How to Replace a Loft Tank Ballcock Valve
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- Äas pĆidĂĄn 6. 08. 2016
- In this video I show you how to replace a roof tank ball valve (also called float valve).
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The reason I'm replacing my ball valve is that water has been intermittently dripping out of the overflow pipe for about a month now. I thought about repairing the valve, but at ÂŁ7.29 inc. VAT for a new one (from a decent brand like Pegler!), I thought I might as well replace it.
TODAY'S TOOL KIT
- Replacement float valve:
Pegler Prestex Float Valve Part 2 ÂŁ7.29 inc VAT from Screwfix goo.gl/L9ZDY4
- Adjustable wrench goo.gl/zOfykL ÂŁ12.99 inc VAT from Screwfix
- Groove (or slip) joint pliers goo.gl/kVVSP3 ÂŁ8.99 inc VAT from Screwfix
- Energizer head torch goo.gl/euIxId ÂŁ10.78 inc VAT from Amazon
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Charlie DIYite
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Just one extra tip I will add ... tie a string to the hole in the end of the spanners and attach the other end to something (your belt or a roof beam perhaps) so that if you drop the spanners in the water, they are easily retrievable.
Good thinking!! And that can so easily happen đđ»
đđđ
Nice one.
Great idea...I like that suggestion :)
We certainly don't want a spanner in the works :)
Actually that just happened me today
Excellent! Took me two hours but only because the cold feed 'tap' was under the sink and nearly seized and the float valve/ballcock joining nut was completely solid with about 50 years calcium! A challenge for a pensioner with knackered knees but with clear instructions like this it has been changed! Thanks.
Glad to hear that. Let's see how I get on:)
Being a single mum I have fixed the over flow in the cistern myself - I'll give this a go as my overflow has been dripping slowly outside my flat for months now. Thank you. Lemme see if I can fix it meself and couple of quid will defo find its way to you..cheers.
I'm attempting this on a Sunday during COVID-19 lockdown.
Folk get worried about simple jobs like this but you get to learn and save a packet...cheers for the video.
thank you so very much. you made it look fairly simple and explained it well. This encouraged me to stop feeling like a damsel in distress and be more like a diy diva. you're my new hero.
LOVE that comment - thanks so much. DIY Diva - YES!! Welcome to a world where each completed job makes you feel a little bit epic (with all the benefits that brings) and leads on to bigger and better projects as your confidence and skill grows. Drop me a line whenever you've got a question đđ
Thank you so much for such an informative video. Was going to call a plumber but did it myself in ten minutes thanks to you!
Keep up the great work. Many thanks.
Tom Gorringe Hi Tom. That's fantastic - thanks so much for taking the time to let me know!
Took me about 10 minutes to replace 25 year old float valve for ÂŁ6, bit of WD40 and NO SWEARING - Thank you for an excellent video. It was easier to replace the whole assembly than fiddle about trying to unscrew it from inside though.
Great work Rachel - glad you got it sorted and thanks for taking the time to comment!
Great that you listed the parts and tools btw, I need the complete kit so it's really useful to have details like the wrench type.
Thanks so much for the feedback Amanda. Good luck with the work :)
Thank you for the video. I'd been putting off fixing mine for weeks and had it done in no time after watching this. Now to find one for a heating pump :).
Thanks for the comment. Really pleased it did the trick!
Amazing, CZcams wins again. Thanks for this video mate
Great video Charlie, i watched a few on this task and yours definitely was the most clear and concise and showed me the correct way to turn the bolt to remove it. Happy DIY lady đ
Good informative upload, many thanks. A point worth noting: I found it easier to replace the entire float valve assembly by coupling the BSP thread to the inlet feed pipe (the coupling union and lockout outside the tank came undone fairly easily; but the locknut and main section of the valve inside the tank were seized solid and wouldn't budge, would end up damaging the pipe etc if I used excessive force) instead of fitting just the part of the valve which contains the rubber gasket plus the stem and float. I estimate that my original header tank ball valve was installed about 40 years ago judging by the design etc which is why it seized up so bad. Cutting it off would be the only option if all parts were totally seized up.
a seized nut can sometimes be moved by a slight tightening motion followed by an untightening motion two or three times. try that before sawing any thing.
For several weeks, every time we used the power shower or turned a hot water tap on full, we'd get a loud screeching from the hot water pipe work, so loud it could be heard outside the house and I'm sure our neighbours could hear it. I eventually traced the problem to the cold water header tank ball valve. The valve was controlling the water level as it should, but the rubber diaphragm had aged and somehow was causing the noise. If anyone has a similar strange noise, it's worth changing the ball valve in the way you've described. A cheap and easy fix.
