Running out of hot water
Discussion
Help please, problem suddenly started today. We have gravity hot water tank in the airing cupboard, cold water tank in loft. Power shower in the bathroom, only the hot water cylinder is fed from the cold tank everything else is run from the mains. Whilst having a shower today the power shower started to struggle for water flow then cut off completely. I switched it off & covered in soap ran a hot water tap to get some water to rinse the soap off & found no flow! Opened the loft hatch & the cw ballcock was open with water running into the tank. A few minutes later we had running hot water again!
Help! Wife had a shower early AM OK, but this repeated early evening.
Help! Wife had a shower early AM OK, but this repeated early evening.
Edited by tr7v8 on Monday 8th February 20:42
Could be an air lock. In which case cold water pressure will cure it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hj1uhAqokgM
With mains cold water, don't overdo it! I normally use a balled up j-cloth in my hand, rather than trust to a good seal with my hand.
With mains cold water, don't overdo it! I normally use a balled up j-cloth in my hand, rather than trust to a good seal with my hand.
. OK thanks for the suggestions. The flow into the tank seems pretty good & the ballcock is new so unlikely to be that. I've just raised the ball so the tank starts from a higher level when the shower is on.
I think with the cold weather & the colder cold water the shower which is thermostatic is demanding more hot than before to make up the selected temp. The shower is a new one so the flow rate could be different.
I think with the cold weather & the colder cold water the shower which is thermostatic is demanding more hot than before to make up the selected temp. The shower is a new one so the flow rate could be different.
No changes to shower head & no long showers. In fact no changes to anything obvious. Today I've raised the cold water tank level by 35mm & also this time put the plug in the bath. Rough measurements give around 40litres before it starts sucking air.
Tonight's plan is to watch the cold water tank whilst the Missus showers & see what is going on. There is some sheet like material in the CW tank which I assume is limescale. I'm wondering if that could block the outlet?
Tonight's plan is to watch the cold water tank whilst the Missus showers & see what is going on. There is some sheet like material in the CW tank which I assume is limescale. I'm wondering if that could block the outlet?
OK few more tests tonight. Whilst the wife had a shower I checked the cold water tank. It barely drops 15mm during the whole cycle & the shower starts to surge at around 3 mins. I put the plug in today whilst having a shower & I reckon around 40 litres is all you get before it stops. Never had an airlock before but Driverrob maybe onto something. I tried balling a rag over the mixer tap but only succeeded into soaking the kitchen & me!
Do you live in a hard water area?
Is it a mixer shower /power shower?
If yes and it's not brand new and you don't have a water softener then its furred up and only option is to replace the power shower (in Reading it's very hard water so you burn through shower heads probably 4 a year so no point in buying pricy items, dishwasher uses loads of salt, and the mixer shower I've personally replaced a few times seem to last anywhere between 2-3 years use dependant I guess.
Is it a mixer shower /power shower?
If yes and it's not brand new and you don't have a water softener then its furred up and only option is to replace the power shower (in Reading it's very hard water so you burn through shower heads probably 4 a year so no point in buying pricy items, dishwasher uses loads of salt, and the mixer shower I've personally replaced a few times seem to last anywhere between 2-3 years use dependant I guess.
Welshbeef said:
Do you live in a hard water area?
Is it a mixer shower /power shower?
If yes and it's not brand new and you don't have a water softener then its furred up and only option is to replace the power shower (in Reading it's very hard water so you burn through shower heads probably 4 a year so no point in buying pricy items, dishwasher uses loads of salt, and the mixer shower I've personally replaced a few times seem to last anywhere between 2-3 years use dependant I guess.
Yes it's a very hard water area but the shower is less than 6 months old, it is a replacement mira same as the other one which died after 18+ years.Is it a mixer shower /power shower?
If yes and it's not brand new and you don't have a water softener then its furred up and only option is to replace the power shower (in Reading it's very hard water so you burn through shower heads probably 4 a year so no point in buying pricy items, dishwasher uses loads of salt, and the mixer shower I've personally replaced a few times seem to last anywhere between 2-3 years use dependant I guess.
Salesy said:
it sounds like a blockage to me. might be worth checking all hot taps in property to see if it tails off at around 40 litres from various locations.
If it happens to all then probably a blockage
Got a horrible feeling you could be right! It is looking like this or an airlock!If it happens to all then probably a blockage
tr7v8 said:
Yes it's a very hard water area but the shower is less than 6 months old, it is a replacement mira same as the other one which died after 18+ years.
When shower is cold try all other hot taps in the house - could be one pipe is more furred up than the others. Also don't discount the fact the Shower could have failed very early - but if cold from all other taps then it's not that.
