No water coming from kitchen hot tap... :(

[RoseofSharon1]

Hello Everyone!

About a week ago, our plumbers began work on a total refit of the bathroom. They discovered that both the internal water stop valves (kitchen and loft) were damaged. We tried to locate the outside valve but could not find one. So we called in the water company to show us where it was... Turns out it is in another street!!

Anyways, before the water company came, the plumbers needed to start work so they said they knew a different way to temporarily stop the water so they could at least get the bathtub plumbed. They restored the water but hot water has not returned to the kitchen mixer tap (no water runs from the hot tap but is flowing everywhere else). In addition to this, every few minutes there is a sound coming from the area of the hot water cylinder that is like rushing water in pipes followed by what I can only describe as a "vortex" sound. It is so loud. Unfortunately, our plumbers have suffered a major bereavement and as they are friends of the family, I don't want to ask them what to do...They will be back to finish the job in the new year.

Any ideas?? We need hot water over christmas...

We have:
Potterton Profile Gas boiler
Tank in The loft
Hot water cylinder and pump in a cupboard

Thank you all!!!

Merry Christmas!

 

[ReganAndCarter]

Sounds like an air lock. Cover the end of mixer spout with a sponge or something to block it. Turn the hot tap fully on then slowly open the cold tap to backfill up the hot pipe. Do this for a while then close cold tap and remove sponge. Hopefully hot water will start flowing out the tap. You may need to do this several times to shift the lock.

 

[dilalio]

As above or, if you have access to an aquavac you could try sucking the air out... open hot to mixer and put vac hose over the end creating an air-tight seal with your hand.

Also... just check that there isn’t an isolator under the sink that has been turned off!

 

[RoseofSharon1]

Thank you both for your responses. I tried blocking up the outlet and forcing the water back but the water just went everywhere! I think the tap is one of those that doesn't allow back flow of water or maybe a valve has indeed been left closed that isn't allowing water through.

The plumbers only re-plumbed the bath. The basin and toilet are not yet done, would this have any effect on the kitchen tap?

I've been to the loft, all is well apart from one pipe that is hissing constantly. Not too sure what else to try!

 

[terryplumb]

Is bath hot tap running fine ?
Do you have any other hot taps in the house apart from kitchen ?
If the basin bathroom pipework has been terminated with isolation valves ,you may be able to sort out air lock from there ( assuming its air locked ). Can you post pics of bathroom basin pipes ,the terminated ends ?

 

[gavgas]

Unscrew the plastic thing off the end of the and check it for blockage. The hot goes down a small tube inside the spout with the cold around the outside of it, both are terminated separately at the plastic spray pattern thing on the end. If sediment has gone down the pipe it could have blocked the plastic thing.

 

[RoseofSharon1]

Sorry for the late replies, I did not receive any email updates so I thought there weren't any!

Is bath hot tap running fine ?
Do you have any other hot taps in the house apart from kitchen ?
If the basin bathroom pipework has been terminated with isolation valves ,you may be able to sort out air lock from there ( assuming its air locked ). Can you post pics of bathroom basin pipes ,the terminated ends ?

the bathtub has hot water, the basin does not because it has not yet been fully fitted in place. The only other tap with hot water is the kitchen one as the downstairs cloakroom has only cold water. The plumbers are back and they said they did not know what could have happened, so they want to take a whole day to investigate. I am thinking this is something I can do myself if pointed in the right direction. I am going to take the pictures you asked for and upload them

Unscrew the plastic thing off the end of the and check it for blockage. The hot goes down a small tube inside the spout with the cold around the outside of it, both are terminated separately at the plastic spray pattern thing on the end. If sediment has gone down the pipe it could have blocked the plastic thing.

gavgas, I managed to take off the whole spout and still no water comes through, I am still suspecting an airlock because there is noise in the pipes. The thing is, this noise is made worse by the opening of the cold water tap, but all cold water taps are running well?

the tap looks like this one

 

[terryplumb]

Your pic/ IMG is not visible ?? Have the plumbers actually been back on site ??

 

[RoseofSharon1]

Your pic/ IMG is not visible ?? Have the plumbers actually been back on site ??

Hi terryplumb, yes the plumbers were back yesterday. They said they reversed everything they did to stop the water so they cannot understand how or why water has not returned to the kitchen. The image link is

https://www.tradingdepot.co.uk/medi...08d6e5fb8d27136e95/b/r/bristan-1901-nsnkc.jpg

 

[terryplumb]

Can't open that link ,but its not important , its a mixer tap of some description isn't it. Anyway if you have a washing machine with hot and cold feed hoses they can be used to clear an air lock ,if indeed that's your problem. There are not that many things that would prevent hot water coming out your kitchen tap ,given the fact that bath tap hot is fine. Listed below in no particular order...
1. Air lock
2. Plumbers cut off pipe run to kitchen
3 .pipework blocked
4. Faulty tap valve
5. Isolation valve closed
6. Non return valve stuck or fitted wrong orientation

 

[RoseofSharon1]

Can't open that link ,but its not important , its a mixer tap of some description isn't it. Anyway if you have a washing machine with hot and cold feed hoses they can be used to clear an air lock ,if indeed that's your problem. There are not that many things that would prevent hot water coming out your kitchen tap ,given the fact that bath tap hot is fine. Listed below in no particular order...
1. Air lock
2. Plumbers cut off pipe run to kitchen
3 .pipework blocked
4. Faulty tap valve
5. Isolation valve closed
6. Non return valve stuck or fitted wrong orientation

Thanks terry, our washing machine only uses cold water so no hot feed... The plumbers assured me they did not close any valves. When I took the spout off the tap and tried to force water back through it, the remaining water kind of bobbed up and down for a bit before settling as if there was some air blowing back??

 

[terryplumb]

Your current wash mchn takes cold only, but you may have hot water supply and an isolator still in position ,as years ago all machines needed both. How old is your property ? If you can track this down its ideal for shifting an air lock.

 

[dilalio]

Your ‘plumbers’ dont sound like they’re up to much if they are stymied!