Water tank in loft

chipmunk

Hi everyone, hope someone can help.

In our loft, there is a large water tank which, I think, supplies the hot water tank in the airing cupboard below because, when you run a hot tap, this tank refills. I don't think it does when you run a cold tap.

My concern is that, just lately, this tank seems to take much longer to re-fill, e.g. at least 10-15 minutes after running a bath, you can still hear the tank refilling. I'm sure it didn't used to do this.

Also, this tank does not have a lid, it is just wrapped with lagging which is drooping into the water. I thought this might be what was causing the refill problem but the lagging does not rest on the ballcock.

Can anyone advise re. :-

- does this tank feed the hot water supply?
- does it matter that it doesn't have a lid ?
- what can be done about the prolonged fill ?

Thanks in advance
Chipmunk

Little_John

The tank being up high is what generates the preasure on your hotwater tap normally

A cover can stop dust and stuff getting in the hot water so get on they arnt too expensive the insulation in the tank could be soaking up water? just when it getts wet enough it could come through the ceiling due to the weight?

have you notices a drop in water presure? we get them quite alot near here and it takes ages to fill the toilet. also other things using water at the time the tank is filling could be another thing to look at?

bruce2110

the most likely reason that the tank is filling slowly, is because the ballvalve(float valve) is covered in limescale. the internal parts overtime, get a build up of limescale which causes this quite common problem.

however, if limescale is not the problem, the other quite common cause to problems with the ballvalves is the rubber washer wears overtime as well, either way, this can rectified by replacing the ballvalve.

to replace the ballvalve is quite a simple operation if you are diy minded, if you go to any local plumbing merchants or good diy shops and ask for a replacement ballvalve and float, then isolate the coldwater supply to your tank, then remove the exsisting ballvalve, and install the new one like for like!

regarding the lid, water bylaws now state that all cold water tanks should have lids to prevent any foriegn bits entering the water tank.

if you measure the lenght and width of your tank and pop down to your local plumbing merchants or some where like wickes or b+q, they should have a plastic lid you can purchase and then pop onto your tank, you could also purchase some more lagging for your tank if the exsisting lagging is perished.

hth,

Bruce2110