Can't isolate kitchen hot tap to change washer

[cannaefixit]

Hi!
I'm a flat dweller who likes to ignore problems and now has no hot water in the kitchen. The hot tap has been leaking for over a year and I've been tightening it harder and harder to turn it off. Now (quite suddenly, as in yesterday) when I open the tap (which spins freely) I get a trickle which promptly dries up. Looks like I need to replace the washer.

Problem: there is no service valve either on the outlet of the boiler (Baxi 105e Combi, 18 months old) or anywhere in the line to the kitchen sink, except the branch pipe to the washing machine.

Question: Do I just switch off the boiler and run the tap till the water stops or do I need to drain the whole system (c/h and everything)?
Any advice appreciated Apologies if this comes up a lot but I couldn't find any other posts about it.

(bathroom hot water flow is fine btw)

 

[weargas]

there's no service valve on the outlet of the boiler but there is one on the inlet (if no water goes in, none can come out). under the boiler, second service valve from the right..................give it 1/4 of a turn and open another hot tap to see if it's done the trick.

 

[cannaefixit]

Thanks for the tip; the logic has a certain elegance!

Had to try three plumbers merchants (and B&Q) to find the right washer (it's a bit of a weird one apparently) then had to buy new mixer taps anyway cos it still dripped as the seat required recutting (cheaper to buy new taps than the tool!)

However it is done and there is now a service valve under both cw and hw inlets so that next time I won't have to shut off the boiler and can at least have a bath even if I can't wash dishes.

Cheers

 

[weargas]

and can at least have a bath even if I can't wash dishes.

take the dishes in the bath with you ya eedyut! do we have to solve everything for you?

 

[cannaefixit]

Yeah, I'm sure Brillo pads are at least as good as the old face flannel!