Hi folks,

I had to change a sink today with no isolation valves on the taps, so
I had to shut off the water.

First turned cold off at rising main.

Looked in airing cupboard to be confronted by one tap like valve just
like the rising main, and three red wheel valves (gate valves?).

Couldn't work out which one stopped the hot, so turned em all off, and
ran a lot of hot taps until they slowed to a stop. All hunkey dorey.

After cutting the tap feed pipes, I was half way through fitting some
isolation valves when there was some ominous gurgling in the system
and a second later I got a four foot jet of water out of the hot pipe!
This cycle then kept occurring approx every 30 seconds or so while I
battled to fit the isolator!

After new sink in place I turned everything back on again. The problem
I now have is that the hot feed is spluttering / low pressure from
most hot taps in the house. Sometimes it's normal, sometimes it slows
to a trickle. I assume I have air in the system.

My questions therefore a

1) If I leave the hot taps running will they sort themselves out?

2) Can I have gotten air in the cylinder? It is dangerous to turn the
cylinder on to heat if this is the case? Is there any way to tell?

3) The red gate valves don't seem to turn very far (maybe half a
turn). Is this right or have I knackered em?

Many thanks,
Lister