cold heating

[gary]

Hi,

Can anyone help with a question on central heating systems and if I have chosen the wrong "plan" or simply have a component problem?

Some time ago a new central heating system was installed and to save space I chose to have a "closed" system that didn't need an additional top-up water tank installed in the loft.

The problem is that the radiators take an age to get hot. In fact, its so slow to come up to temperature that by the time it has, its late in the evening and time to shut it off.

I believe that the problem is not having a pump to help move the hot water around quickly enough but understand that I can't have one fitted to this type of system.

Has anyone else ever come across this problem?

Many thanks in advance for any help or advice you can offer.

GS

[Andy Hall]

I think that what you are describing is a sealed system and they are common enough. However, there will be a pump somewhere, although it could well be in the boiler.

If you don't have any form of water storage (tank in roof or hot water cylinder), then the boiler may well be a combi boiler which heats the water as you use it. Can you provide the make and model of the boiler.

There are three likely reasons why the radiators are taking a long time to heat up :

- The pump speed is set too low. If it's external to the boiler then there will be a control on the pump with normally three positions. Try increasing it. If the pump is in the boiler, then the boiler may be controlling the speed, although more likely, again there will be a setting on the pump itself.

- The radiators are not balanced properly and the lockshield valves (those that you don't normally turn) are not open enough. Refer to the group FAQ for information on balancing.

- The system is sludged up and the flow through is low because of it. However, if it has always performed poorly then the pump and possibly radiator valves are the place to start.

.andy

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[Christian McArdle]

A sealed system with no pump would be astonishingly unusual. Most systems without pumps disappeared around 30 years ago, whilst sealed systems have only been common for the last 15 years or so.

Why do you think you have no pump?

Christian.