Some taps have no cold water after turning it off and on.

[kalonite]

I should preface this with the caveat that I know next to nothing about plumbing! Anyway, my problem started when the overflow pipe from a toilet's cistern was dripping. From what I can gather online, this is due to the washer needing replaced, not the positioning of the ballcock itself. After filling the cistern there was a constant drip from the valve, which kept it filling up, regardless of the height of the ball.

To see if this was the problem, I turned off the cold water at the stopcock, drained the tank by leaving a tap on and flushing a few times, and took the ballcock valve apart. The trouble is, when I put it back together again and turned the water back on, I'm only getting cold water through the taps at the front of the house. The ones in the bathrooms aren't producing anything, except for the bath, which has a dribble. The toilets are also filling very slowly.

Now, as I say, I'm new to all this, so I'd greatly appreciate some advice about how to get the water running again! I tried the answer in the FAQ to resolve an air-lock that involved a sponge in a carrier bag against the tap in the bath, but that only seemed to change a dribble into a trickle!

I'm grateful for any help! Thanks!

 

[Burnerman]

So, it seems that your loo and cold taps (bar one, probably) are fed from a large tank in the loft.
You have a typical air lock, which is a bubble somewhere in the pipework between the tank and the taps.
So - the theory is, blast pressurised cold water through each tap, until the air bubble has been forced back into the tank.
The theory that you mention is fine for the mixer tap, so long as the cold is pressure fed, and you are trying to clear an air lock in the hot.....however it may not work in your case.
One sure way is to get a garden hose, fitted to a known mains pressure outlet, and fixed to the spout of a troublesome tap (sometimes easier said than done) - turn the hose on, followed by the faulty tap and force fresh water through the tap and up the pipe to the tank...it just takes a minute or so. Once that tap has been cleared of air, it will work fine.
Repeat for the other taps, he said smugly
Be lucky!
John

 

[kalonite]

Thanks for the reply John! I have a problem with that suggestion though; like you say, it's sometimes easier said than done! The taps we have are oddly shaped, which means that fitting a hose on the end is nigh on impossible. Is there any way around that?

 

[Burnerman]

It sure can be a bit of a bore, but Machine Mart's 051422055 could help.
Often you don't need a perfect seal as water escapes, rather than air being drawn in.
John