Cold water tank almost boiling

[Cat]

Hi folks
I'm new & in need of advice.
Forgive my lack of understanding of plumbing.
This is the first time in over 20yrs that this has been so bad.
We have the cold water tank of our downstairs neighbour in our attic & often the pipes make noise but on Friday the noise became very loud with the pipes rattling & sounds of gurgling.
When I looked at the tank the water was hot (almost boiling am sure you could have boiled an egg in it!)
Neighbours were out.
I called my sons' Dad & he seemed to think neighbours, who have a solid fuel fire had left the vents open & the overflow had caused the tank in our attic to heat up.
My concerns are...
Is this normal?
If neighbours hadn't returned when they did could the tank in my attic have taken any more 'overflow' is there a danger?

I have bought my home but downstairs is still housing association, I had tried to get the tank out my attic in the past but to no avail, obviously I need to allow access.

Should I be concerned, do I need to contact the housing association?

Please put my mind at rest,reassure me, help me understand if this needs to be reported or not.
Thanks in advance for any advice...

Cat

 

[jonnyswamp]

I don't know much about solid fuel or the law regarding having someone else's f and e tank in my loft
But, if that solid fuel appliance over heats and melts/weakens the plastic tank, it's your ceiling (or worse) that gets damaged
It wouldn't be in my attic, irrespective of any law saying otherwise
Especially if it's positioned above a bed or cot (if it is, move them well away (another room)until this is resolved
And yes, definitely contact the housing association asap

 

[Cat]

Thank you for confirming I'm not over reacting....we're all adults now (kinda) & the tank is above the corner of our living room, so the pipes run up the back of an open cupboard, I had really worried about plastic tank getting hot
I will call the HA
Cat

 

[SimonG]

Should be a metal tank or at least rated for solid fuel. It should have a copper float and the overflow should be copper.

 

[Cat]

Should be a metal tank or at least rated for solid fuel. It should have a copper float and the overflow should be copper.

This is it...plastic & ancient!

 

[Ric2013]

A plastic cistern balanced across a couple of timber bearers (which is it looks like from that photo) is unacceptable - the cistern could collapse and dump hot water through the ceiling! A plastic cistern should be fully supported over the base (and as others have said, should not be used on uncontrolled solid fuel sources).

 

[Best]

Doesn't make any difference that you are all adults, - boiling water could scald or even kill an adult, even just from the shock of it!
I would get an engineers report immediately and then demand the HA sort this. The solid fuel appliance in your neighbours should have some means of heat leak for excess heat, plus other heat loss safety such as pump controlled by a pipe thermostat.
Hopefully you are in friendly relations with the neighbours and can persuade them to be careful in meantime and also that they also raise the issue with the HA

 

[Cat]

You guys are wonderful, so glad I found these forums, thank you for taking the time to address my concerns, I now know they are not unfounded
I contacted the HA yesterday
Cheers
Cat

 

[jtsplumbing]

You need to be very worried ,was a case a few years back where a tank in the loft over heated, collapsed and a child died,

 

[Best]

A woman also died when same thing happened. Cold tank filled with boiling water due to a faulty immersion stat.

 

[Cat]

This is scary stuff guys
I have as I stated above contacted the HA with details, now from previous experience of being a tenant for 20 yrs they ain't the quickest at attending to issues, I could tell you some tales ( e.g. 4 weeks without heating or hit water in the freezing Winter with a disabled son!!! )

Would you please tell me exactly what the issue is so I don't get brushed off with 'it's normal' or something other than it actually is.

What needs to be done to neighbours' boiler/system to prevent this from happening & make it safe?
Is it pipes/overflow, thermostat, rip the ruddy thing out & bring it up to modern day standards (I wish)

Cheers
Cat

 

[steadyon]

How about:

The Chief Executive

XYZ Housing Association


Dear Sir or Madam,

Situation Endangering Life

I live at (your address). The people living in the flat below me (give address), which I understand your association owns in whole or in part, have a solid fuel water heater, the expansion vessel for which is in the loft immediately above my property.

Recently, the expansion vessel (a small plastic tank of about 25 litres capacity) has been filling with very hot water, and this hot water has been overflowing to outside via the overflow pipe.

Having taken advice, I understand that:

1. This is likely to be caused by a fault in the usage or controls of the solid fuel heater.

2. The hot water may easily approach boiling point.

3. Neither the expansion tank nor the float which should control it meet the relevant standards for tanks / floats connected to solid fuel appliances. Both should be made of metal or other material capable of withstanding high temperatures for long periods of time.

4. There are recorded cases of deaths caused by such tanks collapsing and pouring scalding water onto the occupants of lower floors.

You will appreciate how worried I am having this device above my head. I would ask that you correct or remove the problem within the next few days. I would appreciate a letter by return post acknowledging receipt of my letter and providing a deadline by which the issue will be resolved.



Yours faithfully,


(Your name)

 

[Cat]

Cheers @steadyon
I've already emailed the HA but I'll put this into a letter to them as it outlines in better detail.
Thanks
Cat

 

[sammathias]

I would say they manually operate their heating pump when the water gets too hot from their solid fuel fire. Ancient way of doing it. Pump should be controlled to come on off a high limit saftey stat to disperce any extra heat.
Would definately get the to look into it. Been to loads of jobs where water is flooding through people ceilings because of this.

 

[jonnyswamp]

Looking at the photos, I'd say the tank strength is already compromised
It looks as though the sides (the longest sides) are beginning to flare out
Keep on the HA's case til you get results

 

[dan_the_plumber]

You need to contact the housing association. You would also be well advised to contact HETAS for advise, they are the governing body of solid fuel appliances and installations.

 

[Ric2013]

I'll keep saying it, though, HETAS is not the only solid fuel competent-person scheme, though it likes to pretend it is. Unlike Gas Safe, it does not have the monopoly. OFTEC also qualifies people as competent to install solid fuel appliances, and I think there are other similar schemes.

 

[dan_the_plumber]

I'll keep saying it, though, HETAS is not the only solid fuel competent-person scheme, though it likes to pretend it is. Unlike Gas Safe, it does not have the monopoly. OFTEC also qualifies people as competent to install solid fuel appliances, and I think there are other similar schemes.

Well I stand corrected. Thanks for that Ric 🙂

 

[Stoney Ground]

Cheers @steadyon
I've already emailed the HA but I'll put this into a letter to them as it outlines in better detail.
Thanks
Cat

I would copy the HSE on any communications and clearly show that you have to the HA.
You may also ask that the system is not used until it it is confirmed it is safe. When was the last time someone accessed your property to check the tank.

 

[Pete E]

I would say they manually operate their heating pump when the water gets too hot from their solid fuel fire. Ancient way of doing it. Pump should be controlled to come on off a high limit saftey stat to disperce any extra heat.
Would definately get the to look into it. Been to loads of jobs where water is flooding through people ceilings because of this.

I am not a plumber but had a similar solid fuel system in a previous cottage.

The plumber who installed it said that one rad would effectively always be on and hot regardless of the stat and pump. As I understand it this was to effectively dump heat from the hot water tank when the central heating was off. I think the flow for this was nothing more than convection..

In addition there was an over flow into an expansion tank in the loft similar to what is being described here.

This would have been installed about 30years ago, so I have no idea what the codes of practice were then, but after reading this thread I am glad nothing serious ever happened...