Free Personal Plumbing Info.

SP1

tPIC wrote:

Thanks SP1 - Are there any practical steps for me to take to try and work out which of the 3 is the culprit?

Hi...

Check the name plate for all details, also any info on the pressure relief valve, use a mirror if needs be; post them here and do a search to locate a supplier local to you; and price up the valve. If you feel competent enough to change the valve, then go ahead... If you are not sure ask, take some pictures and PM me by almeans...

Regards

Felix123

Hi Ian,

For some reason the cold water tap in my bathroom has stopped working. You turn it and no water comes out!.

I am hopeless at d.i.y. but is this something I could fix myself?

Thank you.

bargain_carly

Hi All,

I have a 70 litre Heatrae Sadia Megaflow unvented electric immersion (I only know that because I read the label!) hot water tank in my loft. The annoying situation that I and my family find ourselves in is this:

We were noticing that the temperature and volume of hot water that we got each morning and evening were both decreasing..

The timer switch goes on at the pre-set time to heat the water for about 1hour. After this time, I can hear and see hot water dripping from the overflow/pressure relief pipe. After approx 30 mins, there is no longer any quantity of hot water left.

Has anybody any clues what could be happening here? I am always reluctant to get in a plumber without first trying to half understand the problem myself. Could it be that the cylinder is full of limescale deposits and hence is not able to expand when heated without triggering the pressure relief valve? The tank is appox 9 years old I believe and we are in a hard water area.

Any help appreciated.

tPIC.

Having just qualified in Unvented Hot water Systems I thought I'd stick my oar in!!!
You should really call in a competent person to look at this as Unvented systems can be very dangerous is you dont know what you are doing. By the sounds of it it could be a number of different things from :

New Valve needed as its so old it doesnt reseat properly
Thermostats are set too high/malfunctioning (do you hear a click when you turn down the cylinder stat?)
Energy cut out device (high limit thermostat) needs resetting - is the button out?
Motorised valve needs replacing.

It would be better if a qualified person checked it out to be on the safe side. If you do end up changing the temp pressure relief valve make sure it is from the same manufacturer and is for the same pressure.

Hope this helps.

stevie_wonder

Hi

We are getting a new boiler installed, and during surveys its become apparent that our water supply is very low pressure (around 5psi).

How can we increase the water pressure? What are the options?

Steve

BobProperty

stevie_wonder wrote:

Hi

We are getting a new boiler installed, and during surveys its become apparent that our water supply is very low pressure (around 5psi).

How can we increase the water pressure? What are the options?

Steve

That's very low (0.35 bar?) , I'd check what the local water utility is obliged to supply (usually about 0.9 - 1.0 bar IIRC). I'd suspect there's a leak on the mains at that pressure.

stevie_wonder

BobProperty wrote:

That's very low (0.35 bar?) , I'd check what the local water utility is obliged to supply (usually about 0.9 - 1.0 bar IIRC). I'd suspect there's a leak on the mains at that pressure.

It's Portsmouth water that we're with and the quote from their website says

We will maintain a minimum pressure of water in a communication pipe serving premises supplied with water, of 7 metres static head. Where in any period of 28 days the pressure falls below 7 metres static head on 2 occasions each lasting more than 1 hour we will, except in certain circumstances, pay the sum of £30.00.

BobProperty

7m static head is roughly .7 bar IIRC, so you are well under what they say they will supply. I would be concerned that the combi you have mentioned elsewhere will work with such low a pressure. (It was you who mentioned the combi wasn't it?)

The_Governor

I've got what i hope is a simple one...

I've got a brass tap that controls the feed to the outside tap and it's leaking from the place pointed at by the arrow.



Am I right in thinking this is probably the gland, and if so, am I right in thinking I do the following:-

1. Turn the tap to the off position
2. Unscrew the screw on top and remove the tap handle.
3. Undo the hexagon nut just behind the arrow and the tighten the gland (behind it), or repack it if that doesn't solve it?

Am I right, or am I going to make a mess here?

This came about because I gave the tap the usual 6 momthly turn to stop it seizing, I should leave well enough alone!

stevie_wonder

BobProperty wrote:

7m static head is roughly .7 bar IIRC, so you are well under what they say they will supply. I would be concerned that the combi you have mentioned elsewhere will work with such low a pressure. (It was you who mentioned the combi wasn't it?)

The corgi guy fitting the boiler checked the pressure and is sure the boiler will work with the pressure we've got ( it evens say so in the brochure ).

Cheers anyway, and I'll pop off and speak to Portsmouth Water!

BobProperty

The_Governor wrote:

......Am I right in thinking this is probably the gland, and if so, am I right in thinking I do the following:-

1. Turn the tap to the off position
2. Unscrew the screw on top and remove the tap handle.
3. Undo the hexagon nut just behind the arrow and the tighten the gland (behind it), or repack it if that doesn't solve it?

Am I right, or am I going to make a mess here?

This came about because I gave the tap the usual 6 momthly turn to stop it seizing, I should leave well enough alone!

You don't need to take the tap handle off, you can re-pack the gland by just unscrewing the collar. Have a look at:
http://www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk/stop_tap/leaking_stop_tap.htm