No Hot Water - Advice please!

[Ashley Mills]

Dear all

Renting a flat with a fairly outdated central heating system

We were away from the flat for a week last week and i turned the water and the heating off. On returning we found the radiators fired up no problem but we had no hot water. I inspected the tank in the airing cupboard to find it empty. After finding that the water was reaching the ballcock valve in the top of the tank but not actually coming through, i have changed the valve and it has solved that issue - but the water is still not heating up

I cannot locate a three way valve to check if it is stuck - its not visible to me around the boiler or tank. There is also no reset button on the immersion heater. Please see pictures of the system for your reference. Any help you can give me is appreciated as i would like to eliminate all simple checks before i contact the landlord

Thank you - Ash

 

[Paulb2337]

Hi Ash is there any water in the small expansion tank at the top of the cupboard. Your system looks like a gravity system so probably water shortage. try bleeding air bleed in cupboard.

 

[Ashley Mills]

Hi - yes there is plenty of water in that tank and no problem with it refilling

Is it possible that my hot water is solely provided by the immersion heater? And that this failing is the most likely cause? As the central heating seems to be on an entirely different circuit and no 3 way valve visible?

Thank you for your comments

 

[Tudor Davies]

Hi, Are you getting any water out of the hot water taps.

 

[Ashley Mills]

Yes, water is coming through consistently and the tank in the airing cupboard refills but it is stone cold

 

[Whn1]

Hi ash. How do you normally control the hw?

 

[stevetheplumber]

is there water in the black tank have you bleed the air pip by the cylinder to be honest that lot has served its purpose and needs replacing with some thing more economical i thought landords could no longer rent properties that didnt meet a certain efficency rating that set up will be very inefficent and cost a lot to run

 

[Ashley Mills]

Hello, i don't know of a way to control it. The only options i have by the boiler are to control the central heating - timed, constant, off. I have a dial at the base of the boiler which i think controls the water temperature (see pic) but im not sure otherwise? The only thing I've ever controlled is the heating

 

[Whn1]

Has the immersion always been switched on?

 

[Ashley Mills]

Yes water in the black tank and i have bled the air pipe. Immersion has always been on i guess - I've never switched it off. It would explain a higher than average electric bill? I agree, the system is very outdated - even my dad had not seen a tank like that

 

[Whn1]

It's called a combination or fortic cylinder, you can still buy them. Do you have access to a multi- meter?

 

[SimonG]

It's rented. Get landlord to sort it.

 

[Harvest Fields]

Stop messing with it. You pay rent. Get the landlord to fix it. It is his problem. Let him fix it.