hot water tap blockage

[philtheflush]

hello gents and gentesses! on a job today hot water bath tap blocked , originally thought airlock it is a mixer so cloth over spout hot water on then cold did this about ten times there is a dribble id say about quarter flow for a gravity fed tap. anyway custo then tells me they had insulastion put in the attic and it blocked that night but cleared it self but brown sludge came out of the tap anyway its happened again hence me going there my assumption now ceramic disc blocked or damaged turned water off on cold feed to cylinder it was letting by to much the hatch for the attic is tiny i dont think i can get up there to suspend the ball valve and the mains stopcock is broke and to to it of the taps are on the back side of the bath i said id come back and sort tomorrow but its going to be a nightmare any advice

 

[Resolute]

Have you tried a wet vac on the tap?

If you can get to the CWSC then you could bung the feed. If not and the pressure isn't too high you might be able to take the ceramic discs out live and the water run into the bath. I did this on a basin tap today and got away with it!

 

[philtheflush]

i did think of doing it live but im not sure if i can get into the attic as im to fat haha but true 6ft but 19st obviously pure muscle . i havnt a wet vac yet, ill sort something out one thing though i was there 2 hours i got some flow but do you still charge them as i didnt cure the problem .the fact that there was brown sludge im thinking the people that put in the insulation moved some pipes so im thinking if they disturbed the cistern

 

[Resolute]

Where abouts is the job?

You could always turn the water off outside then drain the CWSC. However I wouldn't want to drain it before looking in it and making sure there is no more crap to be sucked through and cause you further probs!

 

[secret squirrel]

i did think of doing it live but im not sure if i can get into the attic as im to fat haha but true 6ft but 19st obviously pure muscle and i havnt a wet vac yet ill sort something outone t5hing though was there 2 hours i got some flow but do you still charge them

How big/old is the customer? some loft hatches are ridiculous if the customer is small, I'd ask them to assist, may not be the correct thing but sometimes what can you do.

If you work on your own sometimes you need an extra pair of hands to stop the tap spinning etc.

If it were me, I would charge to cover my costs. stopcock broken, inaccessable tanks, what can you do?

 

[philtheflush]

this is it see ill go and have another look tomorrow and assess the job again and see what they say

 

[philtheflush]

i did ask if he will go up there but hes got bad knees ill iet you know how it goes tomorrow

 

[secret squirrel]

i know im to soft ill let you know how it goes tomorrow cheers guys

Explain to them that your 19 stone of solid muscle and look at the loft hatch then point out the stopcock and don't be worried about walking away.

I've a similar problem 5' 11 and 18.5 stone, I had to get between the toilet and the bath to change taps. I looked at the customer looked at the gap and said 'serioulsly' we laughed and he got a midget.

However, moving something heavy into a loft not a problem.

 

[philtheflush]

did i mention when i take my coat of im 14st