Heating Lost Pressure

DPG · Oct 25, 2023

Might be worth changing one of the showers from an electric one to a mixer type fed from the combi. You will get better pressure and a much better shower.

I was meaning small isolators on the pipes feeding the taps - nothing electrical. Similar to the black one on your heating, but with a screw slot to operate.

clueless456 · Oct 25, 2023

littlespark said:
He means something like a ball valve on the pipework that can shut off individual taps.

Your heating… the boiler, radiators and pressure vessel is a closed system that has nothing to do with the pressure at your taps and shower.

We do have a sister forum here so maybe register and ask the question there?

We’re clever, but we do like to let the plumbers answer a few questions now and again.

Thank you - Is there any way you could tag other plumbers to save having to register on another forum?

clueless456 · Oct 25, 2023

DPG said:
Might be worth changing one of the showers from an electric one to a mixer type fed from the combi. You will get better pressure and a much better shower.

I was meaning small isolators on the pipes feeding the taps - nothing electrical. Similar to the black one on your heating, but with a screw slot to operate.

It's a rented property, so I won't be spending any more than a few pounds for a new shower head (which i've already done) and will probably be moving home again in the near future.

I can't wash my hair properly because of the low shower pressure on the bath... Might be better washing/flushing my hair in the toilet, although come to think of it, the toilet flushing pressure is also poor.

Would the isolators for the pipes feeding the taps be in the same cupboard where the hot water tank is? I cannot see any other valves / taps / screw slots in there, other than the black tap for the pressure guage.

nicebutdim · Oct 25, 2023

clueless456 said:
Thank you - Is there any way you could tag other plumbers to save having to register on another forum?

It's a separate forum. We'd also have to register to post there.

nicebutdim · Oct 25, 2023

clueless456 said:
It's a rented property, so I won't be spending any more than a few pounds for a new shower head (which i've already done) and will probably be moving home again in the near future.

I can't wash my hair properly because of the low shower pressure on the bath... Might be better washing/flushing my hair in the toilet, although come to think of it, the toilet flushing pressure is also poor.

Would the isolators for the pipes feeding the taps be in the same cupboard where the hot water tank is? I cannot see any other valves / taps / screw slots in there, other than the black tap for the pressure guage.

Isolating valves for individual taps are typically located in the pipework close to the taps. Some may look like your mains stopcock, but generally they're small ball valves with a slotted head on the side which opens and closes with a quarter turn.

There are a number of reasons why bathroom water pressure is low, some of which could be related to water heating, but others entirely unrelated. At this point we'd be blindly firing possibilities at you and probably causing considerable confusion, just as a group of plumbers might if faced with electrical conundrums. Members on the plumbing forum will be able to ask pointed questions which hone in on the most likely causes of these problems.

DPG · Oct 25, 2023

Surely it's worth you taking a few minutes to create an account on a plumbing forum?

brianmoooore · Oct 25, 2023

A very common cause of pressure loss in the heating system is a leaking PRV (pressure release valve). That's the thing with the red conical knob, just behind the pressure gauge.
The copper pipe to the left of the PRV, running slightly downhill and then forwards, should go outside and have an open end, like an overflow pipe. If there is water occasionally dripping from it, then the PRV is the problem.

littlespark · Oct 25, 2023

If it’s a rented property, I’d report it to landlord and stop tampering with it.

You pay rent to them so they can keep the property maintained.

DPG · Oct 25, 2023

brianmoooore said:
A very common cause of pressure loss in the heating system is a leaking PRV (pressure release valve). That's the thing with the red conical knob, just behind the pressure gauge.
The copper pipe to the left of the PRV, running slightly downhill and then forwards, should go outside and have an open end, like an overflow pipe. If there is water occasionally dripping from it, then the PRV is the problem.

Good shout. Can't believe I never thought of that, especially since I've had to replace the one on my previous boiler!

clueless456 · Oct 26, 2023

Thank you again for the replies. So have found the problem - One of the bedroom radiators has a tiny pinhole leak from the pipe that leads to the radiator. The pipes leading to the radiators go along the wall beside the radiators and through the wall. From what I can see the leak is coming from one of the nuts on the pipe leading to the radiator.

I have wrapped the hole/leak with waterproof tape and wrapped a towel around it for now to try to stop the leak, and have turned off the heat control knob for that radiator. Is there anything else I can try to stop the leak - Should I try to tighten the nut where the leak is coming from? Or is there any other valve I can switch off somewhere on the radiator?

DPG · Oct 26, 2023

clueless456 said:
Thank you again for the replies. So have found the problem - One of the bedroom radiators has a tiny pinhole leak from the pipe that leads to the radiator. The pipes leading to the radiators go along the wall beside the radiators and through the wall. From what I can see the leak is coming from one of the nuts on the pipe leading to the radiator.

I have wrapped the hole/leak with waterproof tape and wrapped a towel around it for now to try to stop the leak, and have turned off the heat control knob for that radiator. Is there anything else I can try to stop the leak - Should I try to tighten the nut where the leak is coming from? Or is there any other valve I can switch off somewhere on the radiator?

