need to turn off water

[Dancer83]

Last night the hot tap over my bath was stuck fast. When I applied reasonable pressure it snapped off in my hand. There is now a nut surrounding a hole visible. I have had water running full blast all night. Whatsmore the water tank is directly above my bed as I live in a one room bed sit and is constantly draining and filling (not good for sleeping!).

I have tried to turn off what I think is the stop tap, which is attached to the hot water tank but its also stuck and I'm scared to try too hard in case that breaks off too.

My landlady lives in France and I am having trouble getting in contact with her, I can't afford to pay for a plumber call out and I have no tools to assist me.

Id really appreciate any suggestions to help me in the short term. What tools do I need and what would stop the tap? Please someone help me!!!

 

[JohnD]

if the hot tap is fed from a tank, and not at mains pressure from the boiler, then there will be a cold water tank with a ball valve in it, like you find in a WC cistern. the cold tank might be on top of the hot cylinder, or it might be in the loft.

this is what we call a hot water cylinder. have you got your own or is it shared?

find it, and tie up the ball while you consider what to do next. if the float is lifted to normal water level, it cuts off the supply.

turn off the boiler as well.

pull off the bath panel and look at the pipes that supply the bath taps. sometimes they have service valves on them.

look for a main stop-cock under the sink

note the special shape of a stop-cock which is different from other taps.

have a look at the part of the tap that came off in your hand. Does it have a thread on it? if so it might screw back into the hole.

If you have or can borrow a digital camera, take some pics and post them see
//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=129539

if you are living in a house with a number of bedsits ask the other tenants if they know how to contact the owner or get repairs done.

when is your next week or month's rent due? you could use that money to pay a plumber if your landlady will not or does not respond. if you found it through an agent, notify the agent. keep all receipts.

edited: pictures added 11:51

 

[Dancer83]

Thank you so much for your advise I feel I have several options available to me now.

I am at work at the moment but I will go home during my lunch hour and attempt to tie up the ball valve. I'm presuming this will trick the tank into thinking its full and thus stop it filling?

I will take some photos and post them if I have no luck.

Again thank you so so much for taking the time to pass on the benefit of your expertise I am very grateful.

 

[JohnD]

there is a tool called a Basin Wrench or Basin Spanner (possibly Tap Spanner) which can be used for extra leverage on jammed valves if you do not have very strong hands - but await opinions from plumbers as I suppose it would increase the risk of damage. I am just a householder.

They only cost a few pounds in any DIY shed, hardware store or plumbers merchant

 

[D_Hailsham]

First, turn of your boiler or whatever heats the hot water.

You need to get to the cold water tank which feeds the HW tank.

Tie up the float, say to a stick across the top of the tank, so is does not drop when the water level drops and let the valve open (like a toilet float valve). This will stop the tank filling and emptying.

The Hot and cold tanks will eventually empty completely, through the HW cylinder and the damaged tap.

You say that the tap on the pipe from the HW cylinder is also stuck. Which pipe is this on, the one which goes in the bottom of the cylinder or the one which comes out of the top?

It is not unusual for this tap to get stuck as it is not used very often! Try turning it in both directions. They are fairly strong and can withstand a fair amount of force.

(Useful tip: never leave stop taps, such as this one, fully open. Always close it about half a turn. It is less likely to seize up and, if it does, you have some free play to turn in both directions when freeing the tap)

You now need to replace the damaged tap; or get a plumber in to do the job. Don't forget to get a receipted bill to present to your landlady. You could deduct the cost from your next rental payment, but you are, legally, on dodgy ground if you do that without advising her, first, of your intention.

My landlady lives in France and I am having trouble getting in contact with her,

Does she have an agent who collects the rent on her behalf? If she does contact them. If she does not have someone in this country, whom you can contact in an emergency, she may well be in breach of her statutory duties as a landlord.

 

[D_Hailsham]

My first post seems to have duplicated JohnD's good advice; that was not intended. There were no replies when I started writing mine and I got delayed.

I will leave it to John to guide you further.

 

[Agile]

Does she have an agent who collects the rent on her behalf? If she does contact them. If she does not have someone in this country, whom you can contact in an emergency, she may well be in breach of her statutory duties as a landlord.

Whilst she has a duty to keep the services in good working order, I dont think she has any legal duty to have an agent or to even provide contact details.

If there is no agent and no contact details or the landlady does not answer/respond to the provided contact details then the tenant has no option apart from calling a plumber and deducting the cost from the rent.

In normal cases I always tell a tenant to give the landlord 24 hrs to get the repair done ( if not an emergency ) and if thats not done then to tell the landlord that he is going to call me and deduct the cost from the rent.

Tony

 

[JohnD]

Great minds, Mr. H!

 

[Dancer83]

Right, I've just arrived back at work from dinner and I'm delighted to tell you I have managed to stop the tank filling by tying up the ball valve. I can't believe such a small amount of movement makes such a difference to the noise!

I'm hoping the tap will have run itself dry by the time I finish work and get home about 6pm.

I have also received an email from my landlady who assures me she will get a plumber in this week. I can shower etc at the gym which may also encourage me to exercise for a change, so I feel a lot better about everything now. In fact I think I may have a budding new career option... ok ok joke!

I just have one more question: Once the hot water tank is empty will I have no cold water either? Will I even be able to flush the toilet? There is only one tank in my flat as far as I can see, the one which heats up.

Again thanks so so much I'm so glad I stumbled across this site. I'm very grateful for all your help.

 

[JohnD]

you will have cold water at any taps supplied from the mains. this is always the kitchen sink drinking water tap, and sometimes other cold taps. There are regional and house-age differences. In parts of London it is usual for all cold taps except the kitchen sink to be fed from the tank, here in Hampshire they like to feed everything cold from the mains. If necessary you can fill the WC cistern with a bucket from the sink.

the cold tank needs to have a tight fitting cover on it, or spiders fall in.

 

[Dancer83]

Well I put the lid back on it so fingers crossed there will be no spiders. Much as I dislike them I wouldn't like their hairy little bodies floating in my water tank! I have also found a ball of heavy duty style string at work which I shall 'borrow' just in case my lunchtime effort has snapped or something.

As long as I can flush the loo and fill the kettle I'm not bothered so I should be ok until a plumber is arranged.

Roll on bed time, I have never appreciated silence so much!

 

[D_Hailsham]

Whilst she has a duty to keep the services in good working order, I dont think she has any legal duty to have an agent or to even provide contact details.

I was not suggesting that the landlady had to have an agent; but I think it would be very difficult for her to fulfil her responsibilities under section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 if the tenant did not know how to contact the landlady. Section 1 of the Act requires the landlady to provide the tenant with her name and address, if requested!.

 

[garrymum]

Wouldn't it have been easier to just close the gate valve which feeds cold water to the bottom of the hot water cylinder?

 

[D_Hailsham]

Wouldn't it have been easier to just close the gate valve which feeds cold water to the bottom of the hot water cylinder?

Of course it would but

I have tried to turn off what I think is the stop tap, which is attached to the hot water tank but its also stuck and I'm scared to try too hard in case that breaks off too.

It pays to read the whole topic!

 

[garrymum]

Wouldn't it have been easier to just close the gate valve which feeds cold water to the bottom of the hot water cylinder?

Of course it would but

I have tried to turn off what I think is the stop tap, which is attached to the hot water tank but its also stuck and I'm scared to try too hard in case that breaks off too.

It pays to read the whole topic!

Missed that bit!!!!!