Hot or Cold water to outside tap

John · 2015-10-27T09:24:22+00:00

I have an outside tap, currently fed from the mains. I have a combi-boiler. I want to be able to switch between hot and cold water to the outside tap. I don't want to actually mix the hot and cold - I just want to electrically switch between the two supplies to the tap. Ideas?

Oct 27, 2015 45 Replies

Rate this thread:

Tim Watts 10 years ago

To put a bit of common sense back into this, I have drunk water from a cold tank - an enclosed one with no dead rats in it. That was fine.

There comes a point when certain systems are clearly a health risk (open tank in loft full of dead things) - but taking an in-extremis view that "potable" must only be supplied through food certified components and subjected to either remaining cold or being heated to 70-odd+ C is nonsense in domestic situations.

So, yes, I'd be happy drinking from any reasonable direct HW system. After all, in a typical domestic system, even "potable" water has been through many pipes and components that leave something to be desired - that rusty old street main, that bit of lead pipe under the drive... None of these would pass for a new installation, but nobody is ever hurt by it.

Vote

Dave Plowman (News) 10 years ago

But a combi by definition doesn't get its water from a header tank. Unless that header tank also supplies the potable water.

So what do you think is in the water chain via a combi that is any different from the supply direct to the cold tap?

Prey tell what would be different from a combi?

Vote

Dave Plowman (News) 10 years ago

Well, quite. If you have a bath or shower or simply wash your face, there's a good chance you'll ingest at least some water.

And for many years people cleaned their teeth using water from a storage tank. It's relatively recently that the basin cold in a bathroom is usually fed from potable water.

How do all these dead animals get into a covered storage tank?

You'd probably have to run off a fair bit of cold to be sure you were getting water from a moving supply.

Vote

tabbypurr 10 years ago

I'm sure you could answer your own questions easily enough

Vote

Tim Watts 10 years ago

It was the uncovered ones I was thinking - still a few around.

Vote

Chris French 10 years ago

Ours are semi covered - as in they have some rather ropey wooden covers. There is stuff in the bottom, but never sen anything dead in there

TBH, I still drink the water from it sometimes or clean my teeth. I think the risk of anything nasty occuring is low.

Vote

Join the Discussion

Have something to add? Share your thoughts — no account required.

Didn't find your answer?

Ask the community — no account required