Dodgy British Gas??

[alexbartman]

Mother in Law had a visit from BG 3* cover people....

Her radiators upstairs are getting hot even though the CH is mos certainly off. Hw is on for a couple of hours in the AM and PM.

I was there for their visit - but they told her she urgently needs system flush and something about an "anti-gravity" valve........and th cost for the "repair"........£599 +VAT.

I had BG telling me I needed a system flush - but I did it myself afte hiring the necessary equipment for £100. Do the experts amongst yo agree that hot radiators upstairs is down to this - sounds fishy to m (but I really am not an expert!!!!)

Grateful for some advice pleas

-- alexbartman

[zikkimalambo]

Does she have a service contract with them? If so, why are they trying to charge her? Does payment for one of these contracts only entitle you to a visit from salesmen these days?

Either way, the anti gravity valve sounds like snake oil to me. If the system didn't need one before (unless they are saying it needs replacing) it surely doesn't need one now.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Did the system once work correctly? If so, BG should repair the fault. If she's just moved in and it's a new service contract I doubt they'll correct a poor installation for free.

[daddyfreddy]

Did they explain how this anti-gravity valve will resolve the problem of the heaters getting hot? If the heaters were not getting hot before then the problem lies elsewhere.

[airsmoothed]

The 'anti gravity' valve does indeed explain why the upstairs rads are getting hot; I have exactly the same problem at home. The valve jams open, and so hot water is fed to the rads. even when the CH pump is not activated. I've lived with the problem for 4 years, by manually turning the rads. off in spring & on in summer.

[Dark Angel]

If the valve is jamming open, surely all that needs to be done is to remove the actuator from the top of the valve and using a pair of pliers or suitable spanner twist the valve back and forth to work the innards loose. The actuator should be able to open and close the valve properly then!

[John]

A dumb check valve is the usual solution i.e. a check valve with a light spring holding it closed. When the pump is switched on the "push" opens the valve and the circulation operates. If there is already such a valve it probably simply needs cleaning and a trace of silicon grease. If there never was one then one should be fitted at a minimal cost. BG simply try to sell their vastly inflated powerflush.

[tarquinlinbin]

the anti gravity valve is probably knackered,they just fall to bits inside with age/wear and tear. The system flush is another matter. Maybe it needs it-maybe it doesnt. Chances are they will drain the system to fit the new AG valve anyway so itll get a partial flush,albeit with no additives. I;d just have the new valve and no flush!!

Remove antispam and add 670 after bra to email

Be a good Global citizen-CONSUME>CONFORM>OBEY

Circumcision- A crime and an abuse.

[Mogweed]

Why do people assume something is wrong with the installation? Our 1970's built dormer bungalow (and those of the other neighbours and friends we have on this estate) have central heating systems that were designed and installed to do just that.

When the timer/controller is set to CH and HW, the pump runs and warms up the whole house. When it is set to Hot Water Only, the pump does not run so the downstairs rads do not get hot, but in the process of providing domestic hot water the upstairs rads all do get hot.

This may or may not be down to dodgy design, dodgy plumbing or whatever but it is *not* a fault - our system and 29 others just like it have run quite happily like this since the houses were built in the 70's.

The main (only) problems we have is that all of us only have one tank up in the loft so that if we have to drain down the system (to take off rads for decorating or whatever) we cannot add inhibitor or any other chemicals.

Mogweed.

[david lang]

That's exactly what my system does, so we have to turn off the upstairs rads every summer and on again in the winter.

Anyway to avoid this?

Dave

[Ed Sirett]

.

The fact that there are 29 examples and you are content with the current state of the system does not alter the fact that this is (and was) a fault, IMHO. A good system can heat the water only, it also may be arranged to heat a towel warmer as part of that, it does not heat all the upstairs rads in hot weather.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

'Gravity' circulation to the hot water with no anti gravity circulation valve in the CH. Poor design.

You may be happy to have part of the house getting hot when you don't need it and wasting money, but it's down to bad design. Pure and simple.

In the '70s, fully pumped systems were common. They allow easy separate control of heating and hot water temperatures for very little extra installation costs.

The fact that the builder of your estate didn't realise this means nothing.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Convert to a fully pumped system. This allows full control of both water and heating temperatures while allowing the boiler to run at its most efficient setting.

[Mogweed]

[John]

SNIP

Possibly so but it isn't "right" as the upstairs rads will heat up during the summer when hot water only is wanted. The designer (if there was one) or installer obviously didn't know how to stop thermosiphoning of hot water through the rads. Just because its been wrong since the house was built doesn't make it right even if you are prepared to tolerate it. Whichever way you count the beans it is "faulty"

So you have a primatic system as well as a crap design? Ah well things can only get better from your present starting point.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

I'd still call it a system fault - ie something that needs to be fixed, regardless of design or not. If the house was bought new, I'm surprised it wasn't rectified under warranty. Anti-syphon valves aren't a new idea or expensive, and could be fitted when the system is drained down for inhibitor change or new TRVs etc.

Quite an expensive solution over the years.

[airsmoothed]

from floor to ceiling in the downstairs loo, sod's law dictates that the trunking was re-tiled just before the fault appreared :-((