Shower set up - mains/tank, is this a problem?

[clueless78]

I have a newly fitted combi boiler, which replaced the existing combi boiler, however I still have a tank in the loft which feeds the bathroom with cold water (bath/basin/toilet). I know this is not the correct set up.

The whole point of replacing the combi boiler was so that I could have a thermostatic mixer shower fitted to replace the piddly electric shower, as the hot water from the old boiler was unreliable. The boiler was fitted by Boxt so they don’t offer shower fitting etc, the plan was to get a local company to do this.

I’m really struggling to find a plumber to sort the pipework from tank to mains. I send a polite message (no text speak, please & thank you) asking if this is the type of work they carry out and if so please could they arrange for a quote. I’m either ignored or they will come and have a look and then never get back to me. I’m polite and friendly when they come and totally flexible as to times as I work from home - I really don’t know what more I can do!

Sooo, my question is - would thermostatic mixer taps work with the hot tap coming from the boiler (mains pressure) and the cold tap coming from the tank in the loft? The cold has a very good flow and ‘looks’ as though it’s from the mains but I turned the mains off to check and it’s definitely tank fed.

I could probably fit the taps myself and could definitely attach the rail - I’m just desperate for a decent shower and have ‘wasted’ 2k on the new boiler as my sole aim was so I could have the shower fitted!

Is the difference in pressure likely to cause an issue with the shower?

 

[CBW]

That setup is a little odd, however shower may work on unbalanced supplies, but you’d need to fit single check valves. Are you not able to change the mains as a temporary measure yourself?

 

[clueless78]

I wouldn’t have a clue how to go about changing the mains, there is a mains pipe at the other end of the bath for the electric shower but my skills are limited to making tea for tradesmen!

I’d be prepared to attempt fitting the thermostatic mixer taps myself as I’m desperate for the shower - I don’t even want 3 quotes (as is often suggested) - the first person that gives me a price and is prepared to do the job is the one I’ll go with!

Please could you tell me a bit more about the single check valves, could this be done by a DIY-er of my calibre?!

 

[terryplumb]

Most thermostatic shower valves must have balanced pressures hot and cold.
The simplest place to alter cold pipework from tank to mains is in the loft. The cold mains goes to the tank to fill it ,and the outlet of the tank is never very far away . So it's just a question of re routing .
Routing hot and cold pipework to your shower position is a bit more involved.
What area of the country are you ,is there a shortage of plumbers in your neck of the woods ?

 

[clueless78]

Most thermostatic shower valves must have balanced pressures hot and cold.
The simplest place to alter cold pipework from tank to mains is in the loft. The cold mains goes to the tank to fill it ,and the outlet of the tank is never very far away . So it's just a question of re routing .
Routing hot and cold pipework to your shower position is a bit more involved.

Thanks, I was hoping there was something I could do to enable me to use the thermostatic mixer taps with the set up I have now as the local plumbers don’t seem interested in doing the job to alter the pipework and fit the taps/shower.

The electric shower is at one end of the bath (I’d leave that in situ as a back up) and the taps are at the other end... one of the plumbers who did come out, but has since gone cold on me and not ever got back to me, suggested thermostatic mixer taps rather than the thermostatic mixer shower I was planning on getting.

I was grateful for the advice and bought the taps/shower head & rail as he suggested but when I discovered the cold tap was tank fed and let him know that the job was more involved he completely ignored me. I apologised for misinforming him and thanked him for his time etc but no reply

 

[terryplumb]

So it's a thermostatic mixer tap that you intend to fit on a bath ? That's quite simple to do as the hot is already in position.

 

[clueless78]

So it's a thermostatic mixer tap that you intend to fit on a bath ? That's quite simple to do as the hot is already in position.

Yep, the problem is that the hot tap of the bath is mains and the cold tap of the bath is tank fed so the pressure is different.

 

[picasso]

There might be someone on here that can help you, where abouts in the country are you.

 

[terryplumb]

Ok. Is the mains cold that goes to the electric shower visible under the bath ? If it is ,it can be cut into and extended to the other end of the bath. Fairly easily.
What area of the country are you in ?

 

[clueless78]

There might be someone on here that can help you, where abouts in the country are you.

I’m in North Bucks...

Ok. Is the mains cold that goes to the electric shower visible under the bath ? If it is ,it can be cut into and extended to the other end of the bath. Fairly easily.
What area of the country are you in ?

Yep, the mains cold for the electric shower comes up from the floor under the bath for a few inches before it’s chased into the wall. The taps are at the other end (currently separate hot and cold).

Ideally I’d get the piping sorted properly and get rid of the tank in the loft but Ive contacted 5 plumbers, 3 of them have come out but never got back to me. I understand that different plumbers prefer different jobs but I’ve mentioned what’s involved at the first point of contact - apart from the one who I misinformed about the cold being on the mains and when I apologised for misinforming him and asking could he quote for the pipework/tank removal he completely ignored me. I’m in North Bucks

 

[terryplumb]

You have two choices ,do it yourself or find a plumber to do it for you. There must be dozens, if not hundreds of plumbers in your area, your not exactly in the wilderness.

 

[clueless78]

You have two choices ,do it yourself or find a plumber to do it for you. There must be dozens, if not hundreds of plumbers in your area, your not exactly in the wilderness.

The problem is I don’t want to waste multiple plumbers time by getting quotes at the same time in the hope that one of them will get back to me... so I’ll contact one, wait for him to get back to me, wait for him to come out and look, wait for a quote (that never materialises) then by that time I’m 2-3 weeks down the line and the process starts again so it’s taken a couple of months to get to the point of desperation to attempt to fit it myself!

I’d probably be OK fitting the thermostatic taps but not altering pipework, which is why I was asking whether the taps could work with my current set up.

 

[terryplumb]

You could try it ,it won't do any harm,but I suspect it won't work as it should.