Air in all radiators every morning, HELP!

[jeanne]

Thanks STOP Will do STOP Back to plumbing STOP

[jeanne]

Thanks John. Your description helped me find it! Have turned it down.

[jeanne]

Many thanks for your helpful suggestions, Roger. I'll check these out. I suspect it is air rather than hydrogen because it is affecting the whole system and happened so suddenly, but what do I know about central heating systems? :-).

There is a "whoosing" noise coming from the cupboard where it's located. I know it is important to sort it out, so no doubt will have to call a plumber :-(. At least I'll have some idea of what they should be looking at after I try your suggestions.

Thank you also for the information about sorting out the temperatures. I wish the BG engineer had as much knowledge about the system as you! :-)

[Grunff]

Easily. I periodically (every few months) alternate email addresses in my from. One address is used all over the place, the other just on Usenet. The difference between the two addresses in terms of spam volume is enormous.

[Simon Avery]

Hello jeanne

Give it a day or two. I drained my system yesterday with the result that it got full of air and I had the whooshy syndrome also.

However, I don't now.

I have an automated air bleed valve (two actually, but one's so badly sited it doesn't actually do anything). This doesn't expel any air whilst the pump is running since it's before the pump so is subject to some suction pressure.

But, if I turn off the pump as soon as I hear its sound change (whooshing) then that pressure is released and I can hear air escaping through the valve.

So here's what you might like to try now you've turned down your pump:

Turn off hot water (shorter loop so doesn't tend to collect as much air), either at the controller or by turning the tank stat right down.

Turn ON boiler, but not the room thermostat.

Turn ON the thermostat. Pump will start. Boiler /may/ fire. Wait until pump starts whooshing (usually within 10-30 seconds) then turn OFF the thermostat. Wait 2-3 mins (if you can easily access the air bleed vent, check it - maybe loosen the red plastic top if it has one - to see whether it's venting. Faint hissing noising)

Repeat until whooshing stops. Can take a few dozen goes if there's a lot of air there.

If done, go round and bleed all your rads.

Note this is only for purging a system of air. Once purged, it shouldn't need doing again unless you've worked on it and drained water for something. If this works, but you get the same symptoms again - then you probably have a leak in your pipework. Air can get sucked into a leak, but also if it's losing water then fresh is introduced which carries air with it which is then chucked out along the route. (And adds to corrosion - stagnant water is what you want for CH systems, preferably with an anti-corrosion additive like Fernox)

[Mike Tomlinson]

In article , Grunff writes

Ta.

[MLYNEKBRASSA]

did u get an answer

[jeanne]

This is exactly the same here. The auto air bleed valve hisses if I turn off the pump.There is a lot of noise in the header tank too (bubbles).

Very kind of you to spend your time on this, thank you so much for explaining it so well for me.I'm away this weekend, but will give it a try as soon as I get back on Sunday.

I have checked it isn't hydrogen and the system hasn't been drained just before it happened (it was drained in July; boiler serviced a few weeks ago), so I guess it will end up being a leak somewhere. That will be fun :-(

Thanks again,

Jeanne

[jeanne]

I'm not sure how to do this, it is throwing out air and water when the pump is off.

Yes and bubble noises in the header tank.

No it doesn't burn, so is air.

Will try the steps Simon lists below next.

Thanks again for your help.

[Dave Plowman]

I do, and I don't. I have spam filtering.