OVERFLOW driving us insane!!!

[astraea]

HI
my overflow from the cold water tank in the loft is constantly dripping apart from every now and again when it stops for a few hours?

my hubby has replaced to ballvalve and the arm etc but nothing!! it still drips when we turn the water off? when someone has a bath it stops for a few hours?

my hubby said the water level is well below the top and we just cant figure out what it is?

if someone could help us we would be very grateful as we are selling our house and have buyers coming for a viewing tommorow!! great first impression!!!

thanks in advance

 

[astraea]

hi sorry someone also told us that it could be the central heating header tank but my husband said that it is empty?
thanks

 

[ChrisR]

It's probably a leak within the hot water cylinder coil allowing heating water to fill the cold cistern slowly. This will only be the case if the heating header tank is higher than the cold cistern, or you have a pressurised heating system.
The only solution is a new hot water cylinder.
Just what you need at the moment

 

[astraea]

how do we find this out for definate? and how much do they cost cause we have no money at the mo!!!!

 

[ChrisR]

First look at the water level of the other tank to see if it makes sense. Turning off the water supply to that one should mean its water level goes down, though it will evaporate especially if warm.
New HW cyl fitted, £250 - £450 depending.

 

[astraea]

my hubby said that the header tank is empty? so how can it be coming from it? we have turned the central heating off but no difference

have just had a jug outside we are losing water of a rate of about 100ml every 2 minutes!!!

how can we stop it?

 

[astraea]

i am really worried about how much this is costing us in water as i am on a meter!!! can i stop it temporarily? turning the water off under te sink didnt stop it!!

 

[ChrisR]

The header tank shouldn't be empty! Could there be water in the heating system that's higher than the water level in the CW cistern then? Drain some water from the rads to be sure.

The other source, but shouldn't be occurring if you really did turn the mains off, is via a mixer tap. Do you have one anywhere with mains on one side and tank water on the other? Sometimes water crosses over inside and goes up the hot pipe.

Is that where the plumber put a non return valve (in the hot pipe to a tap)? That should have worked.

Water that's heating up will expand and keep a drip going if it's at the overflow level alrady. But if you're producing water with the mains off I should sell it back...

Edit:
I keep missing your posts when wepost at the same time, sorry!

Water costs about 2p a bucket so don't lose sleep over it!

 

[chrishutt]

The header tank shouldn't be empty!

It could be a redundant header tank if they now have a system boiler or sealed system. Otherwise it's a bit odd if it's really empty.

 

[astraea]

apparently my hubby said there is some water in the header tank but it is stagnant??

 

[Agile]

It seems that "your hubby" does not know what is causing the problem.

Could I suggest that a competent plumber would be well worthwhile if you are selling your house!

Tony

 

[astraea]

just wanted a bit of help as we have a viewer coming at 6 tonight and no money to call out a plumber!!!

 

[Fluffster]

Can you afford to put off a potential buyer with water pouring out of a warning pipe?
Eitherway the surveyor will pick it up.
Pete

 

[Agile]

just wanted a bit of help as we have a viewer coming at 6 tonight and no money to call out a plumber!!!

I find that very difficult to accept!

If you own a house which is probably worth at least £100,000 you can raise a loan against the equity in the house.

Or perhaps filling up your 4 x 4 with petrol comes first?

Anything which prevents a sale has a very high value to you.

Water pouring out of an overflow shows that you have not been maintaining the property.

Tony

 

[RigidRaider]

Amen.