Hi folks,
Had conflicting advice about the cause of a partial central heating failure. Worried that there still seems to be no solution in sight and wondering what else to try. Bit of a long one ahead!
System is an Ideal Logic combi boiler which runs first to 4 radiators upstairs and then down to another 4 radiators downstairs. Radiators of various ages (a couple due for replacement soon) but whole system has been running all year without a single problem.
Had an upstairs radiator moved and some nearby pipes renewed. Next day, downstairs radiators are stone cold.
Try the basics: bleed radiators, top up pressure in the system. No change.
Original plumber comes out, notices and fixes small leak where upstairs radiator was reattached. Apologises and bleeds what is a large amount of air. Says it is likely there is a stubborn airlock elsewere in the system or a need to rebalance. Advises that I try rebalancing system, bleed radiators again and make sure it stays at optimum pressure and see what happens.
I do this and- progress- hall radiator (which is pretty new) downstairs is now getting warm at top (others still cold). TRV-side pipe to radiator nice and hot but lockshield side almost no heat at all.
Try manually flushing hall radiator. Water comes out absolutely clear and no change to situation once I reattach. I call out a heating engineer.
He looks at both radiators, new radiators and boiler and says they all appear to be fine. Says that rebalancing was a mistake (?) because insufficient hot water will be circulating to the downstairs. Says likely cause is a blockage in one of the older radiators. Opens all the lockshields wide, sends off for system cleaner and advises a colleague will be round in a few days. Says a power flush will be necessary to clear blockage if doesn't work.
While I wait, notice the only change is that pipe leading to hall radiator is no longer getting hot.
Heating engineer two comes round, tries the cleaner (no change yet), inspects system and says problem isn't acting like a blockage. Says he thinks the boiler's pump isn't working properly and sends off for a replacement. Waiting for that now.
Not sure what to try if that doesn't work. Reluctant to spend money I don't really have on a powerflush if it's not clear that the cause is a physical blockage. It would be easy to spend hundreds on this without fixing the problem. I'd have thought the leak or new pipework on the original radiator would be the cause but I've now had two opinions otherwise.
Is there anything else I can try to fix the problem or at least get a firmer idea of the cause?
Had conflicting advice about the cause of a partial central heating failure. Worried that there still seems to be no solution in sight and wondering what else to try. Bit of a long one ahead!
System is an Ideal Logic combi boiler which runs first to 4 radiators upstairs and then down to another 4 radiators downstairs. Radiators of various ages (a couple due for replacement soon) but whole system has been running all year without a single problem.
Had an upstairs radiator moved and some nearby pipes renewed. Next day, downstairs radiators are stone cold.
Try the basics: bleed radiators, top up pressure in the system. No change.
Original plumber comes out, notices and fixes small leak where upstairs radiator was reattached. Apologises and bleeds what is a large amount of air. Says it is likely there is a stubborn airlock elsewere in the system or a need to rebalance. Advises that I try rebalancing system, bleed radiators again and make sure it stays at optimum pressure and see what happens.
I do this and- progress- hall radiator (which is pretty new) downstairs is now getting warm at top (others still cold). TRV-side pipe to radiator nice and hot but lockshield side almost no heat at all.
Try manually flushing hall radiator. Water comes out absolutely clear and no change to situation once I reattach. I call out a heating engineer.
He looks at both radiators, new radiators and boiler and says they all appear to be fine. Says that rebalancing was a mistake (?) because insufficient hot water will be circulating to the downstairs. Says likely cause is a blockage in one of the older radiators. Opens all the lockshields wide, sends off for system cleaner and advises a colleague will be round in a few days. Says a power flush will be necessary to clear blockage if doesn't work.
While I wait, notice the only change is that pipe leading to hall radiator is no longer getting hot.
Heating engineer two comes round, tries the cleaner (no change yet), inspects system and says problem isn't acting like a blockage. Says he thinks the boiler's pump isn't working properly and sends off for a replacement. Waiting for that now.
Not sure what to try if that doesn't work. Reluctant to spend money I don't really have on a powerflush if it's not clear that the cause is a physical blockage. It would be easy to spend hundreds on this without fixing the problem. I'd have thought the leak or new pipework on the original radiator would be the cause but I've now had two opinions otherwise.
Is there anything else I can try to fix the problem or at least get a firmer idea of the cause?
)