turn off hot water

[michaelc]

I need to fix or change the tap in the bathroom, i cannot find any shut off valve or stop cock to stop the hot water supply from the boiler to the tap.
i can feel which of the pipes gets hot when i run the water but just cannot see any way to turn off the supply.. can some one please help. Michael

 

[cockneyboy]

is the tap a pillar tap or a mixer tap?

is your system direct (mains pressure all round the house) or gravity fed in the bathroom (eg/ is there a cold water tank in the loft)?

do you have a combi boiler/sealed hot water/central heating system?

 

[iahoward]

I'm no expert but...if you have a combi-boiler (no hot water tank) then just turn the mains off and you should be in business.

 

[gas4you]

Most combis have an isolating valve on the cold mains inlet (15mm pipe) under the boiler. Shutting this off will turn off just the HW taps.

 

[tonybhoy]

Turn off the mains stopcock for the house if you have a combi or an unvented cylider if you have a vented cylinder there should be a gatevalve at the cylinder cold feed pipe just turn this clockwise and run a tap to ensure the water is off if there isn't a gatevalve at the cylinder cold feed there will be on in the loft at the cold water tank easiest way to ensure you have the correct valve is to run a hot tap and put you finger over the feed pipe inside the tank to check which one the water is going into.

If there is no gate valve at the tank you will have to empty the tank by turning off the mains to the tank then running your hot and cold taps in the bathroom until the tank empties however you will more than likely get airlocks when you refill the tank.

 

[cockneyboy]

if there is no gate valve you can "bung" the cold feed (hot) and cold distributing pipe using pipe bungs (available from normal stores like B&Q now).

if you do drain the tank though and get an airlock or air in the pipes/leave the taps running for a few minutes and they will splutter and get the air out this way.

 

[cockneyboy]

if you have a combi, turn off the servicing valve to the boiler inlet and the main house stopcock (for the cold) if it's a mixer tap!

run the tap for a few seconds until flow stops, to make sure you HAVE isolated it before removing the tap!

 

[michaelc]

I need to fix or change the tap in the bathroom, i cannot find any shut off valve or stop cock to stop the hot water supply from the boiler to the tap.
i can feel which of the pipes gets hot when i run the water but just cannot see any way to turn off the supply.. can some one please help. Michael[/quot
I am really useless at plumbing and dont really understand most of the jargon people are using to try and help me . i do have a cold water tank in the loft and there is a seperate gas boiler for the heating . there is a water tank for the hot water.

 

[michaelc]

thanks for the advice. maybe i shouild try to explain things clearer. i do have a water tank in the loft. there is a gas boiler in the downstairs toilet and in a cupboard in the lounge have a hot water tank. hope this makes things clearer , M

 

[Goldspoon]

Find your cylinder (airing cupboard usually, big copper thing that should be covered in insulation). Hot water comes from the top middle of this tank.

Find a tap on this pipe (ussually red) and switch it off. If water runs dry when you run hot tap then all is well.

If not then open the tap again. What you can then do is go up in the loft and find your water storage tank (if there is two then the bigger one). Switch off the water where it enters this tank (if no tap then you have to put a bar across the tank and tie the "arm" of the float valve so it is held up and not allowing fresh water into the tank - you#ll work it out).

Then run the hot tap for bloomin ages until the water in the cylinder and tank runs out.