oldkettle Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 (edited) Hi, As usual, as though we have not enough on our plate, got a new problem. Somebody digging the road nearby for the umpteen time has damaged the mains. The whole neighbourhood was without water for about 10 hours on Saturday, but as we have un vented system and some bottled water we survived. So when I finally heard the familiar sound of water going through the pipes I opened the kitchen tap and let all the dirty water out - mixed with plenty of air. So far so good. Then somebody needed to use the shower. We have a pumped one as the gravity pressure is not enough - bungalow and the HWC is downstairs - and it quickly stopped. OK, went to check the tank and it was empty with just a slow drip of water coming in. Kitchen gets good full pressure, toilet seems to be filling up as usual. Over the last 18 hours we got about half the tank filled. Hot water seems to be flowing, although did cut off in 3 minutes when we tried to use it. Shower does not operate at all, even though I turned off the pump for a while to reset the protection. Anything I can do myself before calling in professionals? Please? Edited March 12, 2017 by oldkettle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProDave Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 If you have a header tank in the loft then that is a VENTED hot water system, not unvented. I suspect what has happened, is the cold water header tank will have been empty, so that will have been the first place the water went when restored as the ballcock will have been open. As you stated you ran the kitchen tap until the dirty water had gone, there was obviously a lot of mud etc in the pipes. So some of that will have gone and blocked the ballcock that feeds your header tank. You can usually dismantle them to clean the muck out (after you have turned the water off) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldkettle Posted March 12, 2017 Author Share Posted March 12, 2017 (edited) Thanks, @ProDave, of course it is vented. Yeah, I tried to take the ballcock off, but it has probably been there for many years and I am a but wary of applying WD40 that can drip into the water. Although the tank looks so dirty that it will likely not matter. Oh, and to make matters even better, I can not find the internal mains stop cock. The one exposed in the kitchen only stops the tap and appliances. Edited March 12, 2017 by oldkettle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProDave Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 It was common to have a gate valve on the feed to a header tank, in the airing cupboard below perhaps. can you post a picture of your ballcock valve and we might suggest how to dismantle it, but don't try until you have turned the water off somehow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldkettle Posted March 12, 2017 Author Share Posted March 12, 2017 https://www.flickr.com/photos/97587014@N08/shares/5191wy The other two are to show the only valves I can see - on the pipes that exit the tank. There is also a third exit that is a flexible pipe. I suspect it may be shower pump feed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triassic Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 (edited) Muck in the ball cock, no doubt Prodave will be along soon with dismantling instructions. As he said, turn the water off first. Edit. Had a quick look on Utube and found this Edited March 12, 2017 by Triassic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldkettle Posted March 12, 2017 Author Share Posted March 12, 2017 (edited) Thank you, @Triassic, nice video. I have filled the tank now using a hose connected to the outside tap :-) Still have no idea where to turn the water off though. I traced the feeding pipe twice both times to the side of the house where the kitchen is. How does it get shut is a mystery to me. If I can separate the valve from the connector that goes through the wall of the tank I probably don't have to turn the water off, in the worst case scenario it will go to overflow. And there is always this outside switch in the water meter chamber. Edited March 12, 2017 by oldkettle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProDave Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 The video shows it all. Except in your case all the nuts will be very tight because they won't have been off for years so you will need a big adjustable spanner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triassic Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 34 minutes ago, oldkettle said: there is always this outside switch in the water meter chamber. Turn the water off before you do anything! You, the house and the cat could get very wet if you bust the fitting clean off. It's old brass and anything could happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldkettle Posted March 12, 2017 Author Share Posted March 12, 2017 :-) Got it. I did try to turn it before I started this topic. The valve and the left large nut (as opposed to the right one on the internal side of the tank) are turning together, nothing happens. Fortunately, it did not start leaking after that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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