How to clear an air lock from your hot water system

If you are experiencing no hot water and your taps are making a spluttering noise rather than delivering a constant flow of hot water, it is most certainly due to the fact that you have an air lock in your system. So how can you clear an air lock from your hot water system?

Well, clearing an air lock can be a very simple process if you already have a washing machine that is connected to both the hot water and the cold water supplies.

Because your downstairs kitchen cold water tap is connected straight to the water mains, Washing machines need the direct mains pressure in order to function correctly.  And as your washing machines cold supply is connected to this mains via a small valve. we can use  this pressure to clear the air lock.

So, how do we do this?

First you need to turn the small cold water valve (Blue) off, then disconnect the Blue cold water hose pipe from the back of your washing machine.
Now do exactly the same with the (Red) hot water hose pipe.
After which, connect the free Blue cold water hose to the now free Hot water (Red) valve. Turn the hot water valve on and then turn the cold water valve on.

As the pressure from the cold water mains is far greater than the hot water, this pressure can be used to force any air locks that may be trapped back up the hot water pipe into the hot water tank.

Both valves should be left on for around half a minute or so before closing them off again. Check that the water flow from the hot water tap in the kitchen sink to see if the air lock has gone.

If it is still there, try the sequence again, if it still does not clear after 3 or 4 attempplumbers in croydon and surrey air lockts, then there may be something wrong with the system and it is time to call your local plumber.

Another commonly used method to get rid of air locks is to attach a length of normal hose pipe to both the cold and hot taps using jubilee clips. And then once again turn the cold and hot taps on for a few minutes.