No water..... any ideas whats wrong?

S

samanthajane

Registered User
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766
Woke up yesterday morning and we had no cold water, upstairs or downstairs. By time we got back in the evening everything was ok.

Again woke up this morning and no cold water again apart from the kitchen sink. Shower/washing machine wont work and no taps/toilets up stairs are working.

Phoned the council and they said nothing is happening that could cause my water to go, said someone should ring me back today.

I'm assuming the only reason we have hot water is because the tank re-filled it's self last night.

Any idea on what the problem might be??
 
Disclaimer!! I'm not a plumber:

You have mains feed coming in (water in kitchen tap is working).
All your other utilities (aps, toilets, showers etc..) are most likely fed from your storage tank in the attic (I am presuming you live in a house and not apt as you said 'upstairs and downstairs'). The ballcock on the large storage tank could be stuck in the up position therefore cutting off water supply to services.
Go up and check it and if it is, get it replaced or try to jig it so that it doesn't rise as much and that might sort it out.

J.
 
I cant actually get into tha attic, I'll have to get the bf to go up when he gets home in a few hours.

I hope thats all it is!!
 

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You're not specific enough to determine the cause easily,samanthajane.

However a couple of questions may help determine the cause.

If you had water at the kitchen sink today, was this the cold tap?

The cold tap in the kitchen is normally connected to the public supply.

If it was the hot tap it may have been residual water in the system.

Regardless, it sounds as though your supply has been interrupted.

That interuption may have affected the ballcock in the attic tank preventing the tank from re-filling.

You don't say where you live, but have you any houses nearby?

If so have you asked your neighbours if they have had similar problems?

If you live in a remote area and are the only one affected, the council may not know if something has happened unless its reported to them.

You should find out where your watermain is running in from and its route along the road and see if any subsidence, builders work, road works or an accident has affected it in such a way as to disrupt your supply.

That is, assuming you're on the mains supply and not on a well.

Make sure to turn off your immersion heater/boiler in case it runs empty.

Of course, as with anything to do with a domestic water supply - ask your local plumber for advice.
 


Thing are a bit different now as well, we still have no cold water up stairs. This morning we had hot and cold water downstairs but the hot water tap is now not working downstairs. Still cant use the shower or washing machine.

Think i'm going to have to call a plumber!! Wonder if plumbers take iou's lol.
 
Dont mind what i said about no ballcock in the 2nd tank i didn't understand him properly. According to the bf, it's a double tank and one fills the other. So he's had a look at that and he thinks we need a new one so he's off to get one now. Hope that fixes the problem.
 
If you have potable water from the kitchen sink then your mains supply is getting into the house.

This usually splits somewhere under the kitchen sink and goes up to feed the cistern in the attic.

The attic cistern then feeds everything else.

Suggest to your boyfriend that he takes a look in the cistern for a dead bird blocking the outlet.

And even if there is and this gets things going again for a while, ensure whatever is causing the blockage is "complete" or else if bits are missing [even a few feathers] you may still need to call the plumber!

Hope thats it.

 
Your cylinder won't run empty so don't worry about that. you can use your heating as normal.

Does water come out of the hot taps?
 
samanthajane said:
According to the bf, it's a double tank and one fills the other.
Click to expand...

If that's the case there would be a pipe linking both tanks. If the one with the ballcock is full, there's obviously an obstruction in the pipe, and that's most likely the cause of all your problems. (The empty tank must be the one that feeds down into your hot and cold systems).
 
Unless perhaps one is a header tank for the heating system and overflows into the main tank - its easy for people not used to looking at tanks to get mixed up on stuff like this.

But I think you're right on the likely main culprit - a blocked tank outlet.
 


Sam, Are the tanks equal size or is one smaller than the other?

My money is on an airlock.
 
DavyJones said:
Sam, Are the tanks equal size or is one smaller than the other?

My money is on an airlock.
Click to expand...


yeah davy the tanks are the same size. Haven't a clue myself not sure the bf does either.....

But great news i have water back now. He couldn't get a new ballcock so he fiddled about with it ( oh god help me he's probably done more damage ) but i do have water again. Might not fix the problem fully but at least now i can have a shower and do some washing, hopefully it will last till next week when i have money to pay a plumber, phoned a few they wanted €100 just to come out and have a look to see whats wrong, and then what ever to fix it. Not going to give out about price been done before but was a little shocked but anyway I'll pay it i cant afford not to have water.
 

I dont know what the case is anymore lol he was in the attic yelling at me downstair while i was trying to type.

He's now told me that both tanks were empty?!? I'm even getting confused myself lol. I'm sure he said one was full and one was empty. If they were both empty i dont understand how if we were still getting the hot water tap to work ( no hot water was coming out cause the heating wasn't on, but it was working, apart from the kitchen tap )

Anyway for the time being at least i have water thats the main thing. If it goes again i'll have to get a plumber out.

Thanks for everyones help.
 
I'm no plumber , but in my opinion , the best way to get the water running again is this :
Connect a hose from the mains tap in kitchen to the upstairs cold tap ..........turn on the mains tap in kitchen and the cold water tap in bathroom.....................in this you are reversing the flow of water , and this should clear any blockages .......


You can also read this thread of mine from a while back , may give you some tips :

http://www.askaboutmoney.com/showthread.php?t=101270
 
If they were both empty, it probably was a jammed ballcock. If ballcock needs to be replaced a good DIY'er could do it.
 
You need to fix whatever's stopping the tanks from filling, which is most likely the ballcock. Then, you'll likely have airlocks in the empty pipes, in which case you might have a look at allthedoyle's post above. Ring around a few plumbers, there are plenty who will not charge you for the callout.
 
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