Hi everyone, here's a puzzler for all you budding plumbers!!!!! My daughter, who lives 40 miles from me, rang me this morning to say that when she starts to fill the bath with hot and cold water at the same time, water starts running from the overflow outside, presumably from the header tank in the loft. The taps are separate on the bath so there is no mixer valve involved and its puzzling me how this can be happening. She hasn't used the bath for about a year as she always has a shower. Can anyone figure out what the problem is, any help would be gratefully received. Cheers Rich
Hi Is it an old bath? The really old baths had the bath overflow direct to outside! And it's possible the water is flowing into the bath and splashing in the overflow?. Just n idea? Regards Peter
I think Rich is saying that it's the overflow from the tank in t'loft? Not the bath's overflow. I've given this some thought. I'm stumped... Rich, does it stop after a while? I can only guess that the CWS in t'loft has a dodgy ballcock that's set a tad too high. When the tank has water drawn from it, it starts to refill as it should via the ballcock. However it doesn't shut offski until it's been running high for a while, by which time some water has gorn oot the overflow. It only shuts off when the level is nicely above the overflow outlet, and then it remains off even when the level has dropped a quarter inch or so to the bottom of the outlet. Long shot, but that's all I can think of Rich, jump in yer car and take a torch with you. She's only 40 miles away - what sort of dad are you anyways...
Could only keep on guessing at this one, Cylinder coil, Ball valve, Etc best bet for a rapid fix is get someone in and repeat the symptoms
Hi everyone thanks for the thoughts, Kiaora, its a new bath that I fitted some 5yrs ago so there's no overflow there, the water is def coming from the overflow pipe on the eaves, it stops when she turns the taps off. I think it must be something to do with the ballcock in the loft, she uses a powershower which uses a lot of drawn off water from the header tank via the copper tank so a sticking ballcock is something I ruled out. Devil, she's got a boyfriend so he can sort it I'm only here for a wallet to lean on methinks!!!!!!!!!!!! Will keep you all in the loop when I find out more. Cheers all.
Looking forward to hearing the outcome! If the water starts to flow oot the overflow as soon as the taps are opened, run all the time the taps are on and stops flowing as soon as the taps are closed off, then I can't see it being the ballcock; I would expect a 'delay' of some sort, and for most of the flow to show itself just after the taps are shut back off. Unless they have a really powerful mains supply that keeps that CWS well topped up against the two taps draining it! Does the shower pump also supply the bath taps? Mind you, I can't see how that makes any difference... Anyhoo - please report back
hi may be the shower pump is somehow causing the cylinder to pump over? and the vent pipe is near the o/flow outlet? regards peter
Hi, thanks for the ideas, but nope!!!!! thought about the power shower causing the problem, but its a wall mounted Triton stand alone unit that has its own hot and cold supply. Will be going across in a few weeks to get to the bottom of this mystery so all will be revealed, I hope
So does the overflow 'flow' when other things are used, like the sink taps or the toilet flush? Mr. HandyAndy - Really
SO!!!!!!!!!!!! guess what here's the answer Its been driving me mad, so I have just got my daughter to take some pics of the bath and taps and surprise, surprise!!!!! on the bath there is two taps but there on a blxxdy mixer unit. I've called her all the names under the sun, that a father can do. I asked her time and time again and she said two taps with two outlets, so what's been happening, as you can guess the cold mains water has been back feeding down the lesser pressure of the hot supply thus filling up the header tank in the loft. Women!!!!!!! mind you its probably half my fault as I fitted it years ago, but my memory is fading in my latter years Anyway thank you very much for all your ideas but problem now solved. Cheers Rich
He's gonna apologise to his daughter for fitting those taps, and then fit new ones with a check-valve! Mr. HandyAndy - Really
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