dripping hot water tap

[arthurjackson]

My hot water kitchen tap downstairs is leaking. I can't find a valve in the hot water feed. There's a red wheel valve in the airing cupboard upstairs next to the immersion heater that controls the water into the bottom of the immersion heater (there's also a normal square valve just before it goes into the immersion heater). I presume I can turn the red valve off and let any water drain out and then have a go at replacing the washer. I do have a washer that I'm hoping is going to fit (I can't remember why I'm hoping that but I am). Anything I should be careful of, people?

I also have solar panels with a controller that uses the excess energy to heat the immersion heater. I presume too that I just use the hot water before trying to replace the valve.

Thanks

 

[Stu-B]

Is it a mixer tap? Turn the red wheel valve clockwise til it stops, open the hot tap until the water stops running then you should be ok to work on the tap.... always assuming the red wheel valve works ok.
Best of luck

 

[Aquarius]

Turn the red wheel valve clockwise til it stops, open the hot tap until the water stops running then you should be ok to work on the tap

Just don’t go too mad, otherwise it might snap inside, result = no hot water at all.

 

[arthurjackson]

Is it a mixer tap? Turn the red wheel valve clockwise til it stops, open the hot tap until the water stops running then you should be ok to work on the tap.. always assuming the red wheel valve works ok.
Best of luck

Thank you

No it's an old brass tap - been installed about 5 or 6 years ago but I'm not sure what state the washer will be in. The red wheel valve is newish so that should be fine.
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Just don’t go too mad, otherwise it might snap inside, result = no hot water at all.

Will try not to . I do try to avoid touching water pipes as a general rule because they scare me. I'm hoping it will be easy to unscrew the tap body itself to install the washer.

I'm going to have to call a plumber in anyway for some external work so I might try to do it just before he/she arrives just in case.

No hot water at all = better result than the one I'm fearing of hot water all over the kitchen

Now I think of it I'll check if anyone on the forum is in West(ish) Cornwall.