Replacing sink washer without draining system

[homertimpson]

My hot water tap in the sink has gone from a reasonable flow to very much reduced over the last month. All other taps in the house are fine. Today the tap turns - but no water at all. I've a 'normal' heating sytem - not a combi.

My neighbour has said not to bother draining down the system - simply to turn the bath tap on to reduce the water pressure, whip off the hot tap - stick a cloth over the resulting water escape - then quickly replace the washer and clean the tap up - and whip it back on pronto.

I thought he was winding me up at first - but he says it's possible to do with very little mess.

Is it feasible for a DIY man like myself - or is draining down the best option for the inexperienced?

Regards

Homer

 

[Bahco]

Cut supply to cold tank, run off all water by opening cold taps up stairs. Open your hot tap downstairs and run off any thats still in your hot pipes.
Do your job and re-instate supply.

Sounds a bit dangerous to me doing it live.

 

[ChrisR]

Don't drain the tank and pipes or you might have airlocks.
What your neighbour says works - drape a towel over it.

I'm being objectionable ....just find the tap to turn the HW off. Try the airing cupd.

 

[homertimpson]

I'm being objectionable ....just find the tap to turn the HW off. Try the airing cupd.

Thanks for that - unfortunately there are no valves anywhere to be seen that shut off the hot water - only one that shuts the cold supply.

Homer

 

[Gasman1015]

Thats how you shut off the hot water, by shutting the cold water supply to the cylinder.

 

[kevplumb]

Cut supply to cold tank, run off all water

thats gotta be messy

 

[ChrisR]

Seeriously I have done it live, it was a bath with horizontal pointing taps. When the tops were off the taps the water went about half way along the bath. The storage cistern was 2 floors above. A big towel kept all the water local!.
It's only water, it washes off.

 

[DarkInferno]

I too have done this a couple of times live without too much hassle, you just have to be to it a bit sharpish

pop open a couple of nearby taps if possible.. drape a towel over and robert is your mothers brother.

 

[ChrisR]

I remember once rather a long time ago undoing an immersion heater in the SIDE of a big tank thinking that the tank must be empty. When the last bit if thread disconnected I found out that it was still full. That got me damp.

 

[DarkInferno]

memories

 

[Kimberley88]

Make sure your hot water is not hot before you start!

 

[Diyisfun]

Its ok doing it live, if you have the right bits & it doesn't go wrong, If doing it for the first time, drain down or at least turn the mains off. Then if things go wrong you only have 100 gallons to train off, a lot better than the reservoir.

 

[homertimpson]

Thanks again for all your replies, I will give it a go tomorrow - live!!

Expect either a post in here tomorrow evening saying the job wasn't as fraught as I'd first imagined - or you'll see a fresh posting a wee bit higher up under DIY Disasters
Cheers

Homer

 

[ChrisR]

turn the mains off

Spoilsport.

 

[kaboom]

No means to shut off? Get Freezemaster from van, plug in, wait 10 mins and change without fear! I really am a bottle job it seems!