Central Heating Question

tazamama

I have a Firebird Oil burner, the Heat Pac version. While it was only serviced last year, the guy who did it said that the reason some of the radiators upstairs won't work is cos there's not enough water in the system, I've bled them and no water comes out, I've checked the boiler outside today and the diall is at zero.

Does anyone know how to get more water into the system?

jhegarty

There should be a valve to allow water in from the tank in the attic.

ART6

Firebirds also have a manual filling connection in the boiler casing or close to it. It is a braided metal flexible pipe with a valve on the boiler end and a check valve. If there is an automatic filling valve then this manual filling connection will probably have been blanked off. If it isn't blanked then there probably isn't an automatic filling connection. In any case, I have seen systems where the check valve in the automatic filling line was stuck shut -- there is not a great deal of pressure to force it open and it can stick easily.

So, I would suggest you check to see if there is a braided hose with an open end at or near the boiler. If there is you should be able to repressurise the system from a mains connection and a hose. Alternatively you will need to locate the automatic filling valve (probably in your attic low down). It will be a brass cylinder in a copper pipe. A few gently taps might free it, but don't hit it too hard!!

tazamama

thanks so much for the informative replies, there is a braided pipe in the boiler box with a red twister (forgive my un-technie terms!) which I turned but it didn't seem to do anything.

Also the pressure valve is at zero, would this have any bearing on why the rads upstairs aren't heating up.

Thanks again

ART6

The question is, is the briaded pipe connected both ends? If it is then it's probably connected to the mains and opening the valves on it should re-pressurise the system. If it isn't connected one end, you need to connect a mains supply to that end. Opening the valve without connecting it to anything will not do anything as there will be a check valve on it to stop water flowing back out of the system.

Low (or no) pressure in the system will certainly interfere with the circulation and quite likely is the reason why some rads don't heat up.

Once you get the pressure restored, it would be worth also checking the pressure in the accumulator tank -- that is a red drum that looks like a squashed football and has a valve in the top like a car tyre valve. You can check the pressure inside it with a tyre pressure guage. If after pressurising the system that is low or zero, you can pump it up using a car foorpump.

tazamama

Thanks a million, you're a star!