how do I switch off bath hot tap

[keith]

Please can someone suggest what to do next . I need to switch off the hot tap in the bath to check/replace the tap/washer. But there's no valve I can find. The thick pipe from the tap just goes along for a bit & disappears into the floor.

It's a 10yr old house so I thought there'd be a valve near the tap.

All I can find is a big red circular handled valve on a pipe leading into the ceiling from the hot water cylinder in the airing cupboard. Can I use this one to shut off all hot water? I tried it for a bit and the tap still ran.

Is there another way?

Thanks

[johnty]

Does the pipe go into the hot water cylinder near the bottom? If so, closing the valve should stop the hot water from coming out, eventually.

[RedOnRed]

How about switching off at the mains supply and then running all the hot taps until the system drains down?

[Set Square]

If the valve is in the cold supply pipe from the header tank in the attic to the bottom of the hot cylinder, it will turn off all hot taps - provided it actually works!

Close the valve, and open all hot taps. *Some* water will come out for a short while, but it should stop after a couple of minutes - at which point you can take your tap to bits and replace the washer.

[Set Square]

By which time you've thrown away at least 30 gallons of hot water which you've just paid good money to heat up (unless you happen to want a bath at the time!)

[Chris McBrien]

If you do have to drain down your entire water system, that's the cold storage tank in the loft and the hot tank in the airing cupborad. DO NOT FORGET TO SWITCH OFF THE IMMERSION HEATER, just incase it is timed to switch on while the hot tank is empty.

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[Peter Scott]

Not forgetting to put a valve in so you won't need to do it again!

Peter Scott

[Broadback]

This is exactly why I put a valve in to all taps when doing the plumbing. Waste of time now though as I have a combi boiler! :-)

[<me9]

Don't get cheap shed ones, I did and they weren't reliable by the time they were needed. The slot turned, but the ball didn't turn to shut off the flow.

[Set Square]

Whilst it would be a wise precaution to turn off the immersion heater - and/or any boiler used to heat the water indirectly - the consequences of

*not* doing so wouldn't, in reality, be too dire.

Since hot water flows to the hot taps from the *top* of the hot cylinder, as a result of being propelled by cold water fed in at the bottom, the cylinder won't actually empty - and the hot taps will stop flowing as soon as the cold header is empty.

[keith]

Thanks for all replies, the red handled valve (like

)

is in a thick pipe that goes from ceiling in airing cupboard down behind hot water tank in corner (can't see if it attaches to it or not). There's no electric immersion element.

Sounds like there's no harm if I turn the valve as long as the heating/hotwater is switched off at the controller. Will try & see if this stops the hot water.

Sounds like having no valve is normal!

[zaax]

In article , keith writes

That's the one - a gate value no washer.

As you sure a) your turning the right way. b) it is turning fully off. c) your have waited long enough for it to drain

A 10 year old valve shouldn't pack up so early, but...

[Set Square]

It's a gate valve. It may not stop the flow completely - but you can still change the washer in the bath tap, even if there's still a dribble coming out of it.

It's not unusual - unfortunately - not to have isolating valves on the supply to individual taps. But it's good idea to fit one while you've got the water turned off.

[Steve Pearce]

I've never been able to find a suitable valve to stop the hot water. So I simply l plug the feed from the cold to hot tanks, works a treat.

[PM]

Anyone know if the quarter-turn lever valves are any good? The ones in Screwfix are good for water or gas so I would *hope* they provide a good 'off'.

[Set Square]

Yes, but make sure you get the full-bore variety.

[Christian McArdle]

Yes. This is the only type I would for this application. A full bore lever ball valve.

Christian.