Help Please: Any Plumbers or Heating Engineers.

Bellycaster

Can these 3 problems be linked? I would have said not, but I'll ask the experts.

Problems listed in order of them happening:

1st Problem

Found Boiler very slowly dripping water. Got Heating Eng in, he identified the part that was faulty, one that "doesn't normally go" fucking typical. He didn't say what the part was called but he pointed it out to me. He's ordered the part and it came on Friday (7th Dec) but in the meantime he has broken 2 fingers, so he is going to struggle to fit it.

Solution to water dripping in meantime was to close the hot water valve off when not using it (problem is on the water side of the boiler) This works OK.

2nd Problem

Next day, I noticed the Kitchen Sink Mixer Tap very slowly seeping out water from where it joined the sink and from further up the fitting. I did wonder at the time if this was linked to boiler problem, well you would wouldn't you? But then I thought maybe it's just coincidence.

Solution to this. Get my mate to fit a new Tap Fitting, which he did. He's done it many times before so he knows what he's doing. Anyway, Tap fitted and all appears fine and dandy, no dripping etc.

3rd Problem

Day after tap is fitted, I go to stick some washing in the washer, only to open it and find water has gotten in, yes, gotten in. It did drain from the wash before that, it drained fully.

Thankfully the water had not gotten to the level of the door, but wasn't far off. I am now getting very suspicious about the 3 things being linked although the only way in to the washer is through the inlet valve, which I assume is knackered.

Anyway I drain the water out with the rinse cycle and then do my small load of washing, which the washer does fine and drains fine. I now keep my eye on the washer for the water seeping in. I also drain the filter just to say I've done that although that ain't the problem.

After almost 24 hours I see no water appear back in the drum, but then an hour later I see it has encroached into the drum, but it's still very slow indeed.

A little later, I put the hot water valve on the boiler back on so I can shower and wash pots. After this I recheck the level of water in the washer, but I can't see into the washer as well as before, the glass has misted up, it wasn't before the hot water went on. I also think the water rose a little quicker than when there was no tap activity while using the shower and kitchen sink.

What do you qualified guys think of this? I'm baffled, although I'm clueless about Plumbing. I'm living on my nerves at the moment. Washer Eng has been notified and may be out before Friday.



God knows what I'm gonna do with the Boiler. The guy has broken 2 fingers on right hand, but he texted me on Monday morning - he was going to a Funeral later that day - to say he would try doing a couple of small jobs before the Funeral to see how his hand functioned, he even said he'd get back to me on that same day, he didn't, but obviously I didn't expect him to with the Funeral and all that.

I texted him the day after suggesting maybe he could bring the part and supervise me how to fit it. I have some mechanical Engineering background, but I suppose it could be more complicated than that.

I had no reply, so rang him earlier today and still no reply. Even last week he was slow to reply - although he was quick to come out to look it over - I know his predicament but the guy contacted me on Monday himself. I'm in Limbo, maybe he could find another Engineer to fit it if he can't.

Anyway, any help on the Engineering and problem investigating would be appreciated.

Thanks.

strtdv

The only likely link is the age of the various fittings. Beyond that, just confidence I would have thought

boogieman

I can’t see any obvious link. The solenoid valve in the washing machine must be letting by for it to fill up ,it might have scaled up enough to stick slightly open... are you in a hard water area? 

exocet

Increased mains water pressure in your area? It does happen. Combine that with age / lime scale deposits and you have valves that leak and taps that won’t shut off properly.

Phil_aka_Pip

AFAIK this is more likely to be coincidence.

You can get a non-return valve to put on the outlet of your washing machine. Cheap and easy to fit. If "clean" water is getting in then there must be a part in the machine that is letting it in, nothing to do with your boiler. @boogieman has a good point - calcium carbonate deposits from hard water can collect on valve parts and prevent the valve from closing properly. Can you take the inlet valve out and clean it up?

Emp_Fab

I can't see how they could be related.  It's just a coincidence IMO.  Replacing a solenoid valve on a washing machine is a doddle.  I would replace both (if you have hot and cold fills) whilst you're at it.

