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Question of the Day: Which South African brand or product do you wish would make a return?
[Plumbing] Hot water from cold taps
- Thread starter Milano
- Start date
Same. It means we are missing some sort of valve somewhere near the geyser which is meant to prevent this kind of thing. Shortcuts taken by the plumber / installer. I live with it. Geyser is 30 years old - I'm not messing with it till I have to.
Are you talking about the Vacuum Breaker's ?
Dunno. I'm not a plumber. Although I think there is a vacuum breaker up there somewhere - can't recall.
Sinbad
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Could be missing a vacuum breaker on the supply side of the geyser I guess.
Basically, water is running backward out of the geyser into the cold supply line, and from there out the taps.
http://www.housecheck.co.za/hot-water-geysers/
I think you're right. I seem to recall I only have a vacuum breaker on the geyser outlet, hence my same problem as op.
Sinbad
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Be aware then that your cold taps will empty your geyser, and switch off your element if you have a water outage, to prevent it burning out...
Be aware then that your cold taps will empty your geyser, and switch off your element if you have a water outage, to prevent it burning out...
My temp solution has been to put a non-return valve in at the meter on the property boundary. If we ever lose municipal pressure, the borehole takes over automatically.
I had the same problem. It was a stick vacuum breaker. The plumber just reset it.
Be aware then that your cold taps will empty your geyser, and switch off your element if you have a water outage, to prevent it burning out...
Weird part is that I would estimate maximum 30 to 50 litres of hot water loss before the water stopped completely. As though it does not empty the entire geyser, but definately around 25% of the geyser water was lost. Are the vacuum breakers indicated by the number 9 on the diagram you linked to? Will get it checked out by a plumber. Appreciate it!