My fiance and me have just bought a new house (Hurrah!) but we are having massive problems with the hot water. I am starting to lose my rag as we have just had the whole house rewired and now it looks like the plumbing might have to be redone. :brickwall

There are three main problems I guess and I suspect they are related. The first is that there seems to be little/no water pressure when having a shower. It is more effective to stand under a dripping tree then stand under our shower!!!!!! I have ordered a power shower that works with low pressure but haven't the foggiest if this will help!

After the shower disaster I thought I will just have a nice relaxing bath instead. Fat chance!!!!! Left the hot and cold taps running for about 5 mins and went back up and the hot tap is dribbling as opposed to pouring out water and then completely cuts out. :cry: The bath wasn't even half full!!!! Left the heating to do it's work and half an hour back to normal.

Finally the thermostat is on about 25 odd and the radiators definitely get hot but not like I would expect. My parents have one of the new boilers with loads of steam coming out and they very rarely go over the 18 mark (and there house is twice the size of ours!)

So my conculsion is that it is either the bolier or the hot water tank is stuffed but I have no idea what. I should also say the boiler is an old un but the timer has been replaced recently (for what it's worth). The house was built in the 1920's (or so I have been told), if that is any help.

I should also say the heating (and hot water) is on from 5.30am-8am and then 4.30pm-9pm. I came home for a bath around 6pm so the heating had been on for over an hour.
Has anyone ever had an experience like this? I am trying to guess rough costs so I don't get "had over a barrel" and what I should expect to be replaced. I know I will have to get a professional out but wanted to guage reaction before I do so.

Any info will be gratefully received as I love nothing better than a hot shower after work and I am feeling deprived! :(

Please, please help!!!!!!!!!!

I'm no plumber, just an amateur, but my own introduction to plumbing was similar.

If you turn on JUST the hot tap for the bath, (DON'T do this if the bath is plastic, it can cause delamination, apparently;) ), how much water do you get before it runs cold/stops?.

Mine gave about two inches:(

A plumber friend diagnosed that I had a small hot water tank, but also that it was "Primatic feed" (sp??) and translated meant that the c/h header tank took up part of the space in the hw tank.

The cure was replumbing with a new c/h header tank in the loft, and a new hw tank. Cost me around £150 twnty years ago, including paying my mate, but I laboured for him and now do almost all my own plumbing........

Newer costs are around £180 for a hot tank, and another £75 or so for pipes and header tank and fittings,, plus someone to do the work, IF it turns out to be the same as mine:(

Check out the SIZE of the hw tank: mine is 114 litres, and that equates to 1050mm high by 400 mm diameter.

Check also whether there is a c/h header tank in place, and while you're up in the loft, check the position and size of any tank for feeding the shower. If it's NOT a power shower, you need a good sized cold tank, with some height, ie: preferably ABOVE the flor of the loft, and preferably 22mm pipework between it and the shower, and between it and the hot tank (base of).

HTH, Alcazar

Thanks for the swift response. Will certainly try the just hot water thing tonight and see what happens.

Most of the rest of it is probably well beyond my skills but at least means I have an idea of what is going on if a plumber comes round and starts saying the same things! :)

Thanks for the detailed response. Here's hoping it is a cheap fix! :D

I'm no plumber, just an amateur, but my own introduction to plumbing was similar.

If you turn on JUST the hot tap for the bath, (DON'T do this if the bath is plastic, it can cause delamination, apparently;) ), how much water do you get before it runs cold/stops?.

Mine gave about two inches:(

A plumber friend diagnosed that I had a small hot water tank, but also that it was "Primatic feed" (sp??) and translated meant that the c/h header tank took up part of the space in the hw tank.

The cure was replumbing with a new c/h header tank in the loft, and a new hw tank. Cost me around £150 twnty years ago, including paying my mate, but I laboured for him and now do almost all my own plumbing........

Newer costs are around £180 for a hot tank, and another £75 or so for pipes and header tank and fittings,, plus someone to do the work, IF it turns out to be the same as mine:(

Check out the SIZE of the hw tank: mine is 114 litres, and that equates to 1050mm high by 400 mm diameter.

Check also whether there is a c/h header tank in place, and while you're up in the loft, check the position and size of any tank for feeding the shower. If it's NOT a power shower, you need a good sized cold tank, with some height, ie: preferably ABOVE the flor of the loft, and preferably 22mm pipework between it and the shower, and between it and the hot tank (base of).

HTH, Alcazar

Also makes sure your hot water header tank is actually filling up.

May dad kept complaining of him keep running out of hot water, which I thought was odd, as the tank was huge.

So I stuck my head up into the roof space and found the float valve was sticking shut so was only dribbling out a bit of water and would take about 3hours to fill up again resulting in very little hot water...one quick prod with a broom stick and problem solved (until the valve was replaced ;) )

Just so I don't prod the wrong thing, how do I tell the cold water tank from the hot water tank. Is there even such a thing as a cold water tank.

You will have to treat me with kid gloves, I am new to all this! :wonder:

Thanks.

Also makes sure your hot water header tank is actually filling up.

May dad kept complaining of him keep running out of hot water, which I thought was odd, as the tank was huge.

So I stuck my head up into the roof space and found the float valve was sticking shut so was only dribbling out a bit of water and would take about 3hours to fill up again resulting in very little hot water...one quick prod with a broom stick and problem solved (until the valve was replaced ;) )

Hot water tank: probably made of copper, with a foam or f/glass jacket, usually situated in airing cupboard. Feels warm:D

Cold water tank: made of plastic, or metal in an older property, open at top, but can have removable cover, usually in loft, but can be in top of airing cupboard. Feels cold:D

If there IS a c/h header tank, it'll be near the cold water tank and be a smaller version of it. Good luck.

Sorry, the cold tank inlet valve is an obvious, should have said it:rolleyes: Reasonably easy to replace if it's sticking.

Alcazar