Central Heating Problem.

[Ferg]

To start off with I have absolutely no idea about central heating all I know is I pay my gas bill and the radiators are warm when I want them to be.

 

Last week I saw a small bubble in the paint on the radiator in the bathroom. I popped it, first mistake I think, and there was a tiny bit of water run out and I found the slightest of pin prick holes.

 

I immediately isolated the radiator by closing both valves. Since then the pumps seem to be working overtime, there is hardly any hot water for washing etc and a couple of the radiatorssound only half full. I have tried bleeding the radiators but have only suceeded in making a nasty mess of the paintwork.

 

I have someone coming to look at it tomorrow night but just wanted advice first.

 

a) Is there a product on the market that can seal the hole like in a car radiator and is it worth it or will I have to get a new radiator?

 

Once the hole is sealed is it major hassle getting everything back to normal?

 

Is the problem something else?

 

By the way its a Baxi Combi boiler.

 

Any advice would be greatfully appreciated.

 

Ferg :wallbash:

[peterpikefisher]

leave it to a plumber dont fork withit you will only make it worse,

do you have central heating cover from your supplier, if so you should be coverd for repairs.

[poledark]

Ferg, let the plumber sort it for you, but basically you will need a new radiator.

 

The other problems are probably due to the bathroom rad being linked to the hot water circuit, and shutting it off has stopped the water circulating.

 

 

Replacing the rad will probably cure your troubles.

 

Don't forget to tell plumber what you have done............

 

 

Den

[Dan]

Trouble is if one rad is rusty the rest prob are too and to make matters worse the system might be clogged up with rusty sludge so make sure you check all the other rads, and that the plumber flushes the system and refils with an anti rust additive.

 

Dan

[Ferg]

Guys Thanks for your advice. Its a relatively new house so hopefully the rest of the rads will be ok. Think I ma invest in one of those towel warmer type ones in the bathroom.

 

Again appreciate the advice.

 

regards

ferg

[Tog]

As poldark says bathroom rads are often in the indirect hot water circuit to your hot water storage tank, helps balance the load on the boiler and means the b'room rad is warm even in summer.

- you say you have a combi boiler?

do you actually mean a 'system boiler' with pump etc built in and direct fed hot water? (no airing cupboard hot water tank?)

if so it may be that the rads need better balancing, as you should be able to shut off any rad in a system with no ill effects.

And if the bubble of paint you popped is on the thread out of the rad it probably just needs the thread cleaning and a smear of jollup to seal it all again.

 

Make sure you watch said plumbing person if they say they are going to flush / refill etc - many say they have and sit in the loft having a fag......

[chesters1]

nothing mystic about the actual plumbing so put a rad in yourself it cheaper ,unneeded technology though buggers things up our "energy saving" new system uses more gas than the old one ,the washing water is hotter (so you have to put cold water in) than the old one thus using more gas despite being on the lowest temp of the thermo and the wafer thin rads get colder quicker .

i would have our old system back in a flash and whats more my mrs unusually agrees with me

"efficiancy" is only in the eyes of the installer ,less iron in your rad makes it cheaper not better ,they rust through faster so need replacing faster ,the copper piping is thinner so that needs replacing more etc etc ,short term "efficiancy" means long term work for companies and installers ,there was nothing wrong with the 40 year old stuff they ripped out but obviasly backhanders from companies turn council members heads (and bank balances) and "updating" means retirement funds for the future.

if something was "efficiant" then it should mean for the user NOT the installer ,all the times hot air is going up the chimney from a boiler means it isnt efficiant !!

Edited February 20, 2007 by chesters1

[Guest Ferret1959]

I'm having a brand new spanking central heating system and boiler fitted tomorrow.

 

Got to be better than my old one.

Rads are cold in the bottom corners despite power flush.

Boiler stat not shutting off so just prior to explosion system has to be switched off.

Two hours max at a time, can't leave it on when I go out.

Wakes me at 4am when errupting sounds get loud enough.

 

No spare parts, system over 30 years old.

 

 

 

At least I'll get a new electric fire instead of the gas one.

[Dan]

What boiler you getting Ferret? I need one too!

[chesters1]

they (the council) took our gas fire out ,trouble is those cheap electric fires dont work in a power cut ,the old gas one did