Radiator Problem

JOHNPT

I have a problem with the small radiator in the ensuite bathroom - it dosent heat up and hasn't worked since i moved in 2 yrs ago. All other heaters in house are fine. I tried to bleed it but no air came out. Its a small heater and hung high on wall over toilet - one pipe going into top another into bottom - I actually disconnected the pipe going into top and expected water to start coming out but not a drop - any suggestions? Hse is quite old any one of the other heaters gets airlocked every few mths but works fine when its un airlocked. Thanks in advance

Buford T Justice

Is it an open or closed system? Have you opened the valves the whole way both sides of the rad to see if there's any change?

JOHNPT

Sorry for late reply - damm phone. Not sure if opened or closed system - its a gas boiler in kitchen and there is 2 plastic water tanks in attic one big one small. I opened the top pipe going into radiator fully - i expected water to come seeping out but not a drop? Maybe there is so much air in the system that no water can get through? Should i unscrew pipe going into bottom of radiator. Thanks for your reply

meercat

Try turning all the other rads off
this will force your ensuite rad to heat up
when this happens turn the others back on

sullzz

JOHNPT wrote: »

Sorry for late reply - damm phone. Not sure if opened or closed system - its a gas boiler in kitchen and there is 2 plastic water tanks in attic one big one small. I opened the top pipe going into radiator fully - i expected water to come seeping out but not a drop? Maybe there is so much air in the system that no water can get through? Should i unscrew pipe going into bottom of radiator. Thanks for your reply

Check if there is water in the small tank in the attic this is the water supply to your heating then follow the pipe from the boytom of this tank down into your hotpress and make sure the valve on the pipe is open fully , you said that you opened the pipe going into the top of the rad fully , do you mean that you disconnected it from the rad

DoneDL

It sounds very much like a rad for a gravity system or a heat leak for an older boiler, turn the upstairs rads off and see if any heat comes through.

JOHNPT

Ya i disconnected top pipe into radiator and not a drop of water? Strange. Will try what is suggested and get back to ye

No1J

JOHNPT wrote: »

Ya i disconnected top pipe into radiator and not a drop of water? Strange. Will try what is suggested and get back to ye

I wonder is it connected to the system at all, I put a rad on a bathroom wall that I was tilling putting connections through the floor boards before the floor tiles went in but haven't gotten around to connecting it up to the landing yet.

JOHNPT

Great news I did as ye suggested and turned off other heaters and radiator is heating up now - but only on the left hand side ie side where pipe connections are coming in/out. I tries bleeding it on the right side but no air coming out.
Any other suggestions. Just to note the 2 tanks in the attic are in fact joined together

meercat

try bleeding it now
sorry re read your post(you have bled it)

meercat

fully open up valves on both sides of rad
you will need to use the cap with the slots in it for both sides

meercat

john try the plumbing forum
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=1320
you may get more qualified replies there
im only an amateur;)

JOHNPT

It is gradually getting warmer but still cold in top right hand section - i tried bleeding it but no water or air coming out. Thanks lads all great advice

sullzz

If you have no air or water coming out when you are trying to bleed it you nred to top up your heatinv system , check in your hotpress for a filler valve ,

JOHNPT

Thanks Meercat and all other posters - its heating up 100% now - hopefully it will work tomorrow too when i turn back on the rest of the radiators.

Buford T Justice

JOHNPT wrote: »

Thanks Meercat and all other posters - its heating up 100% now - hopefully it will work tomorrow too when i turn back on the rest of the radiators.

Make sure you re-adjust your lockshield valve back again to the rough position it was in before, else it will affect the heating of the rest of the rads.

JOHNPT

Turned on rest of heaters last night - but when i set the heat for this morning the one in bathroom was cold again. Any advice

bette

You need to balance the system. Close off all the other rads. Let the top one heat up. Close off the rads on top with the slotted valve (you have to unscrew the and lift the cap to get at the valve). Open each valve slightly until it heats up. Carry on with all the rads in the same way.

What happens is that there's a strong flow of water if the valves are too open and there's not enough pressure left to get to the topmost ones.

Also, as suggested, check that little tank in the attic!

You might get a better idea from this link.

JOHNPT

Heater is bathroom heats up then it stops heating - not sure reason - also the gas boiler sounds like a whinging noise coming from it - any sugeestions. Would i need to top up the boiler? How do i do this - there is a pipe with valve over boiler and if i open it it will let water out to outside but cant see any pipe to fill boiler

Kashkai

I've had similar issues with my central heating system which is only 4 years old. In my case there was a small leak that was causing the system to drain down over time and so there wasn't enough water pressure in the system to heat up all the rads. I fixed the leak and this helped but I had to balance the radiators to get it working properly.

You could also take a look at your central heating pump to see if its operating at the top speed. Its usually marked 1, 2, 3. Try turning it to "3" to see if this helps.

As you said your system is old, it might be filled with sludge. A power flush will clean out the pipework and radiators and give them a new lease of life.

After you've tried all the simple solutions, it might be best to get a heating engineer in to assess the system and give it a good service, especially with winter on the way.