Not getting hot water downstairs??

ferry

Hi all
I hope someone can offer some advice..
We've recently installed a cloakroom downstairs and have noticed that theres no hot water reaching it or the kitchen taps.Plenty of hot water upstairs though..
We need to turn the cloakroom taps on full for about 5 minutes to get the flow of hot water to come through to that and the kitchen sink.
Any ideas on what might be the fault here and is there anything I could do to get the hot water flowing through ?

Thanks a lot
Terry.

moneysavingplumber

It sounds like a long leg between the heat source and downstairs draw-offs. If the cylinder or combi are located in an upstairs airing cupboard, it sounds as though the hot draw to downstairs may be routed up and over through the roof space and all the way back downstairs in a duct or boxing. In the case of a cylinder fed system, a secondary loop incorporating a bronze pump and pipe stat should have been fitted to keep water hot at the furthest point. In the case of a combi, the pipe work should have been taken a more direct route. This is all assuming that the water at these points is running at its full flow rate and is not subject to blockage.

ferry

Hi MSP

Thanks for the reply.
Now you mention it the hot water tap in the kitcken does not flow very well.
Also it is a combi boiler which is located upstairs.
Is there anything you could suggest that could cure the problems of the slow flow in the kitchen and the wait for the hot water to come through??

Thanks as usual for your help..

Terry

moneysavingplumber

Was there a problem with the kitchen tap before the cloakroom was installed?

As process of elimination goes, it would be far easier to investigate the tap itself before doing anything else. However, if the cloakroom tap appears to be running fine and still takes a long time for hot water to reach it, I'd first check that the boiler is firing immediately when the tap is opened. If it is then the problem is almost certainly to do with the pipe work route. If the boiler isn't firing immediately then length and route of the pipe work may be a factor but the diaphragm on the boiler should be investigated also, and the boiler installation and working requirements should be reviewed against what you actual situation is. Many combis require a mini-expansion vessel and double check valve to be installed on the incoming mains supply to ensure correct operation of the flow switch under adverse conditions. In practice, few installations actually have this requirement fulfilled.