Shutting off hot and cold water.

[Gary jackson]

Hey guys....changing shower in the basement of a 4 story house...i think hot water is off a gravity fed hot water cylinder and the heating is off a boiler..... to shut off the water supply I switched off the mains coming into the house, turned off the boiler(just switch at front no valves), 2 red valves next to cylinder. It took ages for the water to stop and had to drain the whole system before the taps stopped running.....anything i can shut off to stop water flow straight away or are the valves probably faulty next to the cylinder?( 1 valve said cold feed and the other was unmarked, there was also a valve next to the HWC that had no knob(...Tks...

 

[king of pipes]

Post a picture please. Cheers kop

 

[jtsplumbing]

If pipes to shower are exposed ! freeze pipes cut in full bore service valve, save all the hassle of draining system and possibility of air locks when refilling + the amount of time it saves, remember both H & C need to be fed from roof tanks.

 

[Chalked]

You will need to empty the header tank in the loft anyway, to fit a cold water supply for the shower pump. So just turn off the incoming water main and run off all water.

 

[jtsplumbing]

You will need to empty the header tank in the loft anyway, to fit a cold water supply for the shower pump. So just turn off the incoming water main and run off all water.

Think he is just replacing a old unit could be some service valves somewhere.

 

[Darren Jackson]

Put a bung in all the cold feed outlets of the header and a bung in the expansion pipe. This creates a vacume and The water will stop in a minute or two. Saves drain down and wasting water.

 

[Best]

Just be careful creating a vacuum on your hot water as this could collapse the hot cylinder.

 

[Darren Jackson]

Just be careful creating a vacuum on your hot water as this could collapse the hot cylinder.

Good point Best, should have mentioned to only bung on a cold system with all heating off. I sometimes forget that we do it routinely and assume that a regular person would know this. My bad...

 

[Best]

Good point Best, should have mentioned to only bung on a cold system with all heating off. I sometimes forget that we do it routinely and assume that a regular person would know this. My bad...

No worries Darren. I routinely bung heating systems, but have become a bit paranoid about any vented copper cylinders or unvented units being under suction. I nearly did a lot of damage to a copper cylinder once when bunging the vent.
Also witnessed a new copper cylinder gradually crushing in when pipes in attic were frozen and hot tap on floor below was opened.

 

[Darren Jackson]

Yeah, I've seen one implode not a pretty sight! Not by me I might add lol. I went to replace it.