Plumber installed new Ajax valve and chose to reduce the hot water temperature too. The cost $476. Now I find my at kitchen tap the hot water flow is too slow cam I adjust this easily?
macman26,
Nov 3, 10:32pm
Is the strainer in the spout blocked? If not get call him and ask why the flow is no good.
eljayv,
Nov 4, 1:02am
Not it is not blocked and I’d rather not have this person back
lythande1,
Nov 4, 1:36am
There are no Ajax valves.
Pressure reducing or limiting valves will protect your home and everything connected to your plumbing within. Made by Nefa usually.
If you have a low pressure system and the wrong mixer (ie a high pressure one) this can happen.
eljayv,
Nov 4, 3:04am
We know all this thanks,
nzmax,
Nov 4, 3:18am
If I recall correctly from my last place after I replaced the pressure reducing valve, it is adjustable to increase or decrease the pressure. Plumber may not have increased the pressure consistent with your old one. My old one had an adjuster on it with a + and - on it. I just had to keep an eye on the roof overflow pipe to see if water was coming out, and reduced the pressure in small increments to stop it. The temperature would be regulated elsewhere on the cylinder, so two separate adjustments.
eljayv,
Nov 4, 3:30am
Yes that sounds right thank you for that.
wembley1,
Nov 4, 6:14am
The law says that the hot water delivered in the house must not exceed 55°C (to prevent burns) but the water in the cylinder must be greater than 70°C (to kill bugs).
This can be achieved with a tempering valve which mixes cold water with the hot. Perhaps this is what was fitted?
pauldw,
Nov 4, 9:00pm
In an extreme case if all hot taps are affected the wrong range valve could have been used eg 3.7 replacing a 7.6.
trade4us2,
Nov 7, 12:10am
The latest advice (which I have posted many times) is that any tempering valves need to be right at the taps, otherwise the Legionella bacteria could grow between the valve and the tap. However plumbers don't seem to be doing this. So I hope people don't die or just lose their limbs.
wembley1,
Nov 7, 12:47am
Please quote your source as I think you are talking rubbish.
Regardless of whether a hot water line is insulated, it would soon drop below a temperature that would sustain the bacteria, nor would it be static long enough for them to multiply.
martin11,
Nov 7, 2:32am
Where do you get this from ? I think it is rubbish to have a tempering valve on all of the hot taps in our home would require 8 valves .
budgel,
Nov 7, 2:36am
Where does the bacteria come from if the water in the tank is hot enough to kill it?
wembley1,
Nov 7, 2:38am
And, what's more, would be truly bizarre. You would have a hot line to say a bathroom basin that (according to trade4us2) would include a tempering valve that then would feed into a mixer tap. I call bollocks.
martin11,
Nov 7, 2:45am
Yep another post with false information ,hope they are not a tradesperson !
bryshaw,
Nov 7, 5:34am
I have found that if a shut off valve is fitted on the cold water feed to the house it can have a basket to catch gunk. Should have done this years ago so my pipes don't dump gunk in the tap filters.
tegretol,
Nov 7, 7:22am
In new builds yes. But in existing no. So please stop trying to wind people up.
tegretol,
Nov 7, 7:23am
BS.
tegretol,
Nov 7, 7:24am
Spot on. OP- ignore the rest of the irrelevant drivel on here, nzmax is on the money.
trade4us2,
Nov 7, 10:52pm
You are wrong. And you could kill people. "In a letter to the woman and her husband last month the DHB's medical officer of health Nick Jones said the contamination had occurred "despite having the cylinder set at the recommended temperature". Subsequent investigations had revealed there was a tempering valve between the hot water cylinder and the tap, and that the bacteria had grown in this part of the system. Jones advised the couple that as a result of this case the DHB had requested that the Ministry of Health "review the evidence for current hot water temperature recommendations"" https://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/72781724/Tests-show-legionnaires-bug-could-be-present-in-many-hot-water-systems
ferrit47,
Nov 7, 11:41pm
But you have paid him & he needs come back & Reajust it so its right.
wembley1,
Nov 8, 1:26am
One single report from 5 years ago. No further cases reported. No sign of any discussion from MoH or MBIE.
As the article says "Legionella bacteria can grow in water temperatures of 20-45 degrees Celsius. They thrive at temperatures of 32C-44C".
So for the legionella to grow the water in the leg between the cylinder and the hot tap, it would first have to get through the H/W cylinder without cooking (highly improbable). The water in the leg would have to be sufficiently insulated to maintain a temperature of around 30°C. And then, most importantly of all, the water would need to remain STATIC for long enough for the bacteria to multiply to numbers to become dangerous.
Clear and present danger? I don't think so.
cbbuilder,
Nov 8, 3:06am
Reading the New Zealand Building Code - G12 Water Supplies Acceptable Solution 6.14 Safe water temperatures 6.14.1 Maximum temperatures The delivered hot water temperature at any sanitary fixture used for personal hygiene shall not exceed: a) 45°C for early childhood centres, schools, old people’s homes, institutions for people with psychiatric or physical disabilities, hospitals, and b) 55°C for all other buildings.
So kitchen sinks and laundry tubs can have hot water delivered at a higher temperature ie untempered
cbbuilder,
Nov 8, 3:09am
Also HWC temperature 6.14.3 Legionella bacteria Irrespective of whether a mixing device is installed, the storage water heater control thermostat shall be set at a temperature of not less than 60°C to prevent the growth of Legionella bacteria.
tegretol,
Nov 8, 7:27am
Still BS. Read the regs.
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