroom and blow back thru hose ..prob. need 2 people.-one @each end

 

[Dan Robinson]

Hose the little b.uggers down in the garden... .


I think, the nect thing to try is to force mains cold water back up the gravity cold supply. How this is done depends on hte layout of your house, but I suspect a hose pipe and a lot of paitence....


Hopefully that will blast out any more fibre glass. Infact, why should you be doing this? Get the plumber back, or get him to pay for someone to do it for you.

You might need to change/clean the toilet ball valve once you've finished; if can isolate that deprately then I would do so.

 

[Dan Robinson]

a long hosepipe from the kitchen -mains -cold tap to the mixer in bathroom and blow back thru hose ..prob. need 2 people.-one @each end

hey quick draw....

 

[suerealisma]

Thanks Nige

I didnt think anyone else would be reading this sort of stuff at this time!!
As the plumber who caused the problem is due back tomorrow, I shall be suggesting how he resolve the problem he caused.

Thanks for your help
Sue

 

[Dan Robinson]

You'd be surpirsed at how sad, sorry dedicated some of us pro's really are.

 

[suerealisma]

Thanks to all you "sad" professionals out there. Perhaps those of you with families, should now be tucked up in bed with your wives/girlfriends, or even boyfriends, rather than worrying about my problems!!

 

[Dan Robinson]

I am married - why do you think I'm 'ere?

Well I'm wrapped in a towel and off to bed ...

 

[Agile]

Well its 0026 and I dont know if he has followed all that advice and got it working or not!

Tony

 

[ChrisR]

He's a she, Tone.
A cheap thin drain clearing spring might help. V cheap in Wickes. 2.5m long I think, but won't go round an elbow. Or net curtain suspension wire, which does if the elbow is right at your end.

 

[Agile]

I thought it was a boy called Sue!

Any woman would have been in bed by 11 pm!

 

[suerealisma]

Sorry guys, some of us women have to do the DIY, specially when the man of the house works away often!

Havent sorted anything out as yet, have been trying to calm down after yet another catastrophe caused by what i believed to be a "professional"! I'm seriously thinking of taking up plumbing myself............................how hard can it be.......

Off to bed....... alone, no towel as I have no means of bathing or showering at present!

 

[Agile]

Now its Wednesday morning I hope the plumber will be returning to sort out the problem for you.

Dont blame him too much because air locks and circulation problem after draining a system are very common. They dont always appear immediately either.

Plumbing is not that hard for anyone with strong wrists and a good brain. Not many women want to do plumbing because they dont like anything slightly dirty like dealing with drains or a blocked toilet.

I repair boilers so that is a lot cleaner but much more technical.

Tony

 

[Dan Robinson]

Not many women want to do plumbing because they dont like anything slightly dirty like dealing with drains or a blocked toilet.

'tis a brave statement there mate....

 

[ChrisR]

Not many women want to do plumbing because they dont like anything slightly dirty like dealing with drains or a blocked toilet.

You wot? Women deal with the most revolting, disgusting, hateful, filthy, infuriating, ridiculous things on the planet. Babies.