Replaced taps-now no water

KazDub

My husband changed taps on a couple of sinks today. He drained the hot tank 1st.
Now we can't get hot water running through any of the hot taps. He found a video online about blocking the flow through a mixer on the mains in order to force water back up through the system and remove trapped air but that hasn't worked.
Looks like a call out tomorrow's in order but is there anything else we can try first?

Wearb

Did you open both mixer taps while blocking the spout? Did you have the non working taps open?

Sleeper12

If you have to get a plumber try hold off till Monday. Weekend rates can be 150 compared to maybe 75 on the Monday.

I do think you can sort it out yourself though. Try Wearb's advice

KazDub

Wearb wrote: »

Did you open both mixer taps while blocking the spout? Did you have the non working taps open?

Do we need to open all of the non working taps? We opened the hot tap on the bath (mixer) then ran the cold from the same mixer and blocked it for about five minutes.

Wearb

You need to do this at the kitchen sink

KazDub

Wearb wrote: »

You need to do this at the kitchen sink

We did originally, there were lots of noises coming out of the tap/pipes but it didn't seem to work. We didn't have all the hot taps open though so will try it again.
Thanks for the replies guys, I really appreciate it.
I'll go try the taps again now.

Wearb

Try it with just one other hot tap open. Obviously open both kitchen ones and block the spout.

Edit: with “lots of noise “ coming out of the taps, you may not have stayed at it long enough.
Are your bath taps on a similar level to your large attic tank?

KazDub

Wearb wrote: »

Try it with just one other hot tap open. Obviously open both kitchen ones and block the spout.

Edit: with “lots of noise “ coming out of the taps, you may not have stayed at it long enough.
Are your bath taps on a similar level to your large attic tank?

Gave it a try again. Worked intermittently but not for long, got short bursts of splattering but forceful water in the ground floor toilet sink but nothing in our upstairs bathroom or en-suite.
Our bath taps are a level below the tank in the attic.
We have a pump for an attic conversion bathroom but that's just for that bathroom and an en-suite shower back down on the 1st floor.

Wearb

Turn off the downstairs bath taps etc and turn on one hot tap upstairs, one that isn't connected to the pump and try again.

listermint

How long have you been at this. It can't take a long while for a tank to refill depending on the flow rate.

Close all the taps and leave it for an hour

brightspark

Close the taps, force the water from the cold mains into the hot at the kitchen.

Wait until you don't hear the air in the pipes. (It takes longer than you expect)

Open one hot tap and see if water flows, if not close again and repeat.

The repeat for the other taps.

KazDub

listermint wrote: »

How long have you been at this. It can't take a long while for a tank to refill depending on the flow rate.

Close all the taps and leave it for an hour

We tried it first a couple of hours ago. The tank has had a few hours to fill back up.

listermint

KazDub wrote: »

We tried it first a couple of hours ago. The tank has had a few hours to fill back up.

Do as brightspark has suggested above

KazDub

brightspark wrote: »

Close the taps, force the water from the cold mains into the hot at the kitchen.

Wait until you don't hear the air in the pipes. (It takes longer than you expect)

Open one hot tap and see if water flows, if not close again and repeat.

The repeat for the other taps.

This sounds like what we've tried so far. I think it's one for a call out tomorrow, unfortunately.
2 adults and 3 kids so we can't wait until Monday.

brightspark

KazDub wrote: »

This sounds like what we've tried so far. I think it's one for a call out tomorrow, unfortunately.
2 adults and 3 kids so we can't wait until Monday.

It took me a few attempts the first time it happened to me, but it really isn't too difficult.

KazDub

brightspark wrote: »

It took me a few attempts the first time it happened to me, but it really isn't too difficult.

Thanks. We'll give it a few more goes so, fingers crossed !

CramCycle

As above, I'd flick off the pump though. I remember my father doing it at a neighbours house, open the mixer at the kitchen sink (while blocked). I think I opened all the hot taps around the house and after awhile, as the water trickled out around the place, turned it off at various points. Went around and reopened them randomly to get a few more air pockets out. It took a long while, fill the kettle before you start.

Yawns

what kind of mixer tap have you in the kitchen? If it's an old style with a divide for the hot / cold to channel through, then simply blocking the opening won't force water back up, it needs a bit of space to move through first. My kitchen mixer tap has one of those styles. I'd need to connect a bit of hose or something first.

KazDub

CramCycle wrote: »

As above, I'd flick off the pump though. I remember my father doing it at a neighbours house, open the mixer at the kitchen sink (while blocked). I think I opened all the hot taps around the house and after awhile, as the water trickled out around the place, turned it off at various points. Went around and reopened them randomly to get a few more air pockets out. It took a long while, fill the kettle before you start.

Thanks, it sounds like we just need to keep at it.
I don't think the pump should have any impact on the rest of the system but will give it ago with it turned off too.

Yawns

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hj1uhAqokgM

There's a few basics from a youtube video. Also at 3 mins in, it will show the old style mixer I was talking about.

mobfromcork

Also check that he re-opened any gate-valve that he might have closed before starting the job. After he drained the hot tank, how did he stop it from refilling as he was replacing the taps?
I have also found the hose to-tap adapter kits great for clearing air locks. Most DIY shops should have them. Contact one end to the mains cold feed (usually kitchen or possibly outside tap) and other end to tap you want to clear. Open both taps to allow pressure from mains to push air/water back up the pipes and I to the tank.

2forjoy

I would bet my bottom dollar ( if I had one ) that a valve is closed . - Remember the saying Lefty/loosy - righty/tighty but just in case , leave the valves open half way until you get the water back

Stoolbend

Happened me recently. Turned out I was emptying the tank quicker than it could fill.

Left it an hour and had no problem then.

Ten Pin

Have you got a mixer tap on the bath?

If yes, switch over to shower, then cap the shower hose outlet and turn on both taps. Bath feeds are normally 3/4 inch so there'll be more flow to move any trapped air.

KazDub

Plumber came and fixed the airlock for us.
Thanks for all the replies everyone.

Sleeper12

KazDub wrote: »

Plumber came and fixed the airlock for us.
Thanks for all the replies everyone.

Did he look after you on the price of was it weekend rates?

longgonesilver

What did he do that you hadn't tried?

KazDub

Sleeper12 wrote: »

Did he look after you on the price of was it weekend rates?

€160 for the fix.

listermint

KazDub wrote: »

€160 for the fix.

And what was the fix specifically

Sleeper12

KazDub wrote: »

€160 for the fix.

Weekend rates so. Shame:o

KazDub

longgonesilver wrote: »

What did he do that you hadn't tried?

He opened a valve in the hot press to release the air. Probably an easy/obvious thing for a plumber to do, but neither of us are plumbers unfortunately. But we learned a little something from the experience anyway 😉

KazDub

Sleeper12 wrote: »

Weekend rates so. Shame:o

Can't begrudge the man a living. It was our own fault.