Central Heating Problem

Hi,

I'm new to this group, and I notice there aren't many postings, but I hope someone can please offer advice. I'm not very good with plumbing, so if I am lacking info, please forgive me and ask for more details.

Anyway, My central heating pipes/rads make quite a lot of noise of running water, particular upstairs and in the pipes going to upstairs. The radiators upstairs are a nightmare. One of them is relatively ok, heat-wise, but it needs bleeding every 2 or 3 days. The other radiators are cold and appear to be empty. If I open the bleed valves on these with the thermostat set so the pump and heating is running, then water drains from the radiator (I can feel suction on the bleed valve.) If I turn the thermostat so the heating is off, the radiators fill up, but when they are full, they are still cold (getting full with cold water??) Sometimes, through bleeding all rads at the same time and then switcing the bleed valves off, I hear running water, then the header tank overflow pipe starts spilling water. And that's about it, I'm not sure where to begin to look.

Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions. I'm quite prepared to call a plumber out if that's what's necessary, but I'd prefer to know what the problem is before I did that so he can't try pulling the wool.

Many thanks for reading, Bob

Reply to
Bob
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hi there. i think it is big hole in your pipework somewere, under the floor. lot of destruction is comming - you must lift some wood on groundfloor and look for big lakes under. that can be some old pipe joint or compresion fitting. rob

Reply to
Rob

It sounds like your heating system is an old one. It is possibly drawing air ( in through the expansion pipe ) or more likely, very old and making hydrogen gas through corrosion. It also sounds like the pump is on the return. That means your system is operating on a negative pressure whereby the pump is pulling the water around the system instead of pushing it (too hard to explain without getting technical, but its to do with how it's piped) That is why when you try to bleed the rads with the pump on it pulls air in through the air vent. Don't bleed radiators with the pump on! Rads not heating prob due to sludge in pipework (due to corrosion). A powerflush (not cheap around £300-£400, and not a DIY thing really ) would solve the problem of the sludge and a corrosion inhibitor will stop further sludge formation. A sludge remover (Fernox X400) might work on its own depending on how bad it is, followed by X100 inhibitor. When you bleed the rads the water comes from the header tank, hence the tank filling. The overflow runs because the ball valve is jamming or needs rewashered. If the system is really old think about changing it to a shiny new condensing boiler system. Heating systems (much to some peoples surprise) do not last forever.

Tam

Reply to
tam the plumber

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