Thanks Colin. I also got a loud knocking sound until I changed the ball valve in our downstairs toilet. Never thought that would fix it, but the mains pressure was also too high, as the skylo fill valve I upgraded the old flush valve to kept failing until I fitted a pressure reducing valve.
Thanks for the video, very clear and helpful. Will be in the loft tomorrow to sort mine out.
I have an old fashioned toilet in my utility room. I was always fixing the problems with washers. After a while these did not work too well anymore, as the ballcoak assembly was 1970s and probably just worn out. When I bought the new assembly from screwfix, it looked very similar, but I thought I would have to fix it directly to the water pipe, thus involving serious 'fiddle' and maybe having to braze the fitting into place. When I watched you doing it, I realised that I could disassemble the valve and just use use the necessary piece holdin gthe washer and valve. This was done in no time at all and all is great now. Your video was great to follow, so thank you so much!
That's great news. Great work. You can actually completely replace the syphonic flush and ball valve with modern components - something to bear in mind for the future đ czcams.com/video/JDdfR4f_ORE/video.htmlsi=A04z8O6OtPUNxaHc
@@CharlieDIYte Thanks for the info Charlie, I'll bear that in mind.
Thanks again Charlie another success, just replaced mine. Was a little harder than yours looked but got there without flooding the house. First plumbing job too.
I'd also add that people may need to consider the bacteria sometimes found around tanks like this as twice now I have got a stomach bug after working on the tank. Be interested to know if others have had the same.
Excellent vid, been living with pipe hammer for 10 years! Didn't realise this was the cause, (Im stupid). Will do this at the weekend. Cheers
Thanks Luke. Good luck with the repair!
Many thanks for the vid, gave me confidence to diy, ten mins and all fitted (I just replaced it all)
Greta video thanks - just changed mine super quick thanks to this guide. Great job.
Excellent video Charlie. almost finished the job. Thanks...
Excellent class, so well delivered and explained with clarity. Keep it up.
Thank you my friend đđ»
Thank you Sir! Very useful as I have put this one off for far too long.
+Gio Verde You're welcome. Put it off no longer and go and get yourself a FUGI kit đ
Thanks mate. Changing the tank stopcock because the brass element has developed a pin hole and spraying when stop is open. Second one in 7 years.
Excellent cover of how to complete this task, thanks, Job Done now!
Charlie you are a god send mate very helpful indeed, gave me the confidence to do the job myself thank you.
You're welcome Ron. So glad to hear you found it useful and massively grateful that you got in touch. It's just so satisfying when the jobs done, isn't it đ
Thanks for the video. I feel confident now to tackle mine.
It's Only Me No worries, thanks for the comment and good luck with the replacement!
Great video, got to do this for the first time in a few days.
Thanks Nathan. Good luck with the replacement!
Thanks for the info. Bought a head torch and stopcock key. Did the job in 15mins. Total cost ÂŁ22.
A good simple and well explained video. Thanks mate
+randolf jones Thanks for the feedback Randolf. Much appreciated!
Great video - replaced my ballcock valve in 10 mins thanks to you!
That's great to hear. Chuffed you found it useful.
This video gave me the knowledge to fix my leak. Thank you
Glad to hear it Aby. Well done with the repair too đđ
Thanks Charlie, going to try this...
Thanks for this video, Iâve just been in my attic and replaced my first ever ballcock. Who knew it was so easy?!
Awesome work Claire. Thanks for letting me know đđ»
Easy until the wasps notice you are invading their space :(
@@Mariazellerbahn ive just been up there in 37 degree heat wearing head-to-toe raingear to try and avoid them
Thanks for this video. I'm off to Screwfix now đđ»
Really straight forward and informative video.... thanks.
You're welcome. Thanks for the comment đ
Great video! Thanks. About to attempt this but need to buy the tools. The link to the adjustable wrench doesnât appear to work, what jaw size will I need to get?
I found it easier to unscrew the smaller external nut, in fact even after I had removed the old value I still couldnât unscrew the big nut as you have done, Iâm glad i didnât try for too long whilst it was still in the tank! Note you need a 12 inch adjustable spanner to unscrew the nut shown in this video. Removing by the external nut means you can use a smaller spanner you most probably already have. đ
I too ended up doing this, the part you buy includes it (in the UK), so why not use it! It was so so much easier than struggling with a large seized nut (inside) that simply wouldn't budge.
