plumbing help required

[kirakay 111]

Hi All, I am in need of some plumbing tips ... the tap under my kitchen sink that gives out water to the kitchen sink and my washing machine is faulty. Water flows fine to the kitchen sink but is now only dribbling almost nothing to the washing machine. It has slowly worsened to the point now I cannot use my machine as there is not enough water flowing. I thought I would be a self handyperson and remove the tap and clean it or replace it - but!!  I cant seem to work out how to turn off the water mains into my flat. I attach photo of the box where the main taps are. Practical advice is welcomed.

[kirakay 111]

[PeterN 1,179]

You have two water meters. It is likely that one is for hot water and the other cold.
Given there's a blue dot on one tap we might guess that is cold water but just to be sure run a hot water tap in a sink or bath and check which pipes get warm.
Once you know which gets warm the other is likely the cold water. Turn that tap off and see if your cold water taps lose pressure & run dry.

Note that some screw fit water connections in Germany are sealed using a combination of hanf (hemp fibres) and a waterproofing material such as fermit

Looking at the fibres around the joint between your eckventil and the pipe in the wall it appears you have that kind of joint.

Make sure you understand how to make a hanf/fermit joint and have all the materials and tools you need before you even start - If you have any problems sealing the joint you'll have to keep the cold water turned off until a plumber can fix it for you.

 

[kirakay 111]

Thanks PeterN .. with fiddling I worked out that the green tap on the right actually turns off the water the hot and cold taps dont seem to do anything!  But I note your caution about the connection between the tap  and pipe as you said, it made me hesitate and your warning confirms it ... I am trying to locate a plumber now to fix it instead.

[grimmiger 511]

4 hours ago, kirakay said:

Water flows fine to the kitchen sink but is now only dribbling almost nothing to the washing machine

 

There is usually a little filter insert where the washmichine hose connects to the tap. It may have become blocked. Just close tap and remove hose and clean or replace.

[kirakay 111]

Thanks Grimmiger, I tried that option already but turns out it was indeed the tap ... the plumber just came and with a hefty whack out of my wallet it is all fixed in 15 mins and replacement tap. Ah well such is life, water is flowing now and washing is getting done!

[grimmiger 511]

Probably just as well. Saves future lawsuits. Just out of curiosity, did the plumber use old style horsehair/hemp to seal the thread (as on your "before" photos) or ptfe/teflon tape ? My own plumber still used it, and it still seems popular on diy forums. I think German screw fittings are a bit different from UK, that makes ptfe not work so well

[AnswerToLife42 2,491]

grimmiger, as far as I know, hemp is not so oldfashioned. If you seal a tap with hemp you can turn the tap back a little, if necessary. To my knowledge that is not possible with teflon.

I can leak and you have to redo it. You can only turn it in one direction.

[kirakay 111]

Yes Grimmiger, he used the help.horsehair stuff ... I never seen it used before but he had a roll of it and wound it on before fitting in the tap  ... I think I will look out for some next time i am at Obi :-)

[keith2011 2,648]

7 minutes ago, Olivia Wilson said:

This is a very critical type of situation I think it can only be done by a professional plumber.

 

I am at a loss as to why anyone or thing would respond to a resolved 7 year old thread about a plumbing issue in Germany with a SPAM recommendation for a plumber in Alberta, Canada.

[JG52 1,043]

Robots must not have a sense of time and distance.

[fraufruit 42,166]

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