Problem with your hot water tap?

There's little (or no) water coming out the hot tap or, your experiencing spluttering, even when the tap is fully opened.

Chances are you have an airlock, so how to fix it?
We are going to use the pressure from the cold water supply to cure the airlock.

Method for separate hot and cold taps

1. Connect hosepipe

Take a length of hosepipe and attach one end to the hot tap, the other to the cold tap. Attach using jubilee clips and ensure the connections are tight. Never leave unattended once the taps are turned on.

2. Introduce pressure

Turn on the hot tap, then the cold. This will allow the greater pressure of the cold water to force any air back up the hot water pipe.

3. How long?

Leave taps running for 30 seconds. Turn off the cold water tap first, then the hot.

4. Test

Turn on the hot tap, the air should be dispelled and the problem resolved.

5. Still air locked ?

If the problem still occurs, repeat steps 2-4. Should the problem still exist after three attempts, I would suggest you call a plumber as there may be a problem with your system.

Method for mixer taps

1. Connect hosepipe

This method will require a longer length of hosepipe. You are going to attach one end to the air locked tap and one to, preferably, the kitchen or garden tap (as these are usually closer to the mains and as such have a higher pressure). Attach one end to the mixer tap and one to the kitchen or garden tap. Secure with jubilee clips, ensure the connections are tight.

2. Introduce pressure

Turn on the hot on the air locked mixer tap first , then the cold tap. This will allow the greater pressure of the cold water to force any air back up the hot water pipe.

3. How long?

Leave taps running for 30 seconds. Turn off the cold water tap first, then the mixer tap.

4. Test

Turn on the hot tap, the air should be dispelled and the problem resolved.

5. Still air locked ?

If the problem still occurs, repeat steps 2-4. Should the problem still exist after three attempts, I would suggest you call a plumber as there may be a problem with your system.

This is an easy, inexpensive an fairly quick problem to resolve. Not to be confused with banging or knocking coming from your radiators, this is a completely different problem. Many do confuse the two and try to resolve the problem by bleeding their radiators. Also, if the problem occurred after fitting new taps and the taps have a modern flexi pipe, check for any kinks in the pipe as this can impede water flow; especially to the hot tap, as the flexi pipe heats, it softens and can become more prone to kinking.