DIY Doctor UK DIY Forums

We have just had a plumber sent by our Landlord to sort out our heating problem, and he has given up and left it even worse

Before plumber:

Hot water tank only getting half warm
heaters all getting hot, but gurgling with air (nitrogen)

After Plumber:

Hot water tank getting very hot (ok)
radiators 2 warm (not hot) 6 Radiaters stone cold.

Plumber stated air in system ( we had air in before, and they got hot)
he gave up and left saying leave it on for 3 days, it might clear.

I think they flushed out a partial blockage in one rad, and it has clogged up all the rads at the flow regulator valve.
any ideas, should I open up the flow regulator valves, ( not the t/stat valve as they are wide open)

Michael Rudge :?

hi
did the plumber drain the central heating? if so could be air but id guess the system needs to be balanced would need more info
bob

[quote="bobplum"]hi
did the plumber drain the central heating? if so could be air but id guess the system needs to be balanced would need more info
bob[/quote]

Plumber did drain system, then used a flushing pump, now the H/W tank gets hot, but the rads are cold, could the blockage have moved to the flow valves on most of the rads, 3 heaters are now hot, and 5 are ice cold, I had a lot of air in the rads before the flush, and they all got hot, not sure air is a problem, pump is a Grundfos 15-60
Mike

hi
you now have three rads hot? sounds like it is slowly working its way round id still say it needs to be balanced have a look in the projects /tips section
bob

Probably an airlock - turn off all but the problem radiators and see if it clears.

You pay your rent - get onto your landlord and get the plumber back. If any good, he should sort it in no time at all. Not your problem, I undertstand when you own a property you don't want expensive repairs and plumbers bills. But with rented accommodation - you very rarely get your monies worth when it comes to upgrading and improvements. Instead of going cold and repairing things yourself - get your monies worth when you can - that's what you pay rent for, troublefree housing.

htg

Great news
I am not a plumber, I am a retired 70 year old mechanic. and after the plumber could not sort out my hot water system, I set about it my self.
Hot tank gets hot,,OK,, radiators after plumber flushed them did not, and he left saying he was wasting his time, it needed a new system, so I tried myself to get them to warm up, by only opening one heater at a time and bleeding it, no luck.
Now to all you plumbers who get this fault, here is what I did.
I took off the Grunfos pump, turned it round and pumped the water the other way around the system great ,,now they all got hot, then I turned the pump back, and it works a treat, a long job , but it works, (back feed)

Effective way of clearing airlocks, works pretty much everytime. Abit more than an average DIYer would want to undertake though. Especially when isolating the pump - no leaks on pumps valves ? the ball type (where you have to use a screwdriver to isolate) nearly always leak - gate valve type are the best.


htg