DIY Projects - Drain cold water storage tank ( Head tank )

Before work can be carried out on a plumbing system, the relevant section will need to be drained.

Take great care when climbing into or working in the loft. If the loft isn't boarded out take care where you stand!

 

Turn off the main stopcock on the rising main, if you can't find the valve or if the valve is faulty, place a piece of wood across the top of the head tank and tie the float valve up to it, to stop the head tank filling.

Turn on the cold water taps in the bathroom. If you have a direct cold water system you will have to open the hot taps to drain the head tank. There will be a small amount of water left in the bottom of the head tank that can be removed by bailing out with a small container.

DIY Projects - Drain cold water taps

Before work can be carried out on a plumbing system, the relevant section will need to be drained.

Direct System

Turn off the main stopcock on the rising main to isolate the supply to the taps on the direct system. Open the cold taps until the water flow stops. Once the water flow has stopped the cold taps and pipe supplying the taps should be empty. If any cold taps continue running after about 10 seconds then these will be supplied from an indirect system.

Indirect System

To isolate any taps on an indirect system, close the valve on the outlet from the cold water storage tank (head tank) and drain the taps on that system.

If you can't find a valve or if the valve is faulty, place a piece of wood across the top of the head tank and tie the float valve up to it, to stop the head tank filling.

Now open all the cold water taps and allow the head tank to drain until the water flow stops.

If you don't have access to the loft, you can switch off the main stopcock on the rising main and open all the taps, any taps fed direct will stop straight away and any fed from the cold water storage tank will flow until the storage tank empties.