water won't stop!

[laurieleigh01]

we're trying to fit isolating valves to both the hot and cold water supply in the kitchen (in preparation for fitting new sink and taps at the weekend), but cannot seem to get the hot water supply to stop! We have turned off all valves and there is no hot water in the taps upstairs, but it continues to dribble through in the kitchen - any help and suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

 

[electronicsuk]

Have you opened the upstairs taps to allow air into the pipework, preventing a vacuum forming and allowing the pipework to drain properly? Failing that, as the iso valves are presumably compression fitting, turn them on while installing to prevent any buildup of pressure before the fitting is tight, work quickly, then turn off!

 

[laurieleigh01]

yes, we had all the taps open, but kitchen one kept trickling through - we've had them open over an hour and no let up yet! think we might have to resort to the rapid fitting if all else fails!

 

[TicklyT]

If you have a conventional gravity hot water system, it's not unusual for the gate valve that isolates the hot cylinder feed to fail to seal, so the hot will continue running slowly until the cold storage tank is empty.

Bunging the cylinder feed from the cold tank may stem the flow. Some would suggest using a carrot (yes, the orange thing that bugs bunny eats).

It may be a good time to consider replacing the gate valve too. A full bore lever valve is a popular repacement option.

 

[paul78]

we're trying to fit isolating valves to both the hot and cold water supply in the kitchen (in preparation for fitting new sink and taps at the weekend), but cannot seem to get the hot water supply to stop! We have turned off all valves and there is no hot water in the taps upstairs, but it continues to dribble through in the kitchen - any help and suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

if its diy purposes and you dont want to call a plumber, try the jg push fit iso's..... get a little wet still but quickest route

 

[electronicsuk]

Where exactly did you isolate the hot supply? If you turned off the feed to the float valve on the header tank, it may be worth checking that it's not letting by. If that were the case, it's very likely that the small trickle of water would flow to the downstairs taps rather than the upstairs ones. Likewise, you'd probably find that if you were to seal up the HW pipework downstairs, the trickle would eventually continue from the taps upstairs.

 

[laurieleigh01]

thanks for all the tips so far - we've given up for this evening and will give it another go tomorrow.
electronicsuk - i did find that when we turned the kitchen tap off it started to trickle upstairs. We just turned off all the valves we could find, by the hot water cylinder and in the loft by the storage tank!
Hopefully we'll figure it out tomorrow - will ensure i buy carrots on the way home, if all else fails he'll just have to get wet and work quickly!

 

[misterdubya]

yes, we had all the taps open, but kitchen one kept trickling through - we've had them open over an hour and no let up yet! think we might have to resort to the rapid fitting if all else fails!

Just jump it. Your hardly gonna flood the place.

Mr. W.