hot water problem

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hot water problem

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bernie-woman

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 7824
Location: shropshire

Posted: Wed Jan 18, 06 12:51 pm Post subject: hot water problem

About five weeks ago I filled the bath with hot water and following the bath every time we put a hot water tap on after about i minute a howling noise would come from near to the hot water tank. We found that if you turned the cold water tap on the noise disappears but comes back on as soon as we turned the cold water tap off

However, if you turn the cold water tap off and on very quickly a number of times the noise would disappear until you next turn the hot water tap on. If you don't do this the noise lasts about 3 mins before disappating

After about two weeks I filled the bath again and the noise disappeared until I had another bath and the noise came back

We are currently in the situation that I had another bath and the noise has stopped again

Have any of you got any ideas what the problem could be???

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Wed Jan 18, 06 12:55 pm Post subject:
Air getting into the system would be my guess. Do any pipes move/vibrate with the noise?

Jonnyboy

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 23956
Location: under some rain.

Posted: Wed Jan 18, 06 12:59 pm Post subject:

I think it's the filler valve on the tank, ours was a brass one and it vibrated like mad with a howling noise.

You can reduce the water pressure or replace it with a plastic valve.

Is your cold water tank directly on top of the hot tank, or is it a seperate one in the loft?

EDIT: This was in an old house which had a common hot/cold water tank.

Last edited by Jonnyboy on Wed Jan 18, 06 1:13 pm; edited 1 time in total

judith

Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire

Posted: Wed Jan 18, 06 1:08 pm Post subject:
We had that howling at our last house - but only when we used the shower. IIRC, the plumber put a flow restricting valve on the intake to the shower, which cured the problem altogether.

bernie-woman

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 7824
Location: shropshire

Posted: Wed Jan 18, 06 1:29 pm Post subject:

Thanks for all of that - very useful

The tank is a seperate one in the loft

My next door neighbour mentioned something to do with valves.

If it was air in the system why would it be only when I fill the bath??

I suppose I am going to have to try to make it happen again when the plumber arrives to put a new radiator in the kitchen or will he understand what I mean - you just know that I won't be able to get it to make the noise don't you

dougal

Joined: 15 Jan 2005
Posts: 7184
Location: South Kent

Posted: Wed Jan 18, 06 3:27 pm Post subject:

I think it 'sounds' like there are two problems

1/ something is causing turbulent flow. The header tank ballcock is usually to blame, but your's might be associated with the bath hot tap. Though its possible it might be flow around an airlock bubble, or a sharp corner...

2/ the turbulent flow is causing a vibration at the *resonant* frequency of some bit of piping. The easiest way to fix that is to change the frequency at which it resonates! Or provide enough damping to kill the resonance. Clamping the hot water pipe with more (and 'softer') clamps should help.
It can be damn hard to work out which bit is resonating, 'cos the sound is transmitted throughout the pipe system... Insulating the hot pipes (no bad thing anyway) will also help to damp the vibrations and prevent resonance.

It's not as bad as it sounds!

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