Sean Neylon Same here, just replaced the whole thing as easier to get nut undone. Only slight worry is if pipe joint leaks outside the tank after redoing it as sometimes happens on old pipework.
Thank you, really useful!
Well done sir! I reccomend running the cold bath tap for a while after turning off mains feed though. Stops wet elbows!
Thanks đđ»
I have a type 1 float valve but want to replace it with a type 2, will it fit in the same fitting?
Thank you - excellent, clear guide!
You're welcome đ
Excellent advise cheers Charlie đđ»
Great, thank you, this was really helpful!
You're welcome, Mary. Thanks for the comment đ
Thanks for your help, Bob
Your welcome. Thanks for the comment đ
Thanks for the help
Michael Etienne You're very welcome!
Great video. Gonna do this on Monday! Question: If I donât wanna get wet I can drain some water if yeh?
great video, I realise you just wanted to do a part like for like replacement but for anyone changing the whole unit I've found the fluidmaster valves (like screwfix code: 49088) much better than the standard ball valve (both in storage tanks and cisterns) - so much quieter! I prefer the brass screw version as less likely to strip the threads than on the plastic version - just a couple of ÂŁ's extra, cheers,
bill coniston Thanks Bill. Great info - I'll definitely take a look at these when the next replacement comes up!
Good tip Bill. I just followed your advice and used the new Fluidmaster air gap vortex valve. Silent and fills quickly.
I'd strongly encourage anyone else doing this to get a new style fill valve.
When I go to buy a new float valve assembly I notice that they come in different sizes, 1/2 in, 3/4 in, etc. Not sure what size I need?
Life saver! Thanks.
You're welcome. Thanks for the comment. đ
That was very useful about NOT removing the nut and washer that connects to the outside of the tank as it could make your day even more upsetting. OK WD on now, and tommorrow a mirror will be used as space is non existant in the cudboard, Bahh. Thanks, Mike.
Thanks Charlie, that'll help me I'm sure.
I neeed to do it 'blindfolded' / by feel as there's no room to even get my head into the cupboard with the tanks! Not the best design / planning!
Thanks for that bud.
Thanks Charlie - hope your wristwatch is waterproof to 2"
You're welcome. I think it was although it's been out of action for a long time. Need to find somewhere that can repair Longines.
Thank you mate. You made it so easy to understand that even a skilless muppet like me could do it & save ÂŁ80 on those legal extortionists aka plumbers.
Done it, what a relief. You know one problem can lead to another, but preparation is the key. This video shows where to put the spanner and grip, as you do not want to upset the connection that feeds the water into the tank from the mains! I have a hot water electric copper tank in the bathroom, but with not enough headroom for 12" adjustable spanner, no matter how much you sweat trying to see the nuts in a mirror propped up above. In to the roof space which has a false ceiling 3ft headroom, snaking along on my belly in all the 150yr dust, the WD40 I put on yesterday appeared to work as with enough muscle power the bastard came off. Took 5 mins to put the new one on. The only negative is the bath water now gets cooler quicker when pouring as its topping up quicker with cold water ( the ols vale was clogged). Like you charlie it was a relief to get out of that attic. Thanks. Mike.
Many tks Charlie....just what i needed to know..
You're welcome!
@@CharlieDIYte , even the wife was impressed, so well done there. About to head into the loft after my cup tea :)
@@OW... Funnily enough I'm doing a new float valve video today!
Great video thanks. What is the other pipe for? The one next to the valve coming into the tank from the top with some insulation.
That'll be the vent pipe from the hot water tank in the bathroom.
Are all these ballcock valves the same thread? Interchangeable? Can I just go and buy one without getting in the loft and checking out the existing one?
thankyou
Thanks for the vid, I've just changed two !
No worries. Thanks for letting me know!
@@CharlieDIYte I have a question . Plz tell me why ballcock stuck sometime and leaking starts, although my ballcok is rellatively new.
@@muhammadwaqas9787 The sticking may be because of the quality of the valve. You should buy a decent brand if you can. If it's dripping you may need to adjust the position of the float or lower it so that it stinks deeper into the water and exerts more pressure on the valve to switch the water supply off. Failing that, consultant a plumber.
