Suspect a LP Cold water tank issue - help and advice gratefully recvd

[loada]

Amatuer/newbie question if you will please?

My house has a downstairs mains cold water system but upstairs is fed from a tank in the loft.

Noticed today my upstairs loo cistern wasn't filling properly so took it all apart, cleaned everything to put it back and after turning the valve just the otherside of the cistern back on noted no water was coming through. I assumed there to be a blockage and used a drain cleaner to have a poke around and reassembled - no change.

Then I needed to turn on the cold tap in the same bathroom and there was no flow. From this (I think) I have deduced that the problem lies with the tank in the loft. I suspect it to be empty or filling very very slowly (2 persons had showers earlier and this may have emptied the tank??).

I'm guessing, 'cos I've never looked, that the tank in the loft will have a ballcock arrangement similar to the toilet filled by mains? water fed from downstairs but what is it that is preventing it from filling?? BTW I've checked and I have no water flowing from the overflows outside.

Would it pay me to go and buy in a new valve arrangement in readiness? Are these a standard size - 16 year old Persimmon house.

Thanks for reading

Cheers

Steve

 

[mountainman]

I think it would pay you to get someone in who knows what he's doing.
Could save you money in the long term.

 

[Destroyer2813]

First step jump in the loft an see if there is water in the tank then push the ballvalve down and see if water flows if not could be a piece of debris in the ballvalve itself. Yes they are all the same size

Could also be a airlock

 

[Simon F]

Hello Loada,
I am working on the presumption that you will also have the hot water cylinder being fed from the same tank.
That being the case, do you have hot water?
if you do that points away from the tank and to a blockage in the cold distribution pipe.
if there is also no hot water then get checking in the loft

 

[loada]

Hi Simon – thanks very much for taking the time to reply.

I think you may have hit the nail on the head. We have hot and cold water in our family bathroom but only hot in the ensuite (so nothing at the sink or toilet).

Does this point to a blockage to the outlet from the loft water tank? – I assume there are multiple outlets from the tank as the bathrooms are opposite sides of the house.

Hopefully there is a simple solution with something actually in the tank causing a blockage (knowing my luck it’ll be something long dead like a bat or squirrel and to think I’ve been brushing my teeth in that!). If it is the actual pipe that is blocked how do I go about clearing it.

I read elsewhere of attaching mains pressure to the tap and blowing it back to the tank – for me that would cause mains pressure at the cistern valve so perhaps not a good idea. I do have a 5m wire drain cleaning wire but this might not reach the blockage or indeed clear it.

Help! – what next? All suggestions gratefully received.

Cheers

Steve

 

[M.Joshi]

You may have an airlock in the cold water pipe supplying the ensuite. If you open both the hot and cold taps on a mixer tap in the ensuite bathroom and block the (hot) water from coming out of the tap, this may push the airlock out. Don't do this for too long otherwise you may contaminate the cold water supply.

 

[SimonJohns]

It sounds to me like a restriction of some kind. Wether that be a blocked feed. Valve turned off or air lock

Depending on where you live I would get in your loft and give the float valve a good look over to make sure it's working and working well

Next. Which you have already done is check other outlets

The check for airlocks. Unfortunatly the best way to get rid if these is with a wet vac. You can buy one from b and q for £35. Amazing piece of kit and very useful. Can hoover up spills on carpet etc

May be cheaper thou to ask one of us who is local to you to pop around