? Turn off Hot water supply to enable fitting of tap washer

[Trapper]

Hi.

Before I was made redundant on Christmas Eve I would have called a local plumber to replace the washer on a leaking Heritage Dorchester HOT water tap, however with no money coming in I need to DIY. At some future date my wife wants to change the taps to 1/4 turn so if I can turn off the supply I will do this job later.

I can stop the cold water supply but do not know how to stop the HOT supply. Assuming it can be done by someone with fairly good DIY skills I will also take the opportunity to install a pair of inline valves so I can turn both supplies off easily next time. Any advise on the above will be appreciated.

I have tried a search but after an hour of reading could not find much on my problem, now you'll send me a dozen links!!

 

[gas4you]

Have you are hot water cyllinder, or a combi boiler?

If a cylinder there will be a gate valve on the 22mm supply to the bottom of the cylinder. Turn this off and open the hot taps downstairs and upstairs to drain residual water out.

If a combi either turn off cold mains as in changing the cold tap, or turn off the cold inlet to the combi boiler, usually a valve under the boiler.

 

[Diyisfun]

Turn the valve as above, you only need to turn the tape that you want to change the washer on .

 

[Aquaheat]

Hi,

The answer will depend on whether you have a combi boiler or a system boiler (hot water cylinder in airing cupboard)

If you have a combi boiler then isolating the cold feed into the boiler will stop DHW at the taps allowing yu to change the washer.

If you have a system boiler then there should be an isolating valve in the airing cupboard. You will find a 22mm pipe running down through the ceiling and entering the bottom of the cylinder. This is the cold feed to the cylinder. At some point along this pipe there should be a gate valve. Isolate the valve and open the hot tap the water will run for a short while then stop, allowing you to change the washer. If you are unsure which pipe it is, run the hot tap and feel the pipework as the temperature will drop as it refills the cylinder.

To re instate is the reverse of above.

 

[Trapper]

Thanks guy's that was quick!

I have a Potterton Neataheat boiler in the kitchen and a hot water tank in the airing cupboard on the first floor, there are two 22mm pipes at the bottom of the tank, one with a gate valve that comes from above and another on the other side going down below floor level with no valve, both feel equally hot.

I would have thought the feed would be the one pointing down as the boiler is in our kitchen on the floor below but of course this may not be case, is there a way I can check which is the feed, or is the gate valve the only pipe that feeds?

Thanks for your help.

 

[Aquaheat]

See my post Trapper,

If you run the hot tap the cylinder will refill so you will feel the change in temperature on the pipe. That is the feed. It will be the one that passes down from the ceiling above the cylinder.

 

[Trapper]

Hi Jonjb.

Your first post was not there when I replied, then it was! Which is why you answered my ? before I had asked it

I will get my inline valves and washers tomorrow and put your advise to the test, many thanks to you all for your help.

Trapper

 

[Aquaheat]

No problem, good luck

 

[Trapper]

Been a little time since my last post on this thread but I could not put it off any longer

There is a 22mm cold pipe going to the hotwater tank in the airing cupboard on which is a gate valve with black handle, one end of the pipe goes up to the ceiling and the other goes to one side of the tank. I have a loft conversion so where the ceiling pipe goes to is a mystery There is no header tank now only a red expansion? container in the cupboard.

I tried to turn off (Clockwise) the black valve but it would not budge, however I could get it to turn on (Anti Clockwise) which seems a little odd.

Attached to the tank are 4 pipes, one at the top, one half way down connected to the Water/Heating controller, one on the left going down below the floor boards and the one pipe going to the gate valve.

Any suggestions as to what I need to do to enable me to stop the hot water flow to change the washers, the Mrs is fed up with the tap now dripping all the time.

 

[HERTS P&D]

Turn off your mains
Open cold bath tap, this will drain the cold water tank, once cold water has stopped flowing, open hot tap in kitchen. The hot water will flow for upto 1 minute.
Remove tap head and if you want you can fit a new tap head which is a quarter turn. (See link below) or change the washer.

http://www.screwfix.com/prods/18565...Swirl-Modern-Reviver-Kit-Sink-Basin-Lever-Tap

Once you have done that, turn on your water mains and let the cold water tank fill up.

If you get an air-lock then come back to us.

Andy

 

[Trapper]

Thanks Andy.

We have 2 disabled elderly relatives living with us and we cannot afford to be without hot water for very long. If there is an air lock what should I do?

I remember a long time ago connecting the hot & cold taps together and using the cold to clear the hot, maybe this is the remedy but am guessing!

As a matter of interest is the black gate valve normally anti-clock as off or is it likely the pipe is now disconnected and has been turned off clockwise?