No hot water from upstairs taps

[jjfresh66]

Hi, i'm relaying this question for my friend who just called. She has just moved house and is having a few plumbing probs.
One is no hot water upstairs - but hot downstairs. Her system is run from a combi boiler - Make (IDEAL)
I can get more info if required.

Thanks for any quick tips

 

[tincup]

Hi


Could be an air lock.


HTH

 

[gigz]

Is the boiler downstairs and does it fire up when the upstairs tap is turned on ? If not as a temporary measure, turn downstairs tap on then go upstairs and open tap, then turn downstairs one off.

 

[jjfresh66]

Ok gigs i will tell her to try that - What happens if this is an air lock.
Can i go ahead and clear it with a piece of hosepipe from one tap to another - I've done this before on a gravity fed system and it worked a treat.

Thanks

 

[ChrisR]

It won't be an air lock on a mains system.

 

[JohnD]

just moved in, maybe the previous occupiers turned off a stop-cock, e.g. if there was water leaking from a washing-machine outlet after they took the machine away.

 

[gigz]

Did you mean there's water there but its not warming up or is there no water at all ?

 

[jjfresh66]

Good point ChrisR - On the Air lock

To clarify - Water is actually coming out of the upstairs hot tap but it's not getting hot (normal hot water pressure) but is only luke warm and no where near as hot like the kitchen tap.

If it's not a simple fixs then i will advise her to call an heating engineer.

Thanks

 

[ChrisR]

Are the flows comparable? COmbis have fixed maximum energy to water output, so the higher the flow, the less hot the water. If you aren't sure, measure it in a jug or bucket.

 

[Razor900]

If the boiler is firing when the bath taps on ask your friend to turn the tap down as much as possible whilst still keeping the boiler lit, a second person helps lots here, if the temp noticably increases after a couple of mins it is as suggested the flow rate it too great, often happens when connecting a combi to the old 22mm bath supply.

 

[jjfresh66]

The boiler also fires up when the hot water tap is running - will get back ASAP with regards to slowing the hot water down.


Thanks

 

[jjfresh66]

Got her to try the Hot bath tap at a slow rate and yes this is now getting hot. Could it be the taps or wrong size pipe.
what's the solution here - rip out all the old 22mil and replace with 15mil

Thanks

 

[JohnD]

restrict the flow through the hot bathtap

One way to do it is to close the service valve slightly (you have got service valves, haven't you?)

 

[jjfresh66]

If not Johnd i will fit one for her.

Thanks and i will let you know how i get on.