HELP! No water from hot taps

[AdaColeman]

Suddenly, I’ve no water from my hot water taps.
Hoping @PigletJohn or someone else knowledgeable will answer.

I’ve had a Google and I think it could be an air lock in the pipes. A suggested cure is linking the blocked tap to a functioning cold tap with a garden hose, so the cold water penetrates & releases the air lock.

I’ve not got a hose, but Screwfix sell them, and I’d also need two connectors to fix the hose to the tap, but what type/name? I could perhaps cut the hose to a practical size?

Do you think this might work? Any other ideas or advice?

I’ve spent weeks trying to find a roofer to do some work for me, just had that completed, and was so relieved, now this, honestly I’m at my wit’s end.

Is your boiler turning on when you try the taps (assuming it's a combi?)

No, I’ve got an immersion heater, turned off.

Oh right sorry... no chance that the roofer had anything to do with it??
Sorry I don't know much about immersion heaters

How long ago did the roofers leave? Could they have turned the valve off in your header tank (in the loft)?

Could they have dropped shit in it and blocked it?

Otherwise, unfortunately, it might be limescale in the immersion tank, causing the blockage.

No, the roofers were never in the house, so haven’t tampered with valves. I suppose dropping rubbish into the main tank is a possibility, I do hope not.

Do you know if your header tank has a lid on it? Can you get into the loft and have a look (safely)?

Btw I know absolutely what you mean about being at your wit's end. I used to want to put a bomb under my money pit house.

Yes, the tank does have a cover, though I know it can be dislodged. I’m not able to get into the loft.

And you've you've definitely checked the immersion tank valve hasn't accidentally been turned off? (I know you said the switch is off (good) but is the water ingress valve still on? One of my DC had form for 'investigating' and fiddling with things).

There’s only me here Jamie and I’ve not played with any of the stop cocks at all.

I guess it could be limescale then, which is a bit of a bummer. I hope @pigletjohn will be around soon to advise.

you have a hot-water cylinder. What colour?

Does you bathroom have a mixer tap?

Put your thumb over the cold tap in the bathroom. Turn it on. Can you block the flow with your thumb, or does it squirt out forcefully?

Thanks a lot for your thoughts and different angles Jamie.

When did it last work?

Did you/someone else have an unusually long shower or large bath?

You mention roofers. What were they doing?

Hello!
Water cylinder is copper coloured.
No mixer tap in the bathroom, the hot tap in the bathroom isn’t working either.
The cold water taps are working OK

Check the glands of the taps XX

The roofers were redoing the ridge tiles.
Yes to the large bath.
It was working yesterday.

And your thumb?

The cold water is quite forceful.

you can't stop it with your thumb?

No, too forceful.

When were the roofers actually last on your roof / around your loft?

Yesterday afternoon for the roofers.

They were outside the whole time, never entered the loft.

OK. Then

1. it's quite likely that you do have an airlock, caused by running a large bath which drained the cold tank in the loft (which replenishes the hot water cylinder) faster than it could refill.

2. There's a good chance that by morning the bubble will rise out of the pipe

3. you may be able to clear it, assuming the loft tank is now full, by opening a downstairs hot tap, and perhaps water will trickle past the air bubble, eventually dislodging it. Sit near the sink reading the paper or eating breakfast so you notice if it starts gushing.

4. it's possible, but less likely, that your cold tank is not filling due to some plumbing fault, such as a jammed or worn-out ballcock. I note that you can't go into the loft

5. the hosepipe trick:
   your cold bathroom tap is high pressure, therefore fed from the watermain. If you can cause it to squirt up the hot pipes, it will dislodge the air bubble. If you had a mixer tap you could block the spout, e.g. by pressing your hand on it, then opening first the hot tap, then the cold, and listening for gurgling and rushing water. If you do not have a mixer, you can make up a hose tool. You may remember shower attachments for hairwashing that push onto the hot and cold taps. you want something like that, with a simple hose between them. It only needs to be about 500mm long, so you could cut a bit off a garden hose with your hacksaw or breadknife. Tap adaptors are sold in hardware stores and garden centres. This is an example, but rather expensive You want one with a clamp to tighten round the spout of the tap so it doesn't come off. You need two adaptors, one for the hot tap and one the cold.

At some convenient time, call in a person who can do plumbing to fit you a new ballcock, if your existing one is very old, or noisy, or slow-filling. It needs to be "part 2," side-entry, brass, like this observe it has a plastic bridge on the top. The Pegler is best if you can find one.

Right.
Thank you very much, I’ll do all that!

Especial thanks for spending your Saturday night discussing plumbing.
I love you all!