Hot water issues.. any ideas?

[ajcurrie]

Hi guys and girls..

Recently moved into a new house. It has a 'Baxi Solo' gas boiler, which does the hot water and central heating. I believe I have a indirect system, as there's lots of pipes into and out of the hot water cylinder. It is a generic looking hot water cylinder with a pipe leading off the top. In the loft there's single, small tank which I think is a header tank to top up the CH, as it doesn't drain/fill up when I turn on any taps (hot or cold). The thermostat on the boiler is at maximum, and the thermostat on the water cylinder is at 60.

The local gas engineer chap says that if we want hot water, we have to have both the CH and the HW on at the same time on the programmer - apparently that's just the way our system works. If we do that, the CH seems to be working fine. However, we have a couple of issues with hot water... it seems to take a LONG time to come through when I turn on the tap.. about two minutes sometimes. Then the flow of water reduces and it starts to get warm. But it never gets HOT.

How can I make the hot water get to the tap faster?

How can I get the general temperature of the hot water HOT instead of just warm? I understand about the mixer valve on the water cylinder and what that does, am I OK to adjust this is small increments till I get a acceptable temperature? It does seem hotter downstairs and cooler upstairs.

Any ideas much appriecated - I am a total newbie at plumbing and grateful for any advice you have.

 

[Agile]

Its unusual to have a mixer valve but if you really do then certainly try adjusting it.

Its also unusual to have a system wich has to have the heating on to give hot water !!! You will be wasting a lot of fuel during the summer as well as getting very hot.

I would question both those aspects but it would be far better to get a heating engineer to see it and tell us what you really have.

Its odd how few plumbers can make postings here! Perhaps its the problem of mastering how to operate a computer?

Tony

 

[noonespecial]

Hi guys and girls..

In the loft there's single, small tank which I think is a header tank to top up the CH, as it doesn't drain/fill up when I turn on any taps (hot or cold). .

Probably so.

The thermostat on the boiler is at maximum, and the thermostat on the water cylinder is at 60..

Ok they are correct settings - you could increase cylinder stat to 65 deg.C if you wished to see if that assists.

.

The local gas engineer chap says that if we want hot water, we have to have both the CH and the HW on at the same time on the programmer - apparently that's just the way our system works. .

That is most strange are you sure it is not the other way around -eg you need to have hot water and heating on to get heating?? If your guy is correct then your heating will be on in the summer and you need to get that sorted.


.

it seems to take a LONG time to come through when I turn on the tap.. about two minutes sometimes. Then the flow of water reduces and it starts to get warm. But it never gets HOT..

What is the distance between the hot water cylinder and the tap? (preferably the route the pipe takes) You need to draw off the cold water within the pipe before hot water will flow.

Are you talking about a 15mm tap (basin / sink) or 22mm (bath)?

.

How can I make the hot water get to the tap faster? .

There are ways but answer questions above first.

.

How can I get the general temperature of the hot water HOT instead of just warm? I understand about the mixer valve on the water cylinder and what that does, am I OK to adjust this is small increments till I get a acceptable temperature? It does seem hotter downstairs and cooler upstairs..

What are we talking about here - what is the mixer valve on - the heating or domestic hot water?? Does it have an electric motor? Describe it - any markings on it??

Can you give us further info on the cylinder? shape, size, markings,

The hot water can be made to get hotter by increasing the temperature within the cylinder but the mixer valve you have mentioned may have something to do with it. We further need info as above. Are you saying the hot water from the tap is hotter downstairs than upstairs?

Do the pipes to the taps run buried in solid floors are are they in a roof void?

 

[Nige F]

Hi guys and
How can I get the general temperature of the hot water HOT instead of just warm? I understand about the mixer valve on the water cylinder and what that does, am I OK to adjust this is small increments till I get a acceptable temperature? .........Yes go for it ..`tis probably an old non- electric type controlled by a phial on the cyl. wall

Any ideas much appriecated -

My psychic eye has seen all

 

[ajcurrie]

That is most strange are you sure it is not the other way around -eg you need to have hot water and heating on to get heating?? If your guy is correct then your heating will be on in the summer and you need to get that sorted.

Yes, sorry.. you are correct. It is the other way around. Hot water works (of a fashion) without the CH.. but I have to have the HW on for CH to work.

What is the distance between the hot water cylinder and the tap? (preferably the route the pipe takes) You need to draw off the cold water within the pipe before hot water will flow.

Are you talking about a 15mm tap (basin / sink) or 22mm (bath)?

I'm not really sure how to measure this.. the hot water cylinder is on the ground floor, and the kitchen is almost directly above it.. so as a guess, i'd say probably about 6 or 7 meters?

What are we talking about here - what is the mixer valve on - the heating or domestic hot water?? Does it have an electric motor? Describe it - any markings on it??

It's a T shaped copper valve with a blue cap on the top.. it's got hot in one side, cold in the other and the mix coming out the bottom. it is not electric. It seems to have some calcium (i assume) deposit around the thread.. ?

Are you saying the hot water from the tap is hotter downstairs than upstairs?

Do the pipes to the taps run buried in solid floors are are they in a roof void?

Yes, it's hotter downstairs.. cooler on the 1st floor and cooler still on the top floor where the bathrooms are. The house is dry-wall and I'm assuming the pipes are just in the wall cavity


Thanks for the reply, hope you can assist.