Difficult to say. You could try tightening it, but don't over do it. Try and hold the radiator valve body with an adjustable spanner while you do it. The valve will have a flat section to allow this.

brianmoooore · Oct 26, 2023

It will probably cure it, but alternatively there's a chance it will make things worse.

DPG · Oct 26, 2023

Have a jug/bucket/cloths ready just in case. And an assistant!

clueless456 · Oct 26, 2023

DPG said:
Difficult to say. You could try tightening it, but don't over do it. Try and hold the radiator valve body with an adjustable spanner while you do it. The valve will have a flat section to allow this.

The temperature control knob is on the opposite side of radiator. Does the other smaller knob, on opposite side to radiator have any purpose at all?

To try to tighten the nut on the pipe near the radiator, where the leak is coming from, do I turn the nut to the right, or the left? As do not want to loosen it by mistake.

DPG · Oct 26, 2023

clueless456 said:
The temperature control knob is on the opposite side of radiator. Does the other smaller knob, on opposite side to radiator have any purpose at all?

To try to tighten the nut on the pipe near the radiator, do I turn it to the right, or the left? As do not want to loosen it by mistake.

The valve on the other side is called a lockshield valve, and it is used when balancing the radiators so that they all give equal heat out. You wouldn't adjust it yourself.

The threads are standard right hand threads, so tighten as you would a normal nut on a bolt.

clueless456 · Oct 26, 2023

DPG said:
The valve on the other side is called a lockshield valve, and it is used when balancing the radiators so that they all give equal heat out. You wouldn't adjust it yourself.

The threads are standard right hand threads, so tighten as you would a normal nut on a bolt.

I am not experienced with tightening nuts in general, but I do have a tool box... I do not want to cause a flood by loosening the nut.... Is it generally left for loose and right for tight?

DPG · Oct 26, 2023

clueless456 said:
I am not experienced with tightening nuts in general, but I do have a tool box... I do not want to cause a flood by loosening the nut.... Is it generally left for loose and right for tight?

Clockwise to tighten.

May be worth getting someone in to be honest. Not necessarily a plumber, but a decent handyman.

The risk is fairly small, but there is a chance things may go wrong.

brianmoooore · Oct 26, 2023

Most radiator valves have two nuts - one to the pipe and one to the radiator. Both are tightened clockwise when facing the valve.

clueless456 · Oct 26, 2023

Here is a photo - The leaking nut is underneath the black tape. So facing the nut from the same angle the photo was taken, do I tighten it to the right, towards the wall?

Is there any way I can isolate the water flow to that pipe, without shutting off the water supply for entire house?

littlespark · Oct 26, 2023

RENTED!

Get the landlord to deal with it.

1. He pays
2. If it goes wrong, it his responsibility.

clueless456 · Oct 26, 2023

littlespark said:
RENTED!

Get the landlord to deal with it.

1. He pays
2. If it goes wrong, it his responsibility.

Thank you - Yes you are right, it is the landlords responsibility. But some landlords can get quite nasty with complaints about disrepair and sometimes results in retaliatory eviction...

Also, it takes time to arrange any professional to attend the property, and if it wasn't for the speedy replies on this forum encouraging me to try the black tap with more force, then I would have had no heating at all for at least another 1-2 days, which would have caused me huge problems due to severe health conditions.

If the problem is something simple that I might be able to rectify myself easily, with little cost, then I would prefer to do that. Having to call out a professional to the property, whether paid for by myself or the landlord, is also really inconvenient, as I also then have to block time off from work.

Maybe tightening the nut might not work, and I might have to report to landlord, but I would prefer to try, as it might rectify the problem.... Could anyone please just confirm which direction I should try to tighten the nut? As am worried about unscrewing it and causing massive flooding.

littlespark · Oct 26, 2023

righty tighty, lefty loosey

not all landlords are evil land barons... They might actually have a service plan in place that covers repairs

DPG · Oct 26, 2023

littlespark said:
righty tighty, lefty loosey

not all landlords are evil land barons... They might actually have a service plan in place that covers repairs

Absolutely. Landlords seem to be a popular target of hate these days, but I could tell you a couple of stories about some interesting tenants!

clueless456 · Oct 26, 2023

littlespark said:
righty tighty, lefty loosey

not all landlords are evil land barons... They might actually have a service plan in place that covers repairs

Sadly, in my personal experiences, 90% of landlords (and their managing agents) actually are.... Have been a landlord myself in the past and would never in a million years have ever treated my tenants the way I have been treated by some..

Righty tighty I will try...

clueless456 · Oct 26, 2023

DPG said:
Absolutely. Landlords seem to be a popular target of hate these days, but I could tell you a couple of stories about some interesting tenants!

I am sure, but I could guarantee that as my experiences of a private tenant, I could absolutely trump those stories. The "rouge" landlords far outweigh the good ones unfortunately.