Any good Heating Engineers around!!!!! All aspects of plumbing questions and answers, help, tips and information

[osceli]

I had a new boiler system installed about year ago. The old system had a conventional boiler. We now have a combination boiler that is giving us major headaches.
When the engineer fitted it, the upsatirs radiators did not work. He then realised there was a flow and return valve that needed to be removed. After alot of hunting we found it behind some boxing in. The radiators seemed to be okay.
But now the radiators upstairs take so long to heat up, especially the ones in the back 2 bedrooms. When the downstairs has reached the required temperature the upstairs is still cold and the heating goes off.
We had the same guy back recently to change the 2 radiators in the back bedrooms as we thought this might cure the problem, but it hasn't. Our 'engineer' said that the problem may be due to a kink in a pipe somewhere.
The system has been power flushed and we have had TRV's fitted on all radiators. Does anyone have any answers?????????????

And to make matters worse we suffer from really bad condensation in our house (upstairs) during the winter!!!

[Paulo83]

mmm, sounds like your heating engineer hasnt a clue!! Replacing radiators?????? The only need for that is if they are leaking or blocked inside-very rare. Try turng down the rads downstairs and turning up the boilerstat for starters.Also shut the bypass (red handled valve under the boiler maybe?!?!)

[osceli]

Thanks for this, you are most probably right about my heating engineer.
The rads downstairs were already turned down but this does'nt seem to do anything to the problem 2 radiators upstairs. I have had a look at the boiler and there are 2 red valves, 1 on the left and 1 on the right as you look at the boiler. What would it mean by shuting down the bypass valve??

All help greatfully received!

[bjbiker]

Osceli
Your system needs balancing! you sat you have thermostatic radiator valves, the other valve is called a lock shield valve this is the one you need to turn down the radiator nearest the boiler needs to be shut them opened on more than about half a turn as you work away from boiler open L/Shields a little more till you get to back bedroom which should be opened fully, hey presto balanced system!
Regards Bjbiker

[Paulo83]

Red handle gate valve, could be either one your talking about. What kind of boiler is it. It could be as simple as upping the pump speed or the pump may need replaced. I suggest you get a decent REPAIR engineer in, not an installation monkey.

[Paulo83]

The system may need balancing, but i do not think this is why the upstairs rads are not heating. After all they still dont work with the downstairs trvs turned off. Is it a combi boiler? If not, how old is the pump? Is the bypass open too much? Boilerstat too low?

[bjbiker]

Paulo83
Your reply is ill informed, as TVR's will still open in cold conditions this is why they are suppied with blank tops, where you remove the TVR and fit the blank enabling maintenance/removal etc.
Regards Bjbiker

[htg engineer]

Paulo83

'I suggest you get a decent REPAIR engineer in, not an installation monkey'

I repair boilers most of the time, but I also can and do install. Installing a full heating system can be hard work and a long day.

At work 2 plumbers/heating engineers install 1 full heating system per day - 5 per week. Thats's stripping out normally 7 or 8 radiators, back boiler, tank and all pipework. Installing condensing combi boiler all new pipework, gas fire and radiators, Flushing etc etc Completely installed in one working day.

You do get installers that only install - because it's quite good money. And they wouldn't have a clue where to start fault finding or repairing boilers or heating systems. Where you may have to do 10 repairs to get the same money as an installation job.

All i'm saying is that you do get good installers - not all should be labelled as monkey's.

[osceli]

Many Thanks for all your helpful comments.

Over the last couple of days I have cranked the heating up to full blast and the radiators in the back bedrooms are now getting hot. Only problem is my heating bill will probably need a remortgage to pay for it!!!

Just to let you all know, my boiler is a Glow worm 30cxi combi there are 12 rads running off it aswell as the hot water.
I have had a look on the net and I now have some concerns that this boiler is not 'man' enough for the job!

Would be grateful for your experienced feedback guys.