Stuart Turner Monsoon Universal 4 bar twin - HUNTING

[tryitandsee]

Ok. I am able to isolate the the washing machine as there is a valve on the inlet so I will try this. We had the washing machine changed after the rennovation, when the old cruddy one died. We replaced it with a Miele. There seems to be only one pipe leading to the washing machine. Do they only work off cold (like a dishwasher)?

It may be plumbed into the hot supply, unlikely, but still needs to be eliminated.

 

[doitall]

I think a £1000.00 a day may be a tad OTT to fix a leak.

Did you mean no fix no fee Tony.

 

[Agile]

Yes, no-fix then no-fee!

 

[woodfordma]

I will do the tests and I will let you guys know. I will do Tony's first, although I still would have thought it would be more black and white to shut all the hot valves off before the mixers which would mean I'd need to get behind the shower mixer.

I dont want anybody to go out of their way to help and I am already very grateful for your time and effort and suggestions you have given me already. I am based in Camberwell though and so if the test fails and you live close enough by and think you can crack it then I'd be grateful for your help.

I'll try to do the tests first though. Tony, where abouts are you based for future ref?

Many thanks

 

[doitall]

If you have isolation valves on the appliances, turn them off one at a time and see whether it makes any difference.

Include the top floor.

Eventually you'll need access the storage tank.

 

[woodfordma]

I cant isolate the showers though, unless I can take of the mixer tap I guess. Also I dont think I can isolate the bath tap either without taking it off because it is free standing and the pipes are in a stainless steel shroud. The bath being on the 2nd floor though is fed by pumped hot and cold and is not a mixer tap so probably my last concern. Any leaks below this would also be obvious.

Did anyone have any advice on removing the shower mixers?

 

[doitall]

You need to eliminate all the taps one at a time, including the WCs.

The more you can remove from the equation the cheaper the fix. which is why you need to check whether the mains is pressurizing or not first.

No good doing anything, until you know what's going on.

You could even fit a pressure gauge on the main, if you remove the draincock.

What is the mains pressure.

 

[Agile]

My latest test is something that you CAN do !

The objective is to see if we can identify the leaking valve by a rise in temperature.

Anyone reading will be able to see the stupidity of fitting water fitments without access to isolating valves. Only builders/idiots box things in like that!

Tony

 

[doitall]

Or men with money Tony.

Some of our jobs, you'd do £5-6k damage just to get at the pipes. Crazy.

 

[woodfordma]

Luckily my boxing in isnt that serious! Only the colder water storage tank is boxed in and everything else is accessible. Although how do you isolate a shower?

Tomorrow, before I go to work I will close the stopcock at mains, leave the cold mixers over on the cold side (but shut) and leave the kitchen cold on.

This does not include the shower mixer taps which are fed by pumped hot and pumped cold does it?

You (Tony) are only interested in the mixers on the first floor which are fed by cold mains and hot pumped arent you.

Back to my question of why would this have taken a couple of months to manifest itself after the works.

My other question is, (for futue peace of mind) if I were to take the shower mixers off, would there usually be an isolation valve there (given all my other taps have isolation valves fitted).

 

[Agile]

Just do my test first and feel ALL mixer devices!

I am expecting it may be an unbalanced mixer but you need to consider everything.

Any hot leakage will potentially leave a clue in a warm pipe. Feel the mixers AND the pipes feeding them!

Many installers seem to be very careless and dont fit isolating valves even though water regs require them.

Some do fit them and then tile over them!

Boiler instals can be bad but showers are usually even worse. Thats evidenced by your fitters who used unbalanced supplies!

Tony

 

[doitall]

The shower valves needs to be in the center.

Still don't know what it will prove.

Perhaps when you get back, you could hold your hand over the spout to see whether there's any pressure build up.

 

[tryitandsee]

Perhaps when you get back, you could hold your hand over the spout to see whether there's any pressure build up.

........surely that question is for another Forum

 

[woodfordma]

I think that ones been plumbed in properly!

 

[woodfordma]

Morning all

So this morning I left the house with the mains stopcock shut, the kitchen cold tap on and all mixer taps off but over to the cold side. This should give it at about 12 hours before I go home to check the results.

The washing machine is connected to the cold for sure so that rules that out anyway.

Last night I turned off the valve of the hot going to the mixer taps. However the pump continued. Perhaps because I could not turn off the water to the shower mixer. So I had a go at removing the shower mixer fascia and have added a photo of the mechanism to an album.

http://www.diynot.com/network/woodfordma/albums/10239/38630

Pretty standard I imagine, but when I tried to what looks like a valve at the top it would not budge. I didnt force it but is it a valve and therefore just stiff?

If have of course reopened the hot valves for the purpose of todays test.

Thanks

Mark