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Attic water tank overflow pipe dripping constantly

  • 31-08-2010 9:06am
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 17,398 ✭✭✭✭


    Hi all,

    The water tank in the attic in my house has an overflow pipe (as all do I assume). The pipe is dripping constantly at the moment. Can anyone tell me why this might be happening and recommend a way to fix this?


Comments

  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 19,340 CMod ✭✭✭✭Davy


    Dodgey ball valve possibly. You need to get up and have a look, bounce the ball valve up and down and see is it stopping itself.


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,250 ✭✭✭Buford T Justice


    I agree, the ballcock valve could be knackered so it keeps feeding in water. It may just need adjusting on the other hand. Try bending the arm slightly so the ball is further down in the water and see if this stops the water intake. If not, replace...


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,118 ✭✭✭Sparkpea


    before checking it make sure you haven't just flushed the toilet or ran water as obviously the tank will be filling in. when you're checking it see if you can see the water mark around the overflow. does it drip all the time? or only overnight/when you're away? or when the heating is on if you have an expansion tank?

    if you have 2 tanks sometimes its as handy to change both if you're not sure which it is, you can bend the ballvalve arm down a bit more as someone suggested but if its dripping often then this is only a temporary thing as it will eventually overflow again. if you're not doing it yourself and are waiting on a plumber and if its dripping often sometimes people would leave the cold tap in the bath running ever so slightly (with the plug out obviously) so the tank doesn't overflow.. again if u pay water rates then this isn't a great idea :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 17,398 ✭✭✭✭r3nu4l


    We only have one tank. It seems to mostly drip at night and in the evening so I'm going to get up there tonight if I can and have a look once it's actually dripping.

    The tank is a galvanized tank so perhaps it's contracting at night causing the water level to rise?


  • Registered Users Posts: 44,080 ✭✭✭✭Micky Dolenz


    No, since you don't use it during the night it has a chance to fill.

    Changing the Valve is a straight forward job. Do check the condition of your tank, they have be known to literally fall apart when disturbed.


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  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 19,340 CMod ✭✭✭✭Davy



    Changing the Valve is a straight forward job. Do check the condition of your tank, they have be known to literally fall apart when disturbed.

    +1

    If you aren't gonna tackle the valve yourself, and have to get someone in, would be wise to install a new plastic tank imho. Half a day would cover it


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,118 ✭✭✭Sparkpea


    Davy wrote: »
    +1

    If you aren't gonna tackle the valve yourself, and have to get someone in, would be wise to install a new plastic tank imho. Half a day would cover it

    ^^ totally agree with the previous too comments. IMO don't bother changing the ballvalve, just change the tank and get a new ballvalve at the same time. The tank does need changed I'm sure the barnacles inside are just about holding it together.

    I've my mother in laws to change next week for that very reason. Supply and fit cost to her is about £200 because its family but would expect someone to charge anywhere from £250-£360 to be reasonable.

    A lady 2 weeks ago told me she paid £780 for one to be installed. I was gobsmacked!

    Forking out £300 or whatever for a new tank is alot cheaper than it leaking all through your ceilings, contents etc.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,230 ✭✭✭Sammy2012


    Same problem as the op bur we have a pressurised system so no tank in the attic....what could be the cause??


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,118 ✭✭✭Sparkpea


    Is your heating system pressurised too? If not then u will still have a expansion tank in the attic with an overflow. Unless your pressurised hw system is in the attic too then it could be a blowoff/safety valve


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,230 ✭✭✭Sammy2012


    Sparkpea wrote: »
    Is your heating system pressurised too? If not then u will still have a expansion tank in the attic with an overflow. Unless your pressurised hw system is in the attic too then it could be a blowoff/safety valve

    No idea about heating system....the heating is run from a stanley oil fired cooker..don't think it's pressurised though.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,118 ✭✭✭Sparkpea


    It wouldn't be pressurised then. So you will still have a small tank in the attic to feed the heating system and to allow for expansion.

