I recently saw some advice being given by a landlord to tenants that they should not turn off the radiators for combi boiler systems, only turn them down, as the boiler could be damaged by the pressure build up if the water had nowhere to go. This sounded like nonsense to me as surely all bollers have a bypass loop. Has anyone heard of such advice? I believe the boilers in question are Worcester ones, about 10 years old.
If you know the model number look up the installation/user guide. It should say.
I'm not sure all do have bypass loops. I thought Worcester ones of that vintage had two pumps?
My old Potterton boiler didn't have an internal by-pass loop. Instead, the bathroom towel rail was fitted with two lockshield valves, so it couldn't be adjusted without tools and that acted as a by-pass loop.
Modern systems have a bypass which takes the form of a spring loaded relief valve.
This is to keep a constant pressure in the system so that the thermostaic valves on your radiators can work properly. It might be inside the boiler cabinet or outside. On most it's pre-fitted inside.
A landlord cannot possibly rely on occupants keeping to that sort of advice. The system itself must have some sort of a bypass or even a radiator with only lock-shields.
Yes they do have a bypass - but in some cases that may be a small radiator, usually in the hall, with non user operable balancing valves.
The landlord would be right in that should should not turn *that* rad off, but it's nonsense to say you can't turn all the others off - how does he think TRVs work?
And combi boiler has nothing to do with it.
It probably does - landlords are not more exempt from being a bit thick than any other member of the population :)
Indeed - my system was installed (Ideal combi boiler, 2012) with one radiator being always on and undadjustable without tools.
The slightly odd thing is he made it the hall radiator. Had I realised I'd have chosen the bathroom.
Agreed but if push came to shove and there was evidence that such advice/instruction was in the contract...
As the only differenve between a lockshield and operable valve is the push on plastic handle/cover. It's not exactly difficult to pull both off and use the handle on both valves. No tools required.
"use the handle"?? ITYM "get a spanner on the flats"?
Jim K
+1
Jonathan
In my case, it is more likely to be a pair of pliers. They are always on the top of the tool box.
I can't believe you are missing the point that the valves are almost certainly going to be the same as far as the stem is concerned. The only difference is the handle, knob, finger grip, cover call it what you will. Pull both off, use the handle/knob/finger grip on both valves.
Oo, hang on, are there TRV's involved? I can't remember. TRV's are new fangled modern invention and not installed on any the CH systems I've encountered until that is I've installed 'em... Was running about the other week rebalancing the system after No.1 Daughter had fully opened the lockshields in her room by the simple expedent of borrowing a handle/knob/finger grip from another radiator. Can't really blame her, the TRV's had seized more or less shut and the room has two, uninsulated, solid external walls. Radiators are under sized single panel non-finned jobbies, must see if there is a twin panel finned available with the same width so as to fit the pipe work/valves.
That would e due to using a simple control system consisting of a room stat in the hall and TRVs on the rest. You don't fit a TRV to the one that warms the room stat or it may switch on forever.
Another difference is that many real lockshields are thoroughly painted over and/or corroded in place.
That was my thought too. IME if a boiler doesn't have an internal bypass there's normally an external one via a balancing valve (that's how my old back boiler one was set up). I must admit though I hadn't realised that some systems use the non-TRV radiator as their bypass loop.
They've been doing that forever (either a rad or a towel rail) - but apart from internal bypasses, some have fitted external pressure activated bypass valves.
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.