Maintenance work in rented property during lockdown

martindow

I had a system with tanks in the loft and the pressure of hot and cold water was never even and was very sensitive to someone opening a tap else where in the house.  The shower fitting on the bath taps was never used as controlling the temperature was impossible.  The main shower had a mixer with thermostatic controls and that was fine.  The OP's sounds similar.  We eventually replaced the boiler and now have a pressurised system which solved all of the problems, but you can't expect a LL to spend a few thousand to solve this especially if there is a bath or another shower to use.

cats37

Hasbeen said:

cats37 said:

Thrugelmir said:

Where's the hot water being supplied from? 

The hot water is supplied from a gravity fed system, there's a tank in the loft and we have a gas boiler.

Unusual these days that its not a combi boiler?   Mains water fed heating up water to supply all hot taps.


The tank in the loft is the cold water storage tank that supplies your hot water cylinder that is perhaps in a cupboard?

Or are you saying the hot water cylinder is in the loft?

Edit to ask do you have a mixer tap in kitchen?

The boiler is in a cupboard upstairs,  the water tank is in the loft. The only mixer is the shower, all other taps aren't mixers in the house.

cats37

martindow said:

I had a system with tanks in the loft and the pressure of hot and cold water was never even and was very sensitive to someone opening a tap else where in the house.  The shower fitting on the bath taps was never used as controlling the temperature was impossible.  The main shower had a mixer with thermostatic controls and that was fine.  The OP's sounds similar.  We eventually replaced the boiler and now have a pressurised system which solved all of the problems, but you can't expect a LL to spend a few thousand to solve this especially if there is a bath or another shower to use.

The hot water pressure in the shower is low without other taps being open. We only have one shower with the mixer tap over the bath. There are separate hot and cold taps on the bath. Unfortunately I don't see him spending thousands either. My partner suspect there might be a deposit of limescale in the tank/boiler which makes the pressure low. Also he thinks a pressure booster motor might help and that's not that expensive. We really like the property otherwise but this issue makes us think about moving again. 

[Deleted User]

The landlord and letting agent have from what I can see acted reasonably to send a handyman around and under some protest from you (but not enough) he has been permitted to undertake a misguided repair which has not fixed the problem. This has led to a delay and wasted opportunity in the first instance. Covid 19 is now causing a further delay.
I suggest that this would not be an emergency repair at the best of times because using the bath is a reasonable alternative.
I do not believe that the Shelter proceedures apply yet and your landlord reasonably wants to use a trusted tradesperson when covid 19 restrictions are lifted (which avoids the risk of you and your tradesperson ever being accused of a botched job).
Your partner would like a reduction in rent -  this is unlikely and unrealistic. Your expectations as to the % reduction are likely to be disproportionate in relation to the whole of the property which you enjoy and in relation to the bath as an alternative.
Regarding plumbing matters from my experience: they can be difficult to diagnose and fix. It is vital that you educate yourself and direct the attending plumber and then scruitinise the proposed solution. Short of that prepare for more frustraion akin the handymans visit.

Hasbeen

cats37 said:

The boiler is in a cupboard upstairs,  the water tank is in the loft. The only mixer is the shower, all other taps aren't mixers in the house.

Sorry still trying to envisage your setup.
Gravity systems usually have a cold water tank in loft. This feeds a copper hot water cylinder usually located in cupboard.
Water is heated in cylinder by standard type boiler or emersion heater.

Combi boilers heat the cold mains water as it flows through.

Some people sometimes refer to cylinders as boilers?


If you had a mixer tap, one solution is to try  and put cloth over nozzle so it is blocked open hot tap, then gently open cold.

Higher cold pressure flows back up hot pipes and sometimes clears any debris etc.

Suspect this has been tried before, but previous renter mixed it up with air blowing back up hot pipes.


Edit: Found this, perhaps worth a try:

A way of utilising the higher cold pressure to clear an air lock is by connecting the cold tap to the hot tap.

This can be done, in most cases, with a piece of hosepipe and a couple of jubilee clips.

Make absolutely sure the connections are sound and do not leave the taps unattended. If you have a mixer tap in the kitchen, the same method can be used, but you will need a longer piece of hose to utilise the cold from the mains tap and the hot from another tap.

Taps joined together with hose pipe

cats37

Hasbeen said:

cats37 said:

The boiler is in a cupboard upstairs,  the water tank is in the loft. The only mixer is the shower, all other taps aren't mixers in the house.

Sorry still trying to envisage your setup.
Gravity systems usually have a cold water tank in loft. This feeds a copper hot water cylinder usually located in cupboard.
Water is heated in cylinder by standard type boiler or emersion heater.

Combi boilers heat the cold mains water as it flows through.

Some people sometimes refer to cylinders as boilers?


If you had a mixer tap, one solution is to try  and put cloth over nozzle so it is blocked open hot tap, then gently open cold.

Higher cold pressure flows back up hot pipes and sometimes clears any debris etc.

Suspect this has been tried before, but previous renter mixed it up with air blowing back up hot pipes.


Edit: Found this, perhaps worth a try:

A way of utilising the higher cold pressure to clear an air lock is by connecting the cold tap to the hot tap.

This can be done, in most cases, with a piece of hosepipe and a couple of jubilee clips.

Make absolutely sure the connections are sound and do not leave the taps unattended. If you have a mixer tap in the kitchen, the same method can be used, but you will need a longer piece of hose to utilise the cold from the mains tap and the hot from another tap.

Taps joined together with hose pipe

My apologies, you are right,  it's a cylinder upstairs not a boiler. I think the same, the previous tenant might have thought it was air blown through the pipes instead of the cold water. My partner thinks that the pressure was only ok for a few days after that because the debris was blown up to the tank/cylinder and afterwards it was washed back again. 

Hasbeen

cats37 said:

My apologies, you are right,  it's a cylinder upstairs not a boiler. I think the same, the previous tenant might have thought it was air blown through the pipes instead of the cold water. My partner thinks that the pressure was only ok for a few days after that because the debris was blown up to the tank/cylinder and afterwards it was washed back again. 

No problem. I would assume there is debris in the cold water tank restricting the flow out?

Perhaps if able/handy enough to drain tank check outlet to valve and clean as required.  Some tanks if not good lids can fill with crap/dead birds/bats/sludge etc

Also ensure tank is filling quickly enough to its proper level when in use by running hot water, tank should remain at a good level.

Have seen small grit stuck in ballvalve from previous water works in roads etc. restricting water in.

I would try the hose on the taps for a few minutes suggestion, and if ok and lasts a while.  

Then you may as you are renting the property wish for the landlords plumber to eventually get this fixed. You will be then be able to inform him what the problem actually is? 

Rural_Puppy

If the problem with low pressure is only happening upstairs where the cylinder is, could it be that there is not sufficient fall between the tank and the shower? Is the cylinder is at a similar level to the shower?
 A pump might solve that. But I am not a plumber. You could post on the DIY board and see if anyone can assist.

I would add that I think your landlord has behaved reasonably. This is not an emergency, you have hot water and the use of both bath and shower. You just want more pressure to the shower hot water.
Hold off complaining or threatening to withhold rent. That simply won't get you anywhere and will only antagonise the situation. 
If you can't live with it, you can decide whether to move it not. 

HampshireH

Just out of interest. What proportion of your rent do you attribute to specifically having use of a shower (when you have full washing facilities in a bath and hot water)

Your request and threat to reduce your rent are not reasonable and the response from both the agent and landlord are very reasonable. Its not like they ignored you before lockdown. What they tried didnt work (if i read it right).

Lockdown isnt your landlords fault. 

By reducing your rent you risk your tenancy