Dripping Hot Water Tap All aspects of plumbing questions and answers, help, tips and information

[Spiro]

I want to replace the washer on the hot water tap in my bathroom, do I have to drain down the system? and if so how?

Do I turn off the mains and run all the taps? seems wasteful.

Cheers
Spiro
:roll:

[htg engineer]

What type of system ?
have you checked for isolation valves on the pipework ?

If it's a cylinder or tank, i'd rather drain than turn off the gate valve (if fitted) as they can sheer off inside.


htg

[Spiro]

Following the super guidance on these pages I think I have an indirect system.

No isolation valves.

To drain down I assume you turn off the hot water / heating system, turn off the mains under the sink and run the hot water until it stops.

If so is it just a matter of tuning the mains back on to recharge the systen prior to turning the heating / water banck on?

Cheers
Spiro

[rosebery]

"To drain down I assume you turn off the hot water / heating system, turn off the mains under the sink and run the hot water until it stops."

If you do that you'll empty the CWST in the roof. You may find that you have a valve fitted to the outlet from the tank and / or on the feed into the cylinder. Shutting either or both of these will take the pressure off the cylinder and flow should stop. There should be no need to shut the main stop c o c k under the sink. Once you have done that open the tap you want to work on AND the HW tap in the kitchen. Then therev will be no water in that pipework at all.

There is a risk, as HE says, that if these are gate valves then if you use too much ignorance then they could sheer of in which case you are looking at a drain down. Touch wood its never happened to me though. If the wise man that fitted them used lever valves or stop c o c k s then there'll be no problem.

Cheers

[Spiro]

Thanks Guys, I will try this at the weekend

Spiro
:roll: