Flat on shared supply. Not receiving any water in my flat.

[spongbob_77]

Hello.


I live in a converted flat. I'm on the ground floor, and there is a basement and top floor.


The water supply comes in to the basement, then the pipe travels up to the ground floor where there are 2 stopcocks. 1 for the ground floor flat (mine). 1 for the top floor flat.


I turned my stopcock off this weekend to replace my washing machine taps (picture attached).


When I turned the stopcock back on, I had no water. However The top floor still receives water.


This has happened in the past. The solution has always been:


- Turn off the ground floor and top floor stopcock
- Turn off the stopcock in the basement
- Open the taps in my flat
- Turn on the ground floor stopcock
- Turn on the basement stopcock
- I get water


However this is no longer working.


I suspect this is due to an air lock in my pipes.


My hot water comes from a direct combination unit (see attached).


There isn't enough pressure from the hot water tap to try and force the hot water back through the cold water pipes to release the air lock.


Is it time to call a plumber?


Thanks

 

[Ch4 plumbing]

The stop cocks both look like they are the wrong way round so that won't be helping!

get them changed around the right way and it should resolve the issue.

 

[spongbob_77]

You are referring to the fact the pipe travels up, and then back down?

They actually both go back down under the floor then travel along the floor before either servicing my flat or traveling up the wall to the top floor.

 

[tamz]

No he is referring to the pipe in the centre being the incoming water from the basement so that means both stopcocks are fitted the wrong way around

 

[Ch4 plumbing]

Check the stop cocks and they will have an arrow on them showing the direction of water flow on them for them to work properly.

 

[spongbob_77]

https://www.dropbox.com/s/t2i9bsuu4mmabj1/IMG_20150412_222019080.jpg?dl=0

Indeed the arrows on both stopcoxks are pointing upwards. How were you able to determine that just from the configuration of the pipes?

 

[snowhead]

How were you able to determine that just from the configuration of the pipes?

The shape of the stopcock gives away it's direction of flow.

Incoming on the right, outgoing on the left:

http://www.NoLinkingToThis/p/pegler-stop-cock-15mm/15440

 

[tamz]

Just a lucky guess i suppose :wink:

 

[spongbob_77]

Perhaps after they are changed our water pressure may improve?

 

[spongbob_77]

So just had the plumber round for 90 minutes.

First he tried using a vacuum on the taps. Each of them. No luck.

Then we connected a hose pipe to my water supply at the washing machine valve and pushed water through my plumbing system (which was luckily accessible). This filled the toilet cisterns and the direct combination unit, however still no water.

Then he checked the stopcock. He loosened the top, middle, and bottom nuts and water dribbled out of each, so he is happy that water is getting through the stopcock (despite it being the wrong way round).

Unfortunately at this point he was out of ideas. He was surprised none of the above had worked.

He recommended changing the stopcock anyway so it's facing the correct direction. And then working from there down the plumbing to try and find any issues.

So for the time being I'm still suffering a drought.

 

[JCplumb]

So the 'plumber' left the stop cocks facing the wrong way?
Water would come out when he loosened nuts as even though there is no supply at the taps, the pipes will still be holding water, unless you drained down to below the floor level when you sorted out your washing machine taps.
The way these kind of valves/taps/cocks work is the jumper holds the washer which sits against the valve seat. As a 'plumber' he should really know this.
If you have the water flowing through it the wrong way the water pressure (even if not very strong) can push the jumper and washer against the valve seat and stop the flow of water.
As originally advised by CH4 - get them the right way round.
Let us know how you get on

 

[stevetheplumber]

you need to get a plumber who knows what he is doing both stop cocks are round the wrong way im suprised youve ever got water through them

 

[snowhead]

I'm surprised a "Plumber" with any experience bothered to waste time doing anything without first turning the stopcocks around especially as you pointed it out to him.

The stopcocks are the lowest point in the system, there's bound to be water both sides even with very little flow through them.

The way I'd do it would be to isolate in the basement, cut the middle, incoming pipe, remove and correct the stopcocks then fit a T with a drain off cock in the middle pipe, so that when the water is back on you can prove flow to that point.

 

[jonnyswamp]

Don't have anymore contact with your "plumber" unless its to get your money back for the 90 mins he spent tossing it off
If he doesn't know the absolute basics (as in the importance of fitting a stop tap the correct way around), then he's no better than employing a window cleaner to solve your problem
Post in the "looking for a plumber" section of this site and you should find someone who's near you who can sort it
Good luck