Low pressure on outside tap

[Peteacrosschina]

Hi all,

Im looking for some advise on sudden and now prolonged low pressure at my outside tap. The rest of the house is fine but after the winter the hose pipe started making a squealing sound and lost pressure.

The pipes are well insulated and a stopcock change has stopped the squealing sound however the low pressure persists.

Does anyone have any advise about what I should look at next?

 

[Last Plumber]

It may be that you have to Change the outside tap.

They have ( or should have), a built in Check valve and it sounds like it is faulty. It could be that or it could have a small blockage, it doesn't take much !
To prove the flow is good, you could turn the stopcock off, remove the tap, open the stopcock and see how the flow is without the tap. Have a look in the back of the tap whilst it is out to see if you can identify the restriction.

I am presuming your pressure is good ! ( I know you said the flow is).

Hope this helps

 

[Best]

As Last Plumber says, sounds like check valve is faulty inside the tap. Frost damage can do this, or a bit a debris.
The check valves inside those taps are just a feeble bit of plastic with a spring and washer, if I remember right. It is a simple cheap fix. You must have the tap replaced that again has check valves to meet regulations.

 

[Peteacrosschina]

Thanks both, ill give that a shot. I did replace the washer on the outside tap but no difference. Ill replace the whole unit and see what happens.

Thanks again.

 

[Last Plumber]

Thanks both, ill give that a shot. I did replace the washer on the outside tap but no difference. Ill replace the whole unit and see what happens.

Thanks again.

Please come back and let us know the result, even if it's positive.

 

[JCplumb]

If you can fit a check valve internally then do that and use a standard bib tap outside, the internal check valve will last a lot longer and you won't get this problem again.
The bib taps with integrated check valves don't last more than a couple of bad winters.

 

[moonlight]

I have found some not very helpful plumbers (kitchen fitters probably) fit the check valve internally, which wouldn't be a problem if they didn't then hide them behind the kitchen base unit. 😡

 

[jackchain]

I've discovered some no longer very useful plumber in Bedford match the check valve internally, which wouldn't be a trouble if they didn't then hide them at the back of the kitchen base unit🙂😡

 

[spanner]

Hi all,

Im looking for some advise on sudden and now prolonged low pressure at my outside tap. The rest of the house is fine but after the winter the hose pipe started making a squealing sound and lost pressure.

The pipes are well insulated and a stopcock change has stopped the squealing sound however the low pressure persists.

Does anyone have any advise about what I should look at next?

Check and see if there's an isolation valve what may not be opens fully or a double check valve faulty not fully operational..
Surely not a line or in line strainer fitted to the outside tap.. outside !!!

 

[Old Account]

I just had the same issue today and had to change 2 outside taps. The check valve were faulty on both garden taps.

 

[suadiennuochanoi]

Check and see if there's an isolation valve what may not be opens fully or a double check valve faulty not fully operational..
Surely not a line or in line strainer fitted to the outside tap.. outside !!!

You should check this way

 

[spanner]

Check and see if there's an isolation valve what may not be opens fully or a double check valve faulty not fully operational..
Surely not a line or in line strainer fitted to the outside tap.. outside !!!

Is hole drilled through straight..!!!. Or maybe Pipe kink
Only thing I would imagine is possible a blocked strainer
Isolator not fully operational and or dcv.

 

[spanner]

Unscrew outside tap see if the flow is better.
May have a dcv built in the tap jammed up

 

[Peteacrosschina]

Thanks all,

So update: replaced what i think was an inline check valve (pic attached) but no difference, in fact i think the pressure is lower still. It was just a inline connector with a small diameter internal hole - not sure if that is a check valve of not? Replaced with an inline connector which had a filter inside it - assume that is suitable.

Anyway, i assume garden tap is next, already changed the stopcock. Ive attached a photo, not sure of the joint between the garden tap, doesnt look like anything ive seen before - any advice on how to replace?

Thanks all

 

[ShaunCorbs]

4th pic down there's your check valve

And just unscrew the outside tap from the back plate

Lefty loosey
Right tightey

 

[Peteacrosschina]

Lefty loosey, righty tighty 🙂, ha ha. Thank you for that.

Yes, check valve is what i just replaced. Happy i might just be able to tackle the garden tap. My real concern is the joint between back plate and pipe, looks like a push fit but copper? Not seen anything like if before, usually back plates have a standard compression nut and olive joint...how would i replace the one in the photo?

 

[JCplumb]

Just looks like a soldered back plate elbow into a street elbow. Not push fit.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

You don't need to replace the back plate just unscrew the outside tape from the back plate

Apply ptfe to the new one

And tighten it into the back plate

 

[Peteacrosschina]

Ok, will give it a go. Thanks again all.

 

[Last Plumber]

Lefty loosey
Right tightey

Is that how you remember which way to turn stuff Shaun?

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Lefty loosey
Right tightey

Is that how you remember which way to turn stuff Shaun?

maybe 😀