Typical cause – a faulty ball valve The most common reason for a cold water tank to overflow is a faulty ball valve. This valve controls the level of water in the cistern via a plastic float which sits on the surface of the water.

Why is there an extra pipe in water tank?

In the smaller capacity overhead tank, the overflow pipe acts as an air vent for circulation. Adding an extra T – pipe can be avoided as an overflow pipe does this job.

Why does my water tank overflow at night?





Water is flowing back up the supply pipes into the tank causing it to overflow. This can be caused by a faulty or jammed non return valve on a mixer tap, shower valve or pump. But is usually only a problem when there is a pressure difference between hot and cold water supplies.

How do I fix my overflowing header tank?

If you find slime in the header tank it’s possible to remove it yourself by:

  1. Turning off the mains water supply to the tank;
  2. carefully scooping out the sludge with a bucket;
  3. sponging down the tank to remove further sludge; and then.
  4. once done, refill the tank with cold water.


Why do I have 2 cold water tanks?

If you are not sure why there are two water tanks in your loft, it is probably because the property has (or used to have) a vented central heating system. Water from the mains is fed into the larger of the tanks which is the cold water storage tank.

Does water tank need a breather?





In short, the tank needs to breathe in order to eliminate the possibility of rupturing or imploding. Because of its primary function, this Valve is called Breather Valve.

Why do you need to vent a water tank?

The plumbing vent, also known as a vent stack, helps regulate the air pressure in your plumbing system. Just as drain pipes remove water and waste from your home, the plumbing vent pipe – also known as a plumbing air vent – removes gas and odors.

What are the two pipes coming out of my house?

The two most common drain pipes that most people have on the side of their house are: Air conditioner condensate lines (AC drain line). Water heater pressure relief valve lines (PRV drain line).

How do you drain a cold water tank?

First make sure the mains water is turned off at the stopcock then turn on all the cold water taps and/or flush the toilet several times. This will empty the cold water storage tank and stop the flow of water.

How do you fix the float valve on a water tank?



Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: And just put the new float valve on to it. So I'm carefully unscrewing the float valve that's the important thing that rubber washer needs to be there. When you unite it with the nut.

What are the 2 tanks in my loft?

The Header Tank is the smaller of the two water tanks usually found in the loft, the larger one being the cold water storage tank. The header tank is used to fill the heating system and accommodate the expansion of water during the heating cycle.

What does the cold water tank in the loft feed?

Cold water storage tanks are generally situated in the loft. They can be used to supply the hot and cold water taps on the bath. They can also act as a Feed and Expansion tank (F+E) for the heating system. Most of these tanks are fed by a ball valve on mains pressure.

Why do British houses have cold water tanks?



The purpose of the tank is to prevent the possibility of water from the house (possibly contaminated) flowing back into the main.

How do you vent a water tank?

Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: Into the vent and out the chimney. That's good that means we're venting if for any reason. You feel any warm or moist air or coming back at you that means this vent is not venting properly.

How does a tank vent work?

Your tank has to breathe. In order to breathe, your tank must have a vent somewhere that will relieve both vacuum and pressure. Gasoline expands in volume as it warms up and shrinks in volume as it cools down.

What is the purpose of breather valve?

The Breather Valve is a protection device mounted on a nozzle opening on the top of a fixed roof atmospheric storage tank. Its primary purpose is to protect the tank against rupturing or imploding.

How do you test a breather valve?



Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: And mobile unit. And you can adapt it to any other clamping. Table from meat rose test benches.

What is set pressure of breather valve?

Breather Valves are made in a variety of settings, ranging from 0.2 psid to 5.0 psid or more. These settings, which are the points at which the valves seal, must be at least 1.0 psi to 1.5 psi below the pressure or vacuum which the container can safely withstand without leaking or deforming (see Selection below).

What is a breather plug?

A breather plug is a device that allows the gearbox to breathe, thus equalizing internal and external pressure (Air inside the reducer expands during operation and contracts when not in operation). Breather plugs equalize the internal pressure of the reducer with that of the outside environment.