Re-occuring Airlock

uch

Howya lads looking for some advice.

In my bathroom the hot tap in the handbasin keeps getting airlocked, I was told to push it back with a hose connected to another tap with decent pressure, now this works, but for increasingly shorter periods. What would be the recommendation to resolve this?
Would there be anything I could do myself before calling out a plumber?

It's an upstairs toilet and tank is in the attic

(I think it happens to the bath too, but it's never used)

antiskeptic

uch wrote: »

Howya lads looking for some advice.

In my bathroom the hot tap in the handbasin keeps getting airlocked, I was told to push it back with a hose connected to another tap with decent pressure, now this works, but for increasingly shorter periods. What would be the recommendation to resolve this?
Would there be anything I could do myself before calling out a plumber?

It's an upstairs toilet and tank is in the attic

(I think it happens to the bath too, but it's never used)

You could try:

1. Hose pipe as before but on for a longer time, starting and stopping to fully eradicate current airlock

2. Adjust ball cock on tank to get fullest fill ( up to overflow)

3. Put an inline isolating valve on the affected line under the sink and restrict this down to minimum acceptable flow . If the airlock cant enter from above it must be working its way up from the tap outlet itself. By restricting flow you maintain a good head of water on the tap preventing air working upwards

uch

Thanks antiskeptic, I presume an inline valve is one of those penny valve's on the pipe under the tap, do I just partially close it?

antiskeptic

uch wrote: »

Thanks antiskeptic, I presume an inline valve is one of those penny valve's on the pipe under the tap, do I just partially close it?

That's the one. And close it off until the flow is acceptable.

I ensured I had same installed in my new house in order to bring some semblance of reason to my wife's tendency to run full blast hot water down the drain in order to wash a utensil.

I cranked back bit by bit until I got complaint "there's something wrong with that tap". Then opened it up 10%.

Job done.

wush06

Having the same problem myself in the downstairs toilet and handbasin with the cold water. One main big tank in the attic and every 6 months or so I get an airlock. I use the old hose method but to be honest it’s getting a pain in the arse(excuse the pun).
This has been going on years now but always just done the hose thing. Only 6 months ago installed a new basin and taps and drain the whole system. I also have those inline valves but makes no difference I still end up with airlocks.

Any other hints and tips to what it could be or any more info needed about my setup.
Thanks

antiskeptic

wush06 wrote: »

Having the same problem myself in the downstairs toilet and handbasin with the cold water. One main big tank in the attic and every 6 months or so I get an airlock. I use the old hose method but to be honest it’s getting a pain in the arse(excuse the pun).
This has been going on years now but always just done the hose thing. Only 6 months ago installed a new basin and taps and drain the whole system. I also have those inline valves but makes no difference I still end up with airlocks.

Any other hints and tips to what it could be or any more info needed about my setup.
Thanks

Is there n inline valve on the toilet feed also/ does toilet fill fast?

If both fed from same supply line then there might not be enough feed to supply both at same time (wash hands after flushing toilet) so air works back from tap/cistern outlets

I'm guessing here and figuring if not a tank starvation thing (okay fill pressure/ okay sized tank for house usage/ not 3 baths being filled at once etc) then air back through taps with insufficient supply

Dunno where else air could enter system

wush06

antiskeptic wrote: »

An inline valve on the toilet feed / does toilet fill fast?

If both fed from same supply line then there might not be enough feed to supply both at same time (wash hands after flushing toilet) so air works back from tap/cistern feed.

I'm guessing here and figuring if not a tank starvation thing (okay fill pressure/ okay sized tank for house usage/ not 3 baths being filled at once etc) then air back through taps with insufficient supply

Dunno where else air could enter system

You could be right as in the tank in the attic my not be filling fast enough after toilet and water left running in the sink from two or three brushing teeth and so fort all going to bed at the same time. I will keep an eye on this first and rule it out.
Thanks

antiskeptic

wush06 wrote: »

You could be right as in the tank in the attic my not be filling fast enough after toilet and water left running in the sink from two or three brushing teeth and so fort all going to bed at the same time. I will keep an eye on this first and rule it out.
Thanks

The fact it only happens occasionally could be down to sporadic conditions, such as lower than usual mains pressure.