Hot water in upper half of house

[springfield]

Hi all,

We’re currently having a problem in that we can’t get any hot water upstairs without ‘fooling’ it up there. Here is the problem:

* Turn any hot tap (or shower) on upstairs results in no hot water and poor flow rate. The boiler (Valliant Turbomax) doesn’t ‘click on’ to indicate it is heating water.
* Turn any hot tap (or shower) on upstairs and then run downstairs and put the hot tap on down there results in hot water upstairs with poor flow rate. If we try and switch the cold tap on upstairs with it then the boiler clicks off again. In this scenario the boiler will ‘click off’. Turning the hot tap back on for a few seconds will coax a ‘click on’ and therefore hot water upstairs again (anyone remember the Crystal Maze).

The pressure on the boiler is within the threshold described in the manual. The plumber said it was the boiler and the boiler people said it was the distribution (and therefore we need a plumber).

If anyone can help in any way we would really appreciate it, we’re nearing our wits end!

 

[cross thread]

lack of flow is the prob , not letting boiler switch on. is the mains pressure/flow poor .

 

[springfield]

Thanks for the response. Yea, the flow/pressure is terrible. I'll get SE water on the case.....*sigh*

 

[ChrisR]

How is your neighbour's water pressure? Could be the problem is largely in your particular supply pipe -- squashed lead pipe syndrome

Quick pressure test - can you hold your thumb over say the garden tap, with no other taps on? If it gets really hard, the pressure's probably OK and it's a restricted pipe which is giving poor flow.