Leaking/constant overflow pipe

Russinating · 23 Jul 2014 at 22:08

I'm a top floor flat and the basement are getting a dripping into their back courtyard from the overflow pipe. Before getting to them it comes down from us, along the top of a flat roof and down, and that flat roof part also looks and sounds like it's letting water out. It doesn't look like any other flats connect to it before then and it only goes up our roof to an open dead end (?!?) and then there's one large and 3 small pipes coming out our wall from our kitchen area.

It's been going on a while apparently and we haven't noticed and drips or noises. I just turned everything off, including the fridge, unscrewed the boiler cover, put my eye under the sink, under the kickboards and against the bath and toilet basin and I can't hear a thing.

The only thing I haven't checked yet is the tank in the loft but will that even be connected to the overflow pipe?

Basically, where should I look and what should I be looking for in terms of common causes? If I can't find anything the management company will have to get a plumber out anyway but I prefer to just sort things out myself if I can rather than bearing the brunt of increased management fees next year.

RJC · 23 Jul 2014 at 22:10

If you do have a cold storage tank I the loft then this will have a overflow pipe.

Russinating · 23 Jul 2014 at 22:12

Ok looks like I'm going up there then. But it's SO HOT.

RJC · 23 Jul 2014 at 22:15

Russinating said:
Ok looks like I'm going up there then. But it's SO HOT.

It can get a little toasty this time of year :eek:

I always used try and avoid going up mid day, first thing or late in the evening.

Russinating · 23 Jul 2014 at 22:20

Right, just gone up and yep, looks like it could be that. Question though, does it get its inlet from the top or the bottom usually?

There's a white pipe in the side which seems to be a couple of mm over with water so it's feeding down there. There's a copper pipe coming into the top (but not breaking the surface of the water) and that's not letting any water out. I couldn't get the cover off completely but it also looks like there's an inlet in the bottom far side of the tank. Is that the main inlet?

Assuming this is the problem, I'm guessing the ball **** needs adjusting and if so is this easy to do?

Edit: Ha starred

blueboy2001 · 23 Jul 2014 at 22:42

The white pipe is the overflow.

The copper pipe at the top will be the water inlet. The pipe on the bottom will be the outlet.

The water level should be below the level of the inlet pipe, but it sounds like the inlet valve, which is controlled by the ballcock, has gone and is allowing too much water in. If it's passing water quite slowly, you might be able to get away with turning the isolation valve in a bit to reduce the water pressure, and you can try adjusting the ball but ultimately it'll probably want replacing.

The tank will usually feed your HW cylinder and central heating; unless the property is very old it's unlikely to feed any taps.

Russinating · 23 Jul 2014 at 22:48

The property is pretty old (about 1780).

Inlet valve looks like it's a goner - covered in so much limescale I couldn't even see how to adjust it - so I've just asked them to get a plumber out and for him to bring a new one with him.

blueboy2001 · 23 Jul 2014 at 23:37

If it feeds the bathroom taps, you can stop the leak out the overflow by running the tap a bit to keep the water level in the tank down.

Russinating · 29 Jul 2014 at 19:41

Hi again, how does £55 sound for a new valve incl. parts? Landlady will be fine with it anyway I'm sure but just wanted to check roughly.

Thebug · 29 Jul 2014 at 20:01

Part 2 ball valve is under a tenner and 20 mins max to fit