No hot water in BOTH showers

[Theladyplumber]

Please help. I have a lady who has no hot water to BOTH of her mixer showers, they are gravity fed. She has a good flow of hot, just coming out cold. Both were working fine. Would it be some gunk in the valve or is that unlikely as it is both of her showers, or will it be an airlock in pipework, if so how do I clear the airlock...please excuse my stupidity, I am still a bit new to all this. Any suggestions would be great because I have to see her at lunchtime today.

 

[secret squirrel]

Do you have hot water coming from the taps?

What sort of connector do you have on the cylinder?

is it direct or indirect to the cylinder?

 

[Theladyplumber]

Hi, yep hot water coming from taps, don't know the answer to the other, not been there yet. Sorry that really wasn't that much help for you

 

[secret squirrel]

Ok, easiest thing to check is make sure the water is heated properly, if it is piped up correctly with a surrey flange (I never get the name of these right) or essex flange and the water is being heated by an immersion you will get hot water to the top of the cylinder and not to the middle or bottom, this may result in hot to the taps but not the shower. Had this a couple of times or you'd get hot for a couple of minutes then cold.

May be both cartridges gone but this would normally fluctuate temp not make it cold and both cartridges going together... unlikely.

You could take off the shower head and dangle the hose in the bath this would help clear airlocks.

Are they pumped? could be a blocked filter on the pump.

 

[Theladyplumber]

Hi thank you, no definitely not pumped, just gravity fed. So if it is fitted with Surrey flange and the water is not being heated properly, what would be my next step....(sorry if am coming across as a dim wit) ....Will try dangling the shower head first. Lol.

 

[secret squirrel]

Presuming then the water is correct and you've done a bit of dangling to no effect and there is plently of water in the tank and the water flow to the hot taps is good for at least a couple of minutes (no blockage in the pipe to the hot water cylinder),

Then maybe its a blockage in both showers, I think unlikey then you have an issue with the hot feed to the showers, possible blockage, rubbish picked up from the bottom of the tank (hot water cylinder). I'd ask if they've had any work done at all to the loft, rubbish in tank! or plumbing....

 

[secret squirrel]

If its a new install that hubby has done or a muppet, it could even be hot water fed by cylinder and cold fed from the mains which is pushing the hot back into the cylinder!

Thats not your hubby thats the hubby of the customer...

 

[Theladyplumber]

Ok, am going round shortly, so will ask her, if dangling doesn't work and it is a result of a blockage in the hot feed to showers,.. What's the easiest route to get it cleared, sorry to be a pain, but would like to leave this ladies house content that I have fixed it!

 

[Theladyplumber]

Lol. She moved into the property six weeks ago. She is on her own and hasn't done anything since she moved in. I will go round have a good look and take all the advice you have given me. Thanks for your time, you have been a star, will let you know if I fixed it or not. Cheers

 

[PlumbBobBob]

if dangling doesn't work, try cracking the hot feed open to see if there is any flow. that's assuming they are surface mounted and not concealed.

 

[kay-jay]

if both showers are fed off one cylinder flange it will be a blockage or an airlock, dangle hoses as suggested, try removing handset and blowing up shower hose. failing that you need to connect cold mains onto the hot pipes from shower for about 15 seconds and force blockage back to cylinder.

 

[secret squirrel]

Could be a nightmare because you need to find where the blockage is could be anywhere in the pipework.

Providing the install is ok and you've tried everything while your there I'd explain to the customer that there is a blockage in the pipework and make another appt to go back to clear it. Make a mental note of everything you've seen and take it from there. Very difficult to deal with this without more info.

You get there at 11.30 listen to the cust til 12.00 play around till 1pm looking loft assessing situation, you could be there for hours if blocked and you need to cut pipework etc.

Don't worry this is something simple.