Hi I have two radiators that are hot at the top. From about half way down they are cool to almost cold at the bottom. seems strange to me. I would have thought they would be hot all the way down. Any ideas ?
probably sludge in the bottom of the rad. Remove the rad and flush out with a hose pipe to remove all the crap.
They should be hot all the way down. Have they always been like this or did they once work OK then stop working OK? Have you got a conventional boiler with an unpressurised system or have you got a combination boiler with a pressurised system? What happens to the two non-heating rads when you turn all the others off? Do they heat up properly?
Yes theydid work.
Have you got a conventional boiler
Yes
Yes.
It looks as though I will have to tough it out this winter and strip the system down in the spring to give it an overhaul.
I had an old cast iron boiler for 25 years and it was good at heating radiators and water. It finally gave up and I had this new (6 Years ) boiler and new radiators fitted with pumps and switches fitted. It failed to fire up the day after it was fitted and has never been satisfactory. Now if I turn it up too far it kettles. So I turn it down and it is not hot enough. I have just purchased a pipe thermometer and the best I can get from the outlet from the boiler is about 60C. At the radiators this equates to 40C. or less with the added complication of cold bottoms on two of only four rads. When the Hot water is on the radiators drop to about 32C
If I had any money I would rip it all out and start again but like a lot, if not most people today, I have enough debt to sink me without taking on more spending although I have to balance this with the rising cost of fuel.
If the flow and return pipes are both hot, radiators are sludged up. If the return pipe is cold, then there's far too little water flow.
snip
I could not agree anymore.... My boiler is old.....but it works.... therefore it stays until I HAVE to replace it......
That wont work im afraid! Needs a powerflush of the system via pump. Just a hose alone wont budge the sludge as it sets like plastecine. Get it powerflushed and heating will be back up to new standards Money wellspent!!
That wont work im afraid! Needs a powerflush of the system via pump. Just a hose alone wont budge the sludge as it sets like plastecine. Get it powerflushed and heating will be back up to new standards Money wellspent!!
Only thing you forgot there was the price you charge!!!!!
The sludge in mine was more like treacle and I managed with a standard hose pipe.
.. xx>> news: snipped-for-privacy@mid.individual.net... .. xx>>
.. xx>> > Hi .. xx>> > I have two radiators that are hot at the top. From about half way down .. xx>> > they are cool to almost cold at the bottom. seems strange to me. I would .. xx>> > have thought they would be hot all the way down. Any ideas ? .. xx>>
.. xx>> probably sludge in the bottom of the rad. Remove the rad and flush out with .. xx>> a hose pipe to remove all the crap. .. xx>
.. xx>That wont work im afraid! .. xx>Needs a powerflush of the system via pump. .. xx>Just a hose alone wont budge the sludge as it sets like plastecine. .. xx>Get it powerflushed and heating will be back up to new standards .. xx>Money wellspent!! .. xx>
.. xx>
Ditto ... just get the rads ouside and flush both ways with hose pipe and watch the orrible gunk come out :-)
Mike P
Probably cheaper just to buy a couple of new rads. They are reasonably inexpensive and you would know then that they were all clear. Stelrad do a Softline rad which is a simple but attractive household rad. All you should need to do is turn off the valves at both ends then remove and replace rads. Just make sure before you start that the wall brackets are in the right place.
and that the pipework will fit, the radiator tails are the same length and you know where to turn off the water feed if needed!
HTH
John
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