@@CharlieDIYte Thankyou, i think i have to lower it and try, that may exert more pressure. Its really helpful.You are a ballcock champion
@@muhammadwaqas9787 Thanks. I hope you've fixed it now. They do take a bit of experimentation to get right. I had to physically bend the arm on mine!
thank you
Charlie what wrench or spanner would you recommend to open the large white screw to remove the ballcock valve as mine is stuck and can't open it with my hands. You can send me a amazon link and I would be happy to buy the tool
Charlie, thanks for the video I think I will attempt this next weekend, no point in rushing these things :-) There's a fair amount of limescale on my valve is it worth me spraying it with WD40 prior to attempting to loosen the nuts?
Hi John - thanks for the comment, and ha! yes, Rome wasn't built in a day! There can't be any harm in spraying it with WD40 a couple of days before you replace it, to give it time to work its magic. Obviously make sure you don't get any in the tank!
That said, so long as you have a decent adjustable spanner and the slip joint pliers / footprint spanner to hold both parts of the valve as you loosen the nut, it should come loose relatively easily, even with the limescale.
Good luck and let me know how you get on.
Very helpful video with simple instructions. Saved myself the cost of a plumber! But could you explain when a high or low pressure valve should be used? I wasn't sure.
Hi Anne, sorry I missed this. Most ball/float valves these days are high pressure as the tank or cistern you're fitting them to is supplied by mains incoming water which is high pressure. If your toilet cistern is fed by the water tank in the roof then that would be low pressure.
@@CharlieDIYte .
Hi Charlie, I've got one of the old part 1 Portsmouth valves in my tank and want to replace it with a part 2 valve similar to the one you've fitted here. Will the part 2 valve screw straight onto the part 1 stub that's already in place on the tank or are they a different size?
Hi Mark, good idea to replace it. The part 2 will feel like a massive upgrade, quieter too. Yes, you should be able to simply undo the valve nut on the new valve and screw it into the pre-existing fitting on the tank.
This was so helpful, thank you! All done and didn't even have to pay anyone đ
Awesome work Jane. So chuffed you fixed this without getting anyone in and thanks for letting me know. đ
Local plumber stated it would be approx ÂŁ80 to replace ballcock valve.
The valve was under ÂŁ8 from Screwfix.... Thanks for the Video, Charlie.
Great work Jeffrey đ
Nice video thanks. I hate going into the loft just like you especially at Summer temperatures. Cramped, hot and yuck. So suggest to avoid going up and down the ladder in a pile of sweat make sure you have everything you need before you go up and also familiarise yourself first with the ballcock valve. Mike
Thanks Mike. Yes and at this time of year in my loft you can add wasp nests to the mix đ€Š
thanks
Good video. Would I need low pressure ball valve or high pressure? I guessing high Pressure as itâs fed by mains?
OJW280483 Yes, you guessed correctly. Something like this www.screwfix.com/p/pegler-prestex-float-valve-part-2/27627
EarlyProphet h
Hi Charlie. Can you answer me this please? The long rod section of the ballcock valve on my storage tank is straight and faulty. Will it make any difference using the one in your video, with the 90° offset? Apart from less water in the tank. Regards Stephen
Hi Stephen, it sounds like you've got a Part 1 valve like this goo.gl/62SjSR? Part 2 valves like the one featured in my vid are regarded as superior - see this article goo.gl/MqQQkr, so, no I don't think there's any reason why you can't replace your part 1 valve with a part 2. You can slide the float up the 90 degree offset to get it as close as possible to the original position. Hope that helps. If in doubt though do consult a local plumber! đ€
Helpful. Cheers..
You're welcome, thanks for the comment. đ
Just copied of your video, you made it very easy & just saved me some đ°
Thanks, really glad you found it useful đ
Brilliant, thankyou off to Screwfix now.
Great stuff. Hope the repair went well. đ€đ»
@@CharlieDIYte as of this afternoon I have a working loft tank ballcock valve, cheers mate.
Incidentally Toolstation were cheaper and also worth mentioning you could use a pipe wrench instead of the sliding pliers and you need an adjustable spanner with jaws that can open to 35mm.
My ballcock valve covered in white crystals what are they and how do i get rid of them?
I have just installed a small water tank in the loft to provide flushing water to the toilets. It has a mains water feed to fill the tank when the pumped rainwater from the outside tank is empty. There isnât room in the small loft tank to house two ball valves, so I have used two Flushmasters that you see fitted to toilets. Is there any reason why I should not use these?
