Mend > Plumbing

Help! How can I make the hot water flow faster?

We have never had any trouble with our hot water flow until we had a new Glow Worm condensing boiler installed about 18 months ago. I noted that the flow of water from the bath tap was not as fast as it had been almost immediately. The plumber advised me that it was fine but some weeks later the flow stopped altogether. The plumber said that there was an air lock and showed me how to fix it by taking the mixer tap off in the kitchen and forcing the cold water back up the hot water tap. The trouble is that the problem keeps recurring. We are continually having to rectify it ourselves. We have had 2 plumbers out and they vaguely talk about draining the system and then don't come back. If we run the hot water to the bath, we can't get any water out of the sink tap at the same time. It's driving me mad! Could it be that there is some sort of blockage. I've been up to the tank in the loft and there is some sediment in the bottom which I think has come from the cover which lagged the tank.

Desperate Susie
August 2008

Glow Worm D.I.Y, Plumbing Help Water Condensing

Check the water level in the big header tank in the loft, it may be low, you can usually adjust the ball cock up to allow a greater volume of water in the tank, but not to much, try to get the water level about 50mm below the over flow/waring pipe. If it is airlocks, then there may be a problem with the hot water pipe coming out from the top of the cylinder, it should rises up or have a kink in it of about 450mm. Also check out any other pipework that was renewed when you had the new boiler install, if there is any high parts where air could be getting trapped. Get a plumbing to rework the pipe. To know for sure where the airlock, open your hot tap, and feel the pipe work where possible, where it goes from hot to a bit warm, there's you airlock

LTGF
August 2008