Currently reading:
Help, need new boiler but have water flow issues...

Discuss Help, need new boiler but have water flow issues... in the Plumbing Jobs | The Job-board area at PlumbersForums.net

Status
Not open for further replies.
L

Larysa

Hi,

My old Potterton NetaHeat conventional boiler packed up recently and I've had leaks from the HW cylinder so have decided to replace with a new system. However, I have no idea what to go for. Initially I liked the idea of a combi because, having had leaks from the loft tanks before, the idea of no water standing above my head seemed appealing.

I live in a 2 bed, 1 bathroom end of terrace house with an electric shower in the bathroom. As far as I am aware the mains stopcock out in the street services all three of the houses in my terrace. Before the boiler packed up, the water pressure didn't seem brilliant but was ok. After the boiler packed up, the water flow appeared to decrease throughout the house and the electric shower could only be used on 'medium' otherwise the 'low flow' light would come on and the water would be alternately scalding/freezing. However, the water flow now appears to have fallen yet again and now the flow coming out of the hot water taps is minimal (cold taps upstairs ok; kitchen mixer tap poor and outside garden tap poor) and now the shower 'low flow' light comes on even on the medium setting.

I have heard that having a combi requires a decent pressure/flow coming in via the mains. I think this may have been fine before the water flow fell but now I am not so sure and it's an expensive option if I would then need to change the new combi for a conventional. Unfortunately, plumbers quotes/advice so far are split 50/50 between combi and conventional which doesn't help! NB: quotes/advice received so far were b4 the water flow fell for a 2nd time. Also, before this happened, called out Thames Water who said that although flow poor, mains pressure coming in was 5bar. Pipework seems old, can see small drip coming from internal stopcock but no obvious leaks; no 'knocking' when taps turned on.

Any advice as to what might be going on with flow would be much appreciated as money is a major issue and also advice on best system to have as want to make sure the most appropriate is installed.
 
i am hear ya know when youve all finished , them southerners cant handle us yorkshire men anyway. were proper drinkers
 
I think Stan had so much to look at and inspect that there wasn't time for tea...!
 
seems I get into trouble whatever I say so probably best to sign off at this stage... lol

but again, thanks guys - I think I will sleep better now that I feel happier that this will all get sorted eventually!

night! L
 
Spoke to Thames Water today and they have put in a request to 'inspect' the external mains stop tap. As I haven't reported it as a leak, they are only obliged to come and inspect within 7 days at which point they will decide if any renewal is needed (will keep u posted Stan).

They also suggested that perhaps my plumber didn't have the right tools or didn't know what he was doing! I replied that the plumber was highly experienced and did indeed have the correct tools. To which she responded that it may be that TW has some kind of 'special tools' that ordinary plumbers don't have access to (eh ?!?). I said that if that was indeed the case then they should definitely replace the tap with something that all plumbers could access in case there was an emergency that required the mains supply to be turned off. Honestly, can't believe how much money I have to hand over a year in rates to these twits.
 
This throws some light onto the fact that a suspiciously high percentage of jobs I've been to where no work can proceed until the external stopcock is changed are ones where I never hear back. Some get changed and I get called back but perhaps the rest either get changed so far down the line that the person can no longer remember who they had out to look at the job or the water undertaker claims there's nothing wrong with the stopcock and so no work can proceed. It does appear that if you claim to have a leak you stand a better chance. That's what I tell everyone to say now.
 
Well, I'll let you know what happens....but I am determined to make sure I have an external mains tap that does what it is supposed to! Hopefully without having to resort to springing a leak! :)

If they do refuse to do anything - do you think I would I improve my chances by mentioning ofwat? And if they call my bluff, does ofwat have any teeth to make them sort it?
 
Thames Water came out this morning to clarify which external stop tap was mine and that it could be turned on/off.

Result? They're still not sure which is mine! However, they have now completely broken the one they think it might be.
On the plus side, they have put in a request for the broken stop tap to be replaced with a new one. So, if it is mine, it may finally turn my water off. He promised this would be done today/tomorrow. We will see....
 
Don't think I will. Seems a right mickey mouse set-up they've got going over at TW!

More importantly, leak from internal stopcock now much more persistent and the bowl that took 2 days to fill, now filled overnight. Any suggestions til I can get the mains turned off?
 
ok, if he doesn't reply on here by the time I get home, I'll contact him directly...
thx L
 
ive already text him for ya , i would come but am in training so couldnt eat the bickis he left sunday
 
According to a text from my neighbour - TW have already replaced the external stopcock (with something plastic?) and they have also checked that it does indeed isolate the water from my house. However, it has had no effect on increasing the water flow through the taps which I guess, bearing in mind I have between 4 & 5 bar pressure coming into the house, points to a leaky/blocked pipe somewhere?!

Hopefully it won't be too dark to inspect their handiwork b4 I get home!
 
Must be my strong powers of persuasion! lol
Hopefully they have made a decent job of it though.
 
if I knew that's all it took to get the job done, I'd have stocked up ages ago! lol
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Reply to Help, need new boiler but have water flow issues... in the Plumbing Jobs | The Job-board area at PlumbersForums.net

Back
Top
AdBlock Detected

We get it, advertisements are annoying!

Sure, ad-blocking software does a great job at blocking ads, but it also blocks useful features of our website. For the best site experience please disable your AdBlocker.

I've Disabled AdBlock