leaking water from water heater All aspects of plumbing questions and answers, help, tips and information

[mitzi]

Whatever the response please put it in very simple terms as I am a woman with not much knowledge of these things. I manage to pick one dud workman after another so if you can help I would be most grateful.
I think my water pump is causing the problem but not sure. the feed to the water pump when left on seems to suck water back into the tank and causes it to overflow. Somebody new to the property has been showering and letting the pump drain the tank pulling air through it too. would this cause an airlock which in turn would suck water back into the tank? its doing my head in and I have at times gone out and forgotten to turn all the feeds off only to return to water coming through the ceiling. last night the pump itself seemed to be leaking aswell.
Please help, I fear this will make the ceiling collapse if it happens too often but I don't know how much water would be required to make this happen.

[htg engineer]

Leak from water heater ?
or tank ?

Pump for central heating ?
or shower ?

I couldn't make much sense of the post you have written.

If it's a shower, the tank should not drain for the pump to run dry or pull air in, if it is you need to check the flow rate from the tank and the cold water flow rate to the tank.

If the pump is sucking air in, because the shower was on too long and the tank drained, how would it overflow ?? it's empty ?

"its doing my head in and I have at times gone out and forgotten to turn all the feeds off only to return to water coming through the ceiling."

If the tank is filling when there's no-one in the property, no taps running, shower off so pump should be off - then the tank shouldn't be filling.
This will probably be a faulty ballvalve.

If you're talking about the central heating pump, it has nothing to do with the hot water or the shower.

If there's water coming through the ceiling, the overflow from the tank is damaged or blocked. Get the overflow sorted and the ceiling will not come down.

'Last night the pump itself seemed to be leaking aswell.'
As the pump is electric this should take priority, as it could be dangerous if leaking - and the overflowing tank might be of some use as it could put out the fire when water gets into the electrics.

Not meaning to be cheeky or nasty but I think you need a plumber as you don't seem to have much idea of what is happening or how to put it right.

From the post I'm assuming you let the property out - so safety is paramount if you don't want to end up in court.

Htg

[nitro23456]

give me £100 plus petrol plus parts and il sort it for you.

[mitzi]

what the official term is i don't know, but it the tank the water goes into to heat water for the house. i have had plumbers round who have been useless. the ball thing in it has been replaced as it was filling with water. what i want to know is when the main cold water supply to it is off how is water still going into the tank through the pipes attached to the water pump which i have had installed to increase pressure. if you don't know whats wrong with it how can you say you can fix it for hundred quid?

[htg engineer]

I don't know either - take him up on the offer.

£100 is for labour only, you'll still have to pay for parts and petrol.

But if you need a new tank because the heating coil has split and that's why it keeps filling, £100 labour isn't bad.

Plus is it worth fitting a new tank to an old boiler ???
If you decide it's not worth fixing and you decide to get a new heating installed £100 labour is brilliant.

He said it - £100 and he'll sort it - whatever and however long it takes. I wouldn't be happy with £100 for a couple of days work. he must be desperate for work.

htg

[nitro23456]

Im presuming we are talking about Cold Water Storage tank in the loft not the hot water cylinder (which would probably be in an airing cupboard)?

Because you say the ballcock has been replaced and with the cold feed off it still overflows?

To help any further we really need some firm info.

1. Is this the cold tank in your loft which feeds the hot water cylinder in your airing cupboard?
2. Or is it the cylinder itself you are talking about?
3. Has this problem happened only since the installation of the pump?
4. Where is the pump? in the loft? airing cupboard? is it to pump cold water from the loft tank? maybe it is unrelated and is central heating?

It seems like one of two things to me (given the info provided) - the loft tank is overflowing due to poorly adjusted or faulty inlet and the rising main isnt switching off properly...... or the pump is the problem and draws water back.

turn the water off and see if the kitchen cold tap stops. if it does, good. Empty the tank a bit so it is below the overflow (by opening hot taps in the bathroom) and then see if the tank overflows after this with the mains still off. If it does water is being drawn back into the tank, possibly by the pump depending where it is and what is for.

baddabing baddabong, problem diagnosed.

I missed a '0' off my original quote. ;))

[mitzi]

thank you for your help so far. you're right it is the water pump sucking water back into the hot water cylinder. have a book which has advice on how to get rid of an air lock, however it only gives me a solution if i have a separate hot and cold tap which i don't, i have mixer taps. is there any easy way of solving this without a plumber. although i am not very informed on these matters i am quite capable under instruction. don't fail me now my friend. :)

many thanks,

[htg engineer]

If it was an airlock that book would be fantastic, unfortunately you'll have to wait to get an airlock before it's any use to you.

Get a plumber out, it could have been sorted by now (6 days since your first post)

htg

[nitro23456]

Didnt notice on first read, that you rent this property out.

Get a plumber - you are legally bound for your tenant.

[mitzi]

i don't rent the property out i live there and own it. i can't find a decent workman in my area. have had one guy out 4times and the muppet made no difference at all. i am managing the problem so far only switching the feeds on as and when i need hot water so the 6dys passing is not an issue its been like this for 2mnths now. with the success rate i've had so far with workmen i might as well do it myself if somebody can give me a solution now the problem has been diagnosed. the question is how do i stop the pump sucking water back into the tank? even if its compicated i can then get simebody in and explain to them what needs doing so at least this time it will be fixed when they leave, but i have no faith in leaving any of the guys around here to figure out the problem themselves and it actually to be corrected at the end of it.
so many times now i've been told its sorted switched everything back on and it isn't at all. as i've paid the 'four times' guy some money cause i thought he had resolved it, armed with the answer i can get him back and tell him what needs doing and he can do it free of charge this time as he didn't fix it last time.

[mitzi]

the new person is a male friend, not tennant :wink: but he is not the diy sort unfortunately

[htg engineer]

Fit a non-return valve, between the tank and pump.

[mitzi]

thank you so much. your help is very much appreciated.