My brother has his own business and is moving to a new 'unit'. We have been
doing some work there today and I came across something I would like
clarification on. The unit is a fairly new build (5 years old) and has a
disabled toilet in it, this is the only toilet in the building, and
presumably is a disabled one to comply with recent building regs etc. I was
up the roof of the 'toilet block' and noticed a big header tank, approx 30"
x 20". The only feed from this tank was to the toilet. The only other
thing in the building that uses water is the sink in the toilet. The sink
is fed from the rising main (obviously) but WHY is the toilet fed from the
header tank. I can only assume it is incase there is a water cut off so the
toilet can still be flushed a number of times, as when my brother flushed
the toilet the water level in the tank only dropped about 3/4", before
refilling. Are my assumptions correct or is there some other reason. I
have ony ever seen toilets to be fed from the rising main before? It is not
causing any problems, I am just curious.

Cheers

John

Sorry should have said the hot water is provided by an instantaneous
electric heater over the sink, so there is no immersion etc. hiding
somewhere.

Cheers

John
"John" wrote in message
...
My brother has his own business and is moving to a new 'unit'. We have
been doing some work there today and I came across something I would like
clarification on. The unit is a fairly new build (5 years old) and has a
disabled toilet in it, this is the only toilet in the building, and
presumably is a disabled one to comply with recent building regs etc. I
was up the roof of the 'toilet block' and noticed a big header tank,
approx 30" x 20". The only feed from this tank was to the toilet. The
only other thing in the building that uses water is the sink in the
toilet. The sink is fed from the rising main (obviously) but WHY is the
toilet fed from the header tank. I can only assume it is incase there is
a water cut off so the toilet can still be flushed a number of times, as
when my brother flushed the toilet the water level in the tank only
dropped about 3/4", before refilling. Are my assumptions correct or is
there some other reason. I have ony ever seen toilets to be fed from the
rising main before? It is not causing any problems, I am just curious.

Cheers

John

"John" wrote in message
...
My brother has his own business and is moving to a new 'unit'. We have
been doing some work there today and I came across something I would like
clarification on. The unit is a fairly new build (5 years old) and has a
disabled toilet in it, this is the only toilet in the building, and
presumably is a disabled one to comply with recent building regs etc. I
was up the roof of the 'toilet block' and noticed a big header tank,
approx 30" x 20". The only feed from this tank was to the toilet. The
only other thing in the building that uses water is the sink in the
toilet. The sink is fed from the rising main (obviously) but WHY is the
toilet fed from the header tank. I can only assume it is incase there is
a water cut off so the toilet can still be flushed a number of times, as
when my brother flushed the toilet the water level in the tank only
dropped about 3/4", before refilling. Are my assumptions correct or is
there some other reason. I have ony ever seen toilets to be fed from the
rising main before? It is not causing any problems, I am just curious.


I'm not a plumber, but I imagine it was done that way to allow for more
things to be fed,. ie a boiler which is now not in place. the only problem I
can see happening is that with the water level dropping so little when the
bog is flushed, the ball valve is going to move hardly at all, and is going
to seize up in the up position. next time you're up there, push it all the
way down, make sure it's free enough.

Steve.

On Sun, 18 Dec 2005 16:46:01 +0000 (UTC), "John"
wrote:

| My brother has his own business and is moving to a new 'unit'. We havebeen
| doing some work there today and I came across something I would like
| clarification on. The unit is a fairly new build (5 years old) and has a
| disabled toilet in it, this is the only toilet in the building, and
| presumably is a disabled one to comply with recent building regs etc. I was
| up the roof of the 'toilet block' and noticed a big header tank, approx30"
| x 20". The only feed from this tank was to the toilet. The only other
| thing in the building that uses water is the sink in the toilet. The sink
| is fed from the rising main (obviously) but WHY is the toilet fed from the
| header tank. I can only assume it is incase there is a water cut off so the
| toilet can still be flushed a number of times, as when my brother flushed
| the toilet the water level in the tank only dropped about 3/4", before
| refilling. Are my assumptions correct or is there some other reason. I
| have ony ever seen toilets to be fed from the rising main before? It is not
| causing any problems, I am just curious.

Commercial units get used for a wide variety of purposes. When a
tenant moves out, anything which he/she may have installed gets ripped
out. Maybe a previous tenant used a lot of water, and needed the
tank. and it was only left in because it fed the toilet, which as you
say makes some sense.

--
Dave Fawthrop dave hyphenologist co uk Sick of Premium SMS scams,
SMS marketing, Direct marketing phone calls, Silent phone calls?
Register with http://www.tpsonline.org.uk/tps/
IME they work :-)

In message ,
"John" wrote:

My brother has his own business and is moving to a new 'unit'.
[...]

I was up the roof of the 'toilet block' and noticed a big header tank,
approx 30" x 20".

[...]

I can only assume it is incase there is a water cut off so the toilet
can still be flushed a number of times, as when my brother flushed the
toilet the water level in the tank only dropped about 3/4", before
refilling. Are my assumptions correct or is there some other reason.
I have ony ever seen toilets to be fed from the rising main before?
It is not causing any problems, I am just curious.


I have no direct knowledge of H&S legislation but having been in a
couple of buildings when the water supply was cut, all I can say is that
the building with no stored water was closed to all except essential
personnell fairly promptly, while the one with stored water stayed open.
Can you imagine trying to claim compensation from the water company for
a lost day's worth of production all because you had to send your
workers home because there was no working toilet?

So I'd suspect that your assumption is essentially correct.

Hwyl!

M.

--
Martin Angove: http://www.tridwr.demon.co.uk/
Making sense of technology: http://www.livtech.co.uk/
.... There is intelligent life on Earth, but I'm just visiting

"Martin Angove" wrote in message
...

But aren't we now moving towards mains pressure WCs in new build houses
etc.?
At least, that's what a friend recently emailed to me.

--
M Stewart
Milton Keynes, UK

In message ,
"Malcolm Stewart" wrote:



But aren't we now moving towards mains pressure WCs in new build houses
etc.?
At least, that's what a friend recently emailed to me.


Houses are different to factories and other places of work. There is
some kind of issue there regarding the Health and Safety at Work Act.

All cold water in our house (1930s but refurbished 2 years ago) comes
directly from the mains, toilets included, except that for the pumped
shower which comes from a huge storage tank in the loft.

Mum & dad's 1960s house is exactly the same, and the only plumbing
they've ever had done was a pumped shower some 20 years ago.

Hwyl!

M.

--
Martin Angove: http://www.tridwr.demon.co.uk/
Making sense of technology: http://www.livtech.co.uk/
.... 1280x1024x16M - sounds like one *mean* woman!