CH Questions update and new problem

[Paul]

Following set Square guide the tap is now removed so onto the radiator. With guide in hand i assemble tools and corks and into the loft I go, only to find I have no hope of safely looking in my expansion tank as its mounted up so high.

So then new question is:

How do I drain the whole system (y plan) and more importantly how do I refill it properly.

Thanks

Paul

[Paul]

Apologies for lazyness have looked through the archive and it looks like I have to: Turn of boiler at power Turn of water Connect hose to drain c*ck and let it drain

I have one problem I know the drain c*ck on the tank doesn't work so I was going to use one on a rad is there a problem with this?

How do I go about flushing the system and where do I put inhibitor in. (These seem to be good working practise things to do).

Paul

[Set Square]

If you want to drain the *whole* system, you'll need to open it at the lowest point. But that isn't necessary just to work on the pipework for one radiator - even if you can't get bungs into the header tank.

Drain the radiator in question, following the instructions in an earlier post, and turn off both valves on all other rads. Then turn off the water supply to the F&E tank. Then open each valve in turn from the disconnected rad, and drain until no more comes out. [This will be the contents of the F&E tank, plus that from some of the pipework]. When it stops running, you can modify the pipework. [If you cut back the pipework as far as necessary, and then fit a service valve in each pipe, you can re-fill the system and continue to use it whilst working on the new pipework].

The best way to do a DIY flush it to remove all the radiators, and take them outside and flush them through with a hosepipe. Then, while they are off, flush out the pipework by allowing water to flow into the F&E tank, and opening each radiator valve in turn until clean water comes out. If there's a drain point on the boiler, allow water to flow out of that, too. But, do you really want to do all that in December? I would wait until the spring?

You could certainly add inhibitor now - even though you'll need to renew it when you flush the system. You simply add it to the F&E tank when the system is partly drained, so that it gets well mixed with the circulating water.

[Paul]

Thanks again I might know my way around my own plumbing soon :)

Paul