Re: Emergency plumbing thing

[Guest guest]

Never mind, my plumber (bless his Christmas-sized heart!) is going to

come out. He says the leak is from the mains supply so draining the

water wouldn't stop it, though turning off the mains stop tap would

hold it.

Ruth

On 25 December 2011 09:23, Autiste Ruth

wrote:

> Sorry, I know this isn't what people use this forum for, but being

> Christmas day there's no one else to ask.

>

> There is a leak in the pipes under my combi boiler and as I can't stop

> it I'm draining the radiator system and hoping then it will stop.

> What I'm wondering is, with the system drained can I still safely get

> hot water?

>

> TIA.

>

> Ruth

[Guest guest]

> There is a leak in the pipes under my combi boiler and as I can't stop

> it I'm draining the radiator system and hoping then it will stop.

> What I'm wondering is, with the system drained can I still safely get

> hot water?

I don't know the system, but there should be a summer mode which

allows you to shut down the water flow. If so, you could follow

the instructions of the unit. Follow the manufacturer's

instructions on whether to keep the tank filled with space

heating (radiator) water.

It may be possible to stop the leakage by shutting the water

supply to the system, but keeping the system filled, but vented

above the combi heater. Many hot water systems use an expansion

tank and have the water supply shut off during operation. The

system is not highly pressurised, but relies on an expansion

tank to accommmodate expansion of the water. If the expansion

tank vent is opened, that would depressurise the system and

perhaps stop the leak until you can get it repaired.

It should be possible to keep the combi unit filled with space

heating water with while depressurising the radiator system. I

think it is best to fill the radiator system, shut off the

supply and vent the radiator system above the level of the

heater (e.g., the expansion tank vent). Then go to summer mode,

in which the water is not caused to flow through the pipes.

Ideally, you could operate the system unpressurised in winter

mode, but without instructions on how to do that, you would be

experimenting with the landlord's equipment.

- s0

[Guest guest]

Stan,

thanks for your reply. The plumber didn't come out after all - he got

worried the landlord wouldn't pay Christmas day rates. He said it's

mains water but actually the water is coming from the radiator system,

as it sprays when the pressure is increased, then the pressure drops

off, as does the leak, until there is very low pressure and just a

bare drip.

The plumber said both the heating and hot water can be used, and he'll

be out here on Tuesday.

So I guess I just keep an eye on it until then, and make sure to empty

the tray under the leak now and then.

Ruth

> I don't know the system, but there should be a summer mode which

> allows you to shut down the water flow. If so, you could follow

> the instructions of the unit. Follow the manufacturer's

> instructions on whether to keep the tank filled with space

> heating (radiator) water.

>

> It may be possible to stop the leakage by shutting the water

> supply to the system, but keeping the system filled, but vented

> above the combi heater. Many hot water systems use an expansion

> tank and have the water supply shut off during operation. The

> system is not highly pressurised, but relies on an expansion

> tank to accommmodate expansion of the water. If the expansion

> tank vent is opened, that would depressurise the system and

> perhaps stop the leak until you can get it repaired.

>

> It should be possible to keep the combi unit filled with space

> heating water with while depressurising the radiator system. I

> think it is best to fill the radiator system, shut off the

> supply and vent the radiator system above the level of the

> heater (e.g., the expansion tank vent). Then go to summer mode,

> in which the water is not caused to flow through the pipes.

>

> Ideally, you could operate the system unpressurised in winter

> mode, but without instructions on how to do that, you would be

> experimenting with the landlord's equipment.

>

> - s0

>

>