This morning we had hot water come out the cold water taps in our bathroom (which is downstairs) upstairs in the kitchen the cold and hot water taps work fine. We had had the emersion heater on overnight to get hot water in the morning as the regular heater was on the blink (it is an eclectic heater as we do not have mains gas) Is there any way to fix this problem, until we get a plumber in.
We have tried running the cold tap untill it turns cold - this does not work.
2006-09-19 22:17:35 · 12 answers · asked by Mosey 1 in Home & Garden ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
Cold water at the sink is from the mains supply, so it will always run cold. Cold water tap in the bathroom is often run from a cold water storage tank. If the thermostat in the immersion heater fails to cut out, the hot water overheats and boils over into the cold water tank making the stored water warm. This eventually comes out through the cold water tap. Until your plumber arrives, turn the immersion heater off and only turn it on when you need hot water. If the thermostat has not failed then it could be due to incorrect pipework layout that under certain conditions allows hot water to enter the cold water supply. Without inspecting the job I cannot give any further advice.
2006-09-20 09:44:11 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
IT sounds like your immersion heater did not switch of on the thermostat. It could have carried on heating the water up through the cold feed to the cold tank (in your loft probably). Alternatively this is common if the vent pipe that goes over the cold tank is actually in the water held in the cold tank forming a break and venting air from your hot water cylinder ( it should be just above it when the water level in the tank is at its highest.) In this case the hot water rising pushes out any air in the pipe and starts a circuit as the hot water rises and expells it into the cold tank which is drawn through the cylinder and immersion heater and reheated to rise back up the vent pipe and back into the cold tank.
You need to raise the pipe out of the water and secure it so that it is over the tank in case any water comes out of it as it expells air, but not so that the pipe is actually in the water. This will mean you have a cold tank full of hot water to get rid of and if you run your bath taps long enough you will be Ok. The sink tap in the kitchen is off the main incoming water and therefore is uneffected.
2006-09-19 22:33:27 · answer #2 · answered by philipscottbrooks 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you have an old heating system for water or central heating, the back boiler could be over heating, resulting in the hot water flowing up the safety vent pipe into the cold water supply tank. The same thing would happen if thermostat failed on immersion heater. Get a qualified plumber (corgi. registered) to check it out.
2006-09-19 22:32:53 · answer #3 · answered by mrnowitall 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It depends on the structure of the building and pipe network. If you live in hotel-like premises where same pipes run from one room to another serving different people and needs, then tampering is one possibility, leakage ia another. In fact a cowboy plumber could have done a bad job in one room or apartment leaving you with hotwater from cold water tap. A displacement of pipes has certainly occured somewhere around you, check it out.
2006-09-19 22:38:48 · answer #4 · answered by bluebell 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well the faucet must be being feed bye a line that is in contact with the immersion heater check out the pipes and see if the down stairs is plumed on a separate set of lines then the upstairs. Cant really think of any other possibilities.. Good Luck
2006-09-19 22:26:57 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It could be that you are on a low pressure system or your thermostat has broken and continuously heating or the pipes run too close together and over night the heat transferred through to the cold tap
2006-09-19 22:21:21 · answer #6 · answered by ehgringodude007 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Someone has put the Hot and cold tap the wrong way round
2006-09-19 22:23:29 · answer #7 · answered by john d 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Well, if you live in Phoenix - nothing's wrong. I've been using the "cold" water for showering all Summer. It gets heated up flowing through the underground pipes & is nicely warmed when it gets in my house.
2006-09-19 22:27:38 · answer #8 · answered by dryheatdave 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Do not touch anything! Wait till your plumber gets there to have a look at it! It is not something that has not happend before! But Try not to fiddle with anything ad you could make the problem worse!!!
2006-09-19 22:36:15 · answer #9 · answered by peta g 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
My hot water tank is not hooked up
2016-07-30 15:02:47 · answer #10 · answered by Dee 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