Crosswords0 min ago
Upstairs Cold Water Pressure
29 Answers
Over the last few days I've been getting a problem with the upstairs, over the bath, mixer tap shower.
Normally I have both the hot and cold taps just shy of the mid position, but lately I've been having to turn the hot down and the cold right up. So dramatic is the difference that I've been mulling over calling the water board and asking if the pressure has been lowered in the area.
Well it was worse than ever this morning. Cold fully on, hot hardly on, hardly enough volume to call it a shower. Was it the mains pressure, or maybe the mixer tap has failed somehow ?
I've just done a small investigation. The kitchen cold tap seems ok, but there again, would I notice ? It is, what, 10 or 12 foot nearer the ground.
I turned on the bathroom basin cold tap and for a while it also seemed fine, but then, for no obvious reason, it suddenly reduced in flow too. I suspect this is probably the same thing that is happening at the bath.
I've not done anything that I can think would cause an upstairs problem recently.
Any thoughts on the possible issue, why it has gone wrong, and what can be done to fix it ? If it gets any worse I'll have to switch to having baths instead. And eventually soaking in the kitchen sink maybe.
TIA
Normally I have both the hot and cold taps just shy of the mid position, but lately I've been having to turn the hot down and the cold right up. So dramatic is the difference that I've been mulling over calling the water board and asking if the pressure has been lowered in the area.
Well it was worse than ever this morning. Cold fully on, hot hardly on, hardly enough volume to call it a shower. Was it the mains pressure, or maybe the mixer tap has failed somehow ?
I've just done a small investigation. The kitchen cold tap seems ok, but there again, would I notice ? It is, what, 10 or 12 foot nearer the ground.
I turned on the bathroom basin cold tap and for a while it also seemed fine, but then, for no obvious reason, it suddenly reduced in flow too. I suspect this is probably the same thing that is happening at the bath.
I've not done anything that I can think would cause an upstairs problem recently.
Any thoughts on the possible issue, why it has gone wrong, and what can be done to fix it ? If it gets any worse I'll have to switch to having baths instead. And eventually soaking in the kitchen sink maybe.
TIA
Answers
Best Answer
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For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ.You could check by switching off the stop tap and see if you still get the reduced flow to the bathroom area whilst the downstairs is off. If you still get supply for a while(until tank is dry), it would indicate tank fed supply to upstairs, if the bathroom supply goes off, with the stop tap off, it is mains fed like the kitchen.
There is a cold tank in the loft but I was under the impression it simply fed the hot tank on the first floor, and the upstairs cold was direct to the mains. However I have just taken a stopcock key out to the outside stopcock, turned it off, and checked. The kitchen sink was immediately at a dribble, but upstairs the taps continued to run, so I can only assume they are also fed from that loft tank.
Make sure that you empty the tank before trying any such cure Geezer. Yo also need to make sure your oiler is OFF and not liable to automatically fire up. When the tank is empty you will then need to ensure no water is feeding it when the stop cock is on. Then you could try the hose pipe cure direct from the main supply. It may be messy.
Hmmm....
The worst part is that it was only very recently I shoved a LOT of books up into the loft as I had not the space for them; with the idea that once I'm sorted in the house I can start to bring them down gradually and decide what to do with them, then. It means it is a nightmare getting to the tank. Not just for me but for anyone I tried to get in to fix anything. Awful time to get an issue.
That aside, I got to the tank (pipes tend to disappear under the boards, like on every floor) and the lid is still on. Looked inside, looked just like water, save for what I think is a cobweb, so no obvious way to get any blockage.
I'm loathe to try the hose thing if it could get messy in case the books up there get soaked somehow. Not sure I could stand that. Maybe I'll leave it for a few weeks (won't be here for one of them anyway) and see if it clears.
Cheers.
The worst part is that it was only very recently I shoved a LOT of books up into the loft as I had not the space for them; with the idea that once I'm sorted in the house I can start to bring them down gradually and decide what to do with them, then. It means it is a nightmare getting to the tank. Not just for me but for anyone I tried to get in to fix anything. Awful time to get an issue.
That aside, I got to the tank (pipes tend to disappear under the boards, like on every floor) and the lid is still on. Looked inside, looked just like water, save for what I think is a cobweb, so no obvious way to get any blockage.
I'm loathe to try the hose thing if it could get messy in case the books up there get soaked somehow. Not sure I could stand that. Maybe I'll leave it for a few weeks (won't be here for one of them anyway) and see if it clears.
Cheers.