PLUMBING EMERGENCY

thatsmyboy

I know it's late at nite folks I'm a bit stuck here guys. I had found a pin hole leak in my emmertion tank just as I was going to bed.

This is what I have done and I'm hoping I have done this ok.

Firstly I went to the attic and I lifted up the valve and put some timber under it to stop tank in attic from refilling.

Next I ran the hot taps in the downstairs till I drained the emmertion tank and the tank in the attic.

I'm going to ring a plumber in the morning . Is this ok or am I missing something.
Please I know it's late but I would appreciate an answer thanks

Sir Arthur Daley

If the leak has all stopped you are all good.

thatsmyboy

It's not as bad as it was but it's more a trickle now. My worry was is I don't know is it ok to have the tank in the attic and the emmertion tank completely empty will it effect any thing else in the house having these empty.

JRant

Is your emersion on a timer?
Might be a good idea to turn off the power going to it while the tank is empty.

Sir Arthur Daley

Don't turn on the immersion or the heating, if you want complete piece of mind for the night turn off the mains water.

thatsmyboy

No emmertion is not on a timer. It's an old house and if I want hot water I have to turn on the electric switch beside the tank or light a fire which heats the water.The tank is only for the hot taps we don't have any rads or anything working off it. I don't think I need to turn off the mains though.

Thoie

If you've stopped water coming in to the tank in the attic, if you flush the toilet the cistern probably won't refill. Take the lid off the toilet cistern and use a basin of cold water from the kitchen tap to refill the toilet cistern if you need to.

As other said, turn off the immersion so that it doesn't heat overnight while empty.

Do you not have a stopcock going into the immersion tank that you could have turned off? Would have been a lot simpler. If the leak in the tank is that small, try drying off the outside and sticking some sealant/sellotape/blue tack over it as fast as you can before the next drip gets out.

JRant

If you have the leak under control and the power off then you should be okay till the morning.

Should only take a few hours to replace the old emersion with a new one tomorrow.

Best of luck.

Joe Doe

Plummers tape from the local dolla' shop will stop any small leak. It's like pvc tape but gels together much better. Failing that just gaffa tape.

thatsmyboy

This is an old house guys we have the old fuses in the hall seperate ones for lights upstairs and downstairs and so on. I have taken the fuse from the emmertion so def can't heat overnight.... Water has stopped by the way off to bed ease at mind till I have to pay plumber !!!!!

Sir Arthur Daley

Fair play for being able to deal with the emergency and hope no damage has been caused, be alot worse in the morning, Keep us updated on your replacement cylinder.

Sleeper12

As you now need a new cylinder you should get an insulated one. It'll save you a fortune

JRant

Sir Arthur Daley wrote: »

Fair play for being able to deal with the emergency and hope no damage has been caused, be alot worse in the morning, Keep us updated on your replacement cylinder.

Absolutely agree, fair play.

On another note, I would strongly advise a new fuse board with proper RCD protection and MCB's. Those old boards are just not safe.

Dtp1979

While your at it, fit a new boiler and build an extension if you get a chance

Rabbo

Sleeper12 wrote: »

As you now need a new cylinder you should get an insulated one. It'll save you a fortune

Do they still sell non-insulated cylinders?

Sleeper12

Rabbo wrote: »

Do they still sell non-insulated cylinders?

Yup. Unfortunately still a few plumbers fitting them. These are the same plumbers the don't put on check valves and cause the rest of us more hassle a few years later. I'm still gobsmacked at the amount of electric showers that have none valve.