Calling all Plumbers!

[Helen F H]

Ok, im really getting sick of this now. We live in a rented house, so need to go through the letting agency for all repairs but are constantly getting fobbed off (yes guys, we still have a cracked bog after 3 years!) if it is a simple repair i can attempt it myself.

We fitted a shower mixer tap to the bath when we moved in (the bathroom hadnt even got tiles, let alone a shower, and im not paying to fit a bloody power shower). There is "something" worn in the hot water system, as when you run the hot tap you get the most godawful noise as the tank must be refilling and making a bad job of it.
This may be affecting the shower as you cant get the temperature right - you get it warm then the water pressure changes and it goes red hot with no warning - to the point i have scalded myself a few times. I hate having a bath in the mornings as they make me want to go to sleep not wake up!

Soooo verdict needed:

Is this the mixer tap buggered or is it the "something worn" in the loft?

[wreckferret]

Hi.

Is it by any chance air in the system ? This could make the pipes noisy and screw up the cold water flow.

Try bleeding it and see if it makes any difference.

[littleH]

Does the noise from the tap change as you turn it? if so then it's likely to be something to do with the water pressure.

I'd write to the letting agency telling them that you have complained x number of times and if it is not sorted by (give a date of between 2 weeks and 1 month) then you will be getting a plummer in to do it and charging it to them.

They have an obligation to you to repair faulty goods/items. if they don't you are more than within your rights to stop paying your rent. then if they threaten to take you to court or issue you with a CCJ etc you can produce this letter and photographic evidance of how bad it is and the judge will tell the agancy to sod off.

I'd take some photo's down to the agency and kick up a right stink infront of plenty of customers (saturdays lunch time is good) and ask them if they'd pay to live there.... guarantee you they'll agree with you. and tell them you'll stop paying your rent (they poo themselves when that happens). Believe me i've worked in rented houseing for about 5 years now (ok it's student halls but...) as soon as someone gets really mad and threatens to stop paying rent or mummy/daddy complain to the uni it gets fixed pronto.

good luck

H

[Helen F H]

I dont think i want to annoy them as this would more than likely make them put the rent up - our rent is pathetically low (based on the house we moved into, not what it looks like now) at £175 a month but money is tight and i cant really afford to pay for a plumber myself to do the job.

Ok.....soooooo next question, how the hell do i bleed a hot water system?

[wreckferret]

I sent you mail.

[recurve]

Right, first things first. We really are dealing with a stored hot water system aren't we? That is; is there a copper tank somewhere, all wrapped up in a jacket that holds hot water?

If there isn't, then you must be on a 'combi' type system where you get hot water just when you turn a tap on.

Can you help Porg?

Phil

[Helen F H]

Its a big copper tank in the loft - we dont have a boiler. There is an immersion heater and you can heat it off the coal fire (along with the heating).

[littleH]

Originally Posted by Porg

I dont think i want to annoy them as this would more than likely make them put the rent up - our rent is pathetically low (based on the house we moved into, not what it looks like now) at £175 a month but money is tight and i cant really afford to pay for a plumber myself to do the job.

Do you have a 'term' on your contract say 6 months or a year and is the contract signed every 6 months or whatever or does it rollover and you just keep living there untill you decide not to. If it's fixed term contract then i don't think they can put the rent up mid term. but either way they have to give you minimum of 1 months notice.

I'd still go down with the photo's but be nice about it and say that it really is unnaccceptable that you've been renting this place for 3 years and you've been living with a cracked bog all this time. but if it's only a small chip then they may not have to change it if it still works properly and isn't leaking. If it leaks when flushed etc then they do have to change it as it's really unhealthy. I'd tell them about the water too and say it's a health and safety responsibility on their behalf as the water is too hot (anything over 80 deg C is classed as too hot)

If you do it yourself you run the risk of if you break it they can blame it on you and you have to pay for it. Surely there's something in your contract that sets out the repairs and who's responsible for repairing them

[wreckferret]

Do the cold water taps flow well ?

On the side of the hot water tank there is a bleed valve (on the top outlet pipe)
it looks like a radiator key fits it or it could be bolt (unlikely).

When the tank is cold open the bleed valve and let the air out .
Then close off the valve and away you go.

It sounds more like the cold side of the system.

Let me know if this helps.

[angleseydiver]

Hiya Porg,

Noisey when HW header tank is refilling as you use hot water? - Worn ball-valve washer/seat, both bits < £1.00. A bit fiddly to do.

Easy option- new ball-valve @ £3- £4.00. Turn off mains, run hot water a couple of mins and open a downstairs cold tap, change ball valve, check level roughly by lifting ball and feeling how far it lifts before shutting off the valve - it should shut when the center of the float is in line with the "tide mark" from the running-a-bit-of-hot water section. You may need to bend the brass arm to achieve this- oh! make sure you get a brass B/valve not a shitty plastic one, if you have a combination cylinder you may need to transfer the copper ball/float from the old valve to the new.
Shut that cold tap and put mains back on, nip back to loft and check water-level once it stops filling and adjust as necessary.
If you still get the water-hammer you might need extra clips on the cold feed pipe to the tank.

Shower/mixer tap- you're probably f**ked- it's not a shower!
Chances are your bath cold is mains fed, hot is tank fed- can't balance the two without major plumbing/ expense.
Hope this helps,
Have fun

ATB,
Terry

PS there should be no bleed-valves around your hotwater cylinder, if you're on solidfuel it should be an open vent.