Boiler problem isn't major - just keep going what you're doing until yer man can replace the part.

The tap's already fixed.

Bellycaster

Cheers guys. It's not a Hard Water Area though, so maybe just wear and tear. It's a fucker of a coincidence though. I'm getting nervous just walking into a room in case of what I find.

The outlet doesn't seem to be the problem @Phil_aka_Pip It's draining OK. It's water getting in. As regards investigation, the Washer Eng should be here in the next few days as the problem has been reported.

  

robgilmo

If your washing machine was made in the last decade or so it probably doesnt fill from the hot water anyway. Usually when the solenoid goes open circuit the valve wont open, having one that wont close wont be the solenoid but the valve itself. Type the make and model number into google and look for a new solenoid valve, you could even try and clean the old one if its a scale buildup problem.

https://www.ukwhitegoods.co.uk/help/fix-it-yourself/washing-machine-washer-dryer/3288-how-to-replace-washing-machine-water-valve

skunkwerx

I have a similar problem with the backing up thing. 

Our disposal pipe downstairs is just outside the kitchen, and runs from where the sink and washing machine are inside, to the front of the house, a fairly long run, and at a shallow angle. Its also too narrow apparently. 

Anyway, I think fat and shit blocks it up, but it usually happens with little to no warning. 

I had the washing machine going, and as it attempted to drain, it couldnt, so all the dirty ass water backed up, filled the entire of the sink and fast, n began pouring all over the floor. 

Had to have the pipe power cleaned.

Bellycaster

It's not having trouble draining @skunkwerx ;

Dominic

just had same thing.......water was coming out of the soap dispenser because drum was full
filler valve letting bye
unusual thing to happen tho"

Bellycaster

Just reporting an observation.

I saw the water had just started to creep into the drum and I know the rate at which it comes in, so at that point I went upstairs and turned on the hot water at the boiler and had a shower. Ten minutes later I go downstairs and see that the water level has not increased in the drum, the amount was so small I would have seen it increase.

It definitely would have as I've only seen it as constant (in some given state). So I wash pots downstairs with hot water still on at boiler and the flow into drum restarts. I turn hot water off at boiler and the level in the drum seems to stay still again.

There seems to be a link between the 3 (or 2 problems now) in some way, but it is too strange to work out, there's no rhyme or reason.

Or is it just some pressure differential equalling itself out in whatever way it finds? I assume the part in the washer is faulty and not just being forced open?

I just washed another small load anyway, so we are back to empty

Anymore help after this information would be appreciated.

Thanks.

hywelg

Do you have hot and cold fills for your washing machine. If yes, then your machine is an older generation as all new ones have been cold fill only for years, as noted above.

If its cold fill only then I'm stumped as to why the hot water affects the solenoid valve leaking into the machine.

robgilmo

Unless some eejit plumbed it into the hot? What kind of system do you have? If its unvented when was it last serviced?

fastonebaz

Maybe you have back wash from the drain? 

grungebob

As others have said,  need to know if your washing machine has two or just one fill lines, and what configuration your heating system is? Is it combi fed from mains or gravity tank or conventional etc?

Bellycaster

It's cold fed only and deffo plumbed to the cold water  

Tis a Combi Boiler (Worcester)

Perdix

Could it be that the water pressure helps to hold the shut off valve to the washing machine closed? The drop in pressure when hot water is drawn may allow the valve to not be seated as securely. Push fit plumbing fittings work similar to this using the pressure of the water to force an o ring back and make a deal, so the are more likely to leak at a lower pressure.

spark240

This Does sound like a system pressur issue ....I’ll read fully later.

boogieman

Edit: sorry, seems you already answered, I missed your post. If the machine is only filling up when you run hot water off the boiler then it must be pressure related somehow. I’d change the solenoid valve first and then see how it goes from there. 

spark240

Ok...so what part is being replaced in the boiler?....how close is the washing machine to the boiler?