    The ballvalve in it should be replaced if it's dripping. The other things could be that the heating itself is expanding too much and overflowing. Does it always drip or only when the heating is on?


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,230 ✭✭✭Sammy2012


    It's constantly dripping. It's probably dripping for months but we've only noticed it now because the ground is starting to dry up. Would it affect the pump? As in would it cause the pump to come on more frequently...had a massive esb bill last month so I'm assuming now the 2 could be related.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,118 ✭✭✭Sparkpea


    Is this a pump from a well or something? If so I know nothing about this. I know the mains supplies in the south differ from the north so I can't advise about that. But yes if it's been dripping for months and you pay for your water then yes it's making your water bill high.


  • Registered Users Posts: 19,587 ✭✭✭✭Muahahaha


    Have the same problem as the OP, out of nowhere this evening the overflow from the tank in the attic to outside started flowing water at a fair constant drip. I went up and and push both float valves downwards and they floated back up so they dont seem to be stuck or anything and there are no leaks in he ball. 30 mins later and its still dripping outside. There is a stop cock going to the pipes that connect the 2 ball valves, so I went back up and turned that off, should that at least give me an overnight fix?

    Also Ive had low pressure at the kitchen taps this last week. I presume that is unrelated? Isnt it normally high pressure that makes overflow pipes drip out?


  • Registered Users Posts: 16,421 ✭✭✭✭astrofool


    Muahahaha wrote: »
    Have the same problem as the OP, out of nowhere this evening the overflow from the tank in the attic to outside started flowing water at a fair constant drip. I went up and and push both float valves downwards and they floated back up so they dont seem to be stuck or anything and there are no leaks in he ball. 30 mins later and its still dripping outside. There is a stop cock going to the pipes that connect the 2 ball valves, so I went back up and turned that off, should that at least give me an overnight fix?

    Also Ive had low pressure at the kitchen taps this last week. I presume that is unrelated? Isnt it normally high pressure that makes overflow pipes drip out?

    It could be that the valve is a bit leaky and isn't cutting off fully when the float is at the top, if that is the case, a new diaphragm should fix it (just remember to close the stopcock before replacing).

    This is presuming that the overflow that is dripping is connected to the attic tank.


  • Registered Users Posts: 19,587 ✭✭✭✭Muahahaha


    Cheers astro, I think I got it sorted and maybe identified the problem. I have one of these taps https://www.screwfix.ie/p/cooke-lewis-19a-pull-out-spray-mono-mixer-kitchen-tap-chrome/3129T?gclid=CjwKCAjwq7aGBhADEiwA6uGZp_aVV45JTk1drnfNI59SL736PWWzuVp4LjlAL3_YTZyujQDZNpIl-xoC858QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.dsand it was in the on position by accident but no water coming out as it was on the hose setting and you need to squeeze the lever to spray water. So I think thats what caused the attic tank to overflow. I turned the stop cock back on this morning and there was no more dripping out of the overflow pipe so I think the kitchen taps valve being open was what caused it


  • Registered Users Posts: 16,421 ✭✭✭✭astrofool


    Muahahaha wrote: »
    Cheers astro, I think I got it sorted and maybe identified the problem. I have one of these taps https://www.screwfix.ie/p/cooke-lewis-19a-pull-out-spray-mono-mixer-kitchen-tap-chrome/3129T?gclid=CjwKCAjwq7aGBhADEiwA6uGZp_aVV45JTk1drnfNI59SL736PWWzuVp4LjlAL3_YTZyujQDZNpIl-xoC858QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.dsand it was in the on position by accident but no water coming out as it was on the hose setting and you need to squeeze the lever to spray water. So I think thats what caused the attic tank to overflow. I turned the stop cock back on this morning and there was no more dripping out of the overflow pipe so I think the kitchen taps valve being open was what caused it

    You may need to fit non return valves to the hot/cold supplies on that tap to prevent it happening again (if it is the problem).


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