How long is your hot water on every day? For a family of 4 we have it running from 5am to 7:30am and then 4pm to 7pm every day (don't wash up anything as we use dish washer so hot water is purely for bath/shower. )
Welshbeef said:
tr7v8 said:
Yes it's a very hard water area but the shower is less than 6 months old, it is a replacement mira same as the other one which died after 18+ years.
When shower is cold try all other hot taps in the house - could be one pipe is more furred up than the others. Also don't discount the fact the Shower could have failed very early - but if cold from all other taps then it's not that.
How long is your hot water on every day? For a family of 4 we have it running from 5am to 7:30am and then 4pm to 7pm every day (don't wash up anything as we use dish washer so hot water is purely for bath/shower. )
I have just run the hot water tap in the kitchen for 20 minutes or so & had no issues, this is the end of the hot water feed from the tank. Stayed hot all the time as well & from rough measurement I reckon this is 60ish litres.
Just to clarify the shower is fed direct from the hot water tank (Essex flange!) & another pipe on that T goes bath tap-basin tap then down to washing machine then kitchen tap then downstairs loom which is the end.
Welshbeef said:
tr7v8 said:
Yes it's a very hard water area but the shower is less than 6 months old, it is a replacement mira same as the other one which died after 18+ years.
When shower is cold try all other hot taps in the house - could be one pipe is more furred up than the others. Also don't discount the fact the Shower could have failed very early - but if cold from all other taps then it's not that.
How long is your hot water on every day? For a family of 4 we have it running from 5am to 7:30am and then 4pm to 7pm every day (don't wash up anything as we use dish washer so hot water is purely for bath/shower. )
I have just run the hot water tap in the kitchen for 20 minutes or so & had no issues, this is the end of the hot water feed from the tank. Stayed hot all the time as well & from rough measurement I reckon this is 60ish litres.
Just to clarify the shower is fed direct from the hot water tank (Essex flange!) & another pipe on that T goes bath tap-basin tap then down to washing machine then kitchen tap then downstairs loom which is the end.
tr7v8 said:
The hot water is on continuously. The shower doesn't run cold, it surges & stops because it can't get enough I assume hot water. But when this happens I get no hot water in each of the bathroom taps either. Give it a few minutes & flow is back on all of them.
I have just run the hot water tap in the kitchen for 20 minutes or so & had no issues, this is the end of the hot water feed from the tank. Stayed hot all the time as well & from rough measurement I reckon this is 60ish litres.
Just to clarify the shower is fed direct from the hot water tank (Essex flange!) & another pipe on that T goes bath tap-basin tap then down to washing machine then kitchen tap then downstairs loom which is the end.
Ok then try this:-I have just run the hot water tap in the kitchen for 20 minutes or so & had no issues, this is the end of the hot water feed from the tank. Stayed hot all the time as well & from rough measurement I reckon this is 60ish litres.
Just to clarify the shower is fed direct from the hot water tank (Essex flange!) & another pipe on that T goes bath tap-basin tap then down to washing machine then kitchen tap then downstairs loom which is the end.
1. Take shower head off and run it - there might be a tiny blockage in the head
2. Take the chrome flex off is that blocked in some way or another?
3. If 1&2 don't do anything take the shower off the wall and turn the water back on this will isolate if it's the shower or between shower and hot water tank.
Welshbeef said:
tr7v8 said:
The hot water is on continuously. The shower doesn't run cold, it surges & stops because it can't get enough I assume hot water. But when this happens I get no hot water in each of the bathroom taps either. Give it a few minutes & flow is back on all of them.
I have just run the hot water tap in the kitchen for 20 minutes or so & had no issues, this is the end of the hot water feed from the tank. Stayed hot all the time as well & from rough measurement I reckon this is 60ish litres.
Just to clarify the shower is fed direct from the hot water tank (Essex flange!) & another pipe on that T goes bath tap-basin tap then down to washing machine then kitchen tap then downstairs loom which is the end.
Ok then try this:-I have just run the hot water tap in the kitchen for 20 minutes or so & had no issues, this is the end of the hot water feed from the tank. Stayed hot all the time as well & from rough measurement I reckon this is 60ish litres.
Just to clarify the shower is fed direct from the hot water tank (Essex flange!) & another pipe on that T goes bath tap-basin tap then down to washing machine then kitchen tap then downstairs loom which is the end.
1. Take shower head off and run it - there might be a tiny blockage in the head
2. Take the chrome flex off is that blocked in some way or another?
3. If 1&2 don't do anything take the shower off the wall and turn the water back on this will isolate if it's the shower or between shower and hot water tank.
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