Hiya. Just got down from the attic having nearly avoided the wasps! Loft tank is making a terrible foghorn sound when filling up and the screwfix forum suggested replacing the ball value which lead me to find this video! Thanks so much for the explanation. Parts on order now. Screwfix don't sell the Pegler one anymore. Do you think item "FLOMASTA BRASS PART 2 FLOAT VALVE œ" (358FY)" will be acceptable?
Yes I'm sure that will be fine. Good luck with the replacement đ
Iâm going to attempt this today. Iâve been putting it off for about a year. Iâm right handed and the position of the tank means a lot of left handed work when tightening đ©
Same
Itâs been a year and it all went well and still works great đ đ
Thanks
You're welcome.đ
Hi what about if i want to remove the water roof tank and connect the main whater to feed the cobrt straight way?
The point of the water tank is that the supply that feeds off it - typically the hot water tank but in my case also a Stuart Turner pump - need to be unpressurised, so you can't just connect the mains supply direct. There are probably also other good reasons - best to check with a plumber!
I've just done mine but I never knew the new one came apart ffs.
I replaced like for like with the parts I got.
It was a pain in the arse as it started leaking from the old copper joint on outside of tank.
I never needed to disturb it after all that Haha! Gutted
I've just done mine and did the same thing! So far no issues though.
I love you man :*
Cheers mate!
If your water pressure is high enough remove the tank completely if you can. Direct feed to all the taps and appliance its is a lot better as the tank can be a breeding ground for all sorts of bacteria. The questions I will ask are when did you last clean the tank and would you drink the water from your toilet cistern?
thanks-
Thanks Charlie - you answered an important question.... how did a plumber friend change my mum's so quickly - (by leaving the fixings on the tank and only changing the part you need to change!) Will be doing mine later. Played the video again and let all the ads play through.
PS How on earth do you wear a head torch and a gopro at the same time though?
Thanks. No Go Pro. Just working on close proximity with a video camera đ For a total system upgrade check out last week's video czcams.com/video/JDdfR4f_ORE/video.html
Really good video.
Looks like left hand thread?
I have just replaced my float valve and fitted a new ball.But It doesn't stop water when the tank is full. So water overflows. What can I do to make the float valve works as it should? Help!
It sounds like you've got the wrong float valve. Might be best to get a plumber in.
Brilliant video mate, I just hate the musicđ€Ł
Yes sorry about that. Not sure what I was thinking in my early vids.
How can i tell what size valve to get or ther all standard size
Mohammed Abu salam In all probability you'll want a part 2 half inch high pressure valve like this www.screwfix.com/p/pegler-prestex-float-valve-part-2/27627
Mine was corroded and seized up in the hot water header tank, wouldn't unscrew, so I replaced the whole thing by attaching the water supply on the outside of the tank. Was *much* easier. I also scooped some of the water out into a bucket first. I found my 30mm adjustable spanner was just too small, so bought one with wider jaw (I think 32-33mm was needed or so). And screwing in the float was easier to do lengthways than sideways because of lack of clearance.
Great work. Satisfying getting the job done isn't it đ
My stop cock to turn off the water was seized, I used a releasing spray, and left it for 24 hours to seep into the screw joint. And slowly over a period of a few days with spraying and waiting, I eventually had the tap working normally.
So I used the pray of the stop-cock valve nut and had no trouble with it at all.
Not sure I understand the value of the bucket in the loft. Why not just turn a tap on?
Screwfix dont sell that float valve anymore. Can you recommend an alternative?
Screwfix do have in stock and so do Wickes.
All plumbers merchants will have them as well.
My tanks are gull of water job do I empty them to change the ballcock
You either need to isolate the water supply into the tank of there is a valve for this, or if you can't do that, you need to switch off the mains water into your house at the stop cock.
This may seem stupid but What's the pipe that's overhanging the tank to the right of the float valve?
Not stupid at all. That's the expansion pipe or vent pipe for the hot water storage tank in the bathroom below. When water heats up in the storage tank it expands, so the vent pipe gives it somewhere to expand into and if necessary it can drip back into the storage tank above. Here's an explanation bit.ly/2QaZtPG
đ
Thanks for your video. Clear and easy to understand. Replaced mine today for the first time. đšâđ§đŠđ
Yey, great work, thanks for letting me know đ
That's all good but what about the spiders đ€Łđ€Łđ€Łđ€Łđ€Łđ€Ł
Shotgun.
Ne'er mind the spiders, what about the wasps?
Seen enough - calling a plumber ! đ
Come on Mike, you can do it đȘđ»đ