Locating and turning off the hot water valve?

[sneakerman]

Hello,

The thin metal hot water pipe running to my bathroom sink has a small pinhole leak. I need to locate the hot water valve to stop the leak. Cold water valve is in my kitchen and can be shut off easily.

Now where is the hot water valve? I’ve located 3 valves in my boiler cupboard but none seem to shut off if turned either way. The middle one stuck so I can’t shift it either way.

Which one is the valve to the hot water taps??

I remember a plumber going in here years ago with a spanner or something and turning the water off, though I could be wrong.

What the best way to repair a pinhole leak?

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks

 

[galaxy_plumbing]

follow pipe coming from top of the cylinder, thats your hot water. you might want to shut cold water to cylinder and drain excess water through tap. also open hot tap on bath and kitchen sink, so it will lower the pressure on your basin tap. if valves havent been touched for years you might straggle and could en-dup with leak or something worse, so be careful.

 

[sneakerman]

galaxy, thank you very much for your reply.

what would you recommend fixing the small pinhole leak?

thanks again

 

[galaxy_plumbing]

where is the pinhole. is it on copper, plastic, flexi? You could use one of leak sealing wraps. Pow-R Wrap | Tapes & Adhesives | Corgi Direct

 

[Citiheat]

I think that you might find that the hot water cylinder valve is on the pipe that comes from the bottom of your cylinder.

 

[GasMark1]

whats with the TRV in the airing cupboard on the hot flow???? strange , and its got the head on so when that gets hot it shuts off ???

 

[PlumbBobBob]

the valve you need to close looks like it will be the one at the back on the left behind the hot feed from the top of the cylinder. just follow the pipe down to make sure it goes into the bottom of the cylinder.

 

[Ray Stafford]

whats with the TRV in the airing cupboard on the hot flow???? strange , and its got the head on so when that gets hot it shuts off ???

Not a TRV. Its a Drayton tapstat, a sort of mechanical cylinder thermostat.

 

[Rob Sale]

whats with the TRV in the airing cupboard on the hot flow???? strange , and its got the head on so when that gets hot it shuts off ???

That someone whom is not confident with electrics when they installed it. They are using that to control the temperature of the cylinder.

 

[GasMark1]

thanks ,....never heard of it
Mark

 

[sneakerman]

thanks lads, but still no luck cutting the hot water off. tried both valves with hot water taps running for 20 minutes straight and still the same.

what am i doing wrong?


the pinhole is near the top of the copper pipe. i've bought some putty stuff instead though the tape was about the same price.

 

[TBServices]

Turn off your water main and drain the tank. DO NOT turn of any red handled valves in that cupboard.

 

[HawkWhiteFinger]

I think that you might find that the hot water cylinder valve is on the pipe that comes from the bottom of your cylinder.

That'll be cold water in.

 

[lame plumber]

you need to trace the cold feed fm the attic tank to the feed pipe into the bottom of the cyl. stop cold going in will stop hot going out, or into attic and turn of stopcock feeding larger of 2 storage tanks or tie up the ball valve then run hot till tank empty to allow you to do repair. putty and tape are not the med to long term answer tho, get the pipe cut and rejoined properly

 

[HawkWhiteFinger]

thanks lads, but still no luck cutting the hot water off. tried both valves with hot water taps running for 20 minutes straight and still the same.

what am i doing wrong?


the pinhole is near the top of the copper pipe. i've bought some putty stuff instead though the tape was about the same price.

Very rarely does anyone install valves for hot water supply, I do as it makes life easier.

You'll have to run the cold tap in the bathroom with the mains switched off to drain the cold tank, that'll remove the head to push hot out, that way the hot is isolated and away you go.

 

[PlumbBobBob]

that will work if the cold is fed from the loft and not mains. it will be better to run off the hot with the mains turned off if you cannot find a valve to isolate the cylinder cold feed.

 

[lame plumber]

that will work if the cold is fed from the loft and not mains. it will be better to run off the hot with the mains turned off if you cannot find a valve to isolate the cylinder cold feed.

only trying to ensure the plumber will have some water for coffee, so remember fill the kettle first!

 

[SimonG]

Looking at the cylinder and the pipework then it's off with the mains and drain the cwcs until no more water out of hot tap. Chances are if you do find the valve to knock the cold feed off it will either be jammed open or you'll close it and not be able to get it open again.

 

[Kimou]

If you're not very confident then try a pipe repair clamp. They compress on the pipe. It's a good temporary measure and can last probably years.

You should get someone to service those valves though. Disassemble them from the housing and replace with new. No need to change the whole body if they're in a difficult location.

 

[Kimou]

If you do replace the gate valves they should always be checked twice a year. Open fully and turn back a quarter turn to prevent seizing.

 

[Plum Bob 66]

If you do replace the gate valves they should always be checked twice a year. Open fully and turn back a quarter turn to prevent seizing.

And replace with full bore lever valves, hate those gate valves !

 

[Kimou]

And replace with full bore lever valves, hate those gate valves !

Yeah, they are crp but I wouldn't like to do the one right tight in the corner that's why I thought it'd be better to change the gubbins instead.

 

[Terry_the_piper]

When you repair the pinhole consider putting in isolator on hot and cold feed to basin. if the leak is in the right place it may even save you the repair.
Just cut the pipe on the leak and insert the valve. as they are compression joints it may simplify it for you.