Absolute headache of a day! airlock or blockage or useless plumber?

[armyash]

I am very, very confused! this week we have replaced mains from street stopcock to the house entrance. The pipe was severely corroded and split and was seeping through to see it under the floorboards at the front door. Got the pipe connected up ok and all turned on.

It's a bigger than average house. 2 ensuites upstairs, plus another bathroom and downstairs they have a cloakroom.

The problem is the pressure in the cloakroom is very poor at the basin and at the wc. (brand new filling valve and syphon)

In the 2 ensuites upstairs, the pressure and flow are fine on the taps but no water at wc (unless the cloak room downstairs is isolated, i'm getting confused already)

The other ensuite was the same taps ok but nothing at WC, I disconnected filling valve to make sure no blockages, replaced the syphon and now appears to be working ok)

The bathroom on its own is fine at basin, WC and bath.

The cws tank is operating fine.

What would you do if you had to attend this job tomorrow morning? My boss came out and he said we will probably have to stick a hose on the pipework in cloakroom and pump mains pressure water the opposite way round the system and try and clear any blockages.

This job has been laughing at me all day!

 

[Ermintrude]

U got a monument dry test gauge? 3m of 22 plastic ISo on one end and monument on other via reduicers. Connect to cold at problem appliance. Close ISo pump as high as u can go 3 or 4 bar, open ISo and it's clear!

 

[armyash]

I don't have a dry test gauge unfortunately.

I assume what you have said is done with the water all drained?

It sort of makes sense but sort of not lol

 

[Ermintrude]

Na leave water in. Stop tap off and taps open on all floors. Basically ur creating a high pressure plug of air to remove blockage. The 3m of 22mm is a reservoir for the pressure to build up in.

 

[armyash]

Na leave water in. Stop tap off and taps open on all floors. Basically ur creating a high pressure plug of air to remove blockage. The 3m of 22mm is a reservoir for the pressure to build up in.

That makes sense thanks.

What if I connected a hose to the kitchen tap and the other end to the cloak room cold tap and, turn on the kitchen tap - would that work the same?

 

[Ermintrude]

Might cold tap poss 1.5 bar? Bit like a pressure washer and hosepipe comparison, get the job done but much more hard work. How u going to attach to kitchen tap?

 

[armyash]

Might cold tap poss 1.5 bar? Bit like a pressure washer and hosepipe comparison, get the job done but much more hard work. How u going to attach to kitchen tap?

With something like this?

 

[Aquazone]

If its a downstairs cloakroom, it might be an airlock on the cold pipe as it probably branches off the gravity cold somewhere. If its a mixer tap in basin, cover spout with hand and open hot and cold, may move any air.

If you drained the CWST and your having trouble at the WC's, strip the inlet valves and clear the filters, or if its the old ball valves, check the seatings are clear.

Guess you might have done this today though?

 

[armyash]

If its a downstairs cloakroom, it might be an airlock on the cold pipe as it probably branches off the gravity cold somewhere. If its a mixer tap in basin, cover spout with hand and open hot and cold, may move any air.

If you drained the CWST and your having trouble at the WC's, strip the inlet valves and clear the filters, or if its the old ball valves, check the seatings are clear.

Guess you might have done this today though?

Did everything you suggested while i was there yesterday with no luck. They have water though so that's the main thing, we will be going back next week as i was on other jobs today.

 

[Megaflo-Experts]

Could be an air lock. How about connecting a length of hose to the water main in the loft, and forcing water through the outlets within the CWS. Make sure the cold tap is open, and don't over pressurise it!

 

[ManchesterGas]

Sounds like someone didn't flush the new pipework before they connected the new supply to the old system..

If the basin is gravity then probably an airlock, or if it's mains then a blockage. If quarter turn tap, take the cartridge out and flush through

 

[jase158]

so let me get this straight? only problem is the basin and wc downstairs? get a wet vac and suck the air out, bet it is on a separate run down. is the hot ok?

 

[Killy Bing]

Use your aqua vac, wet a tea towel, wrap it around the tap, put the hoover to that so it has a near air tight seal and suck the air out