air drives you mad

[NEILAIDKEY]

keep getting air in the 2 highest rads no water leaks water level good in header tank checked as best i could for the joints leaking any other likely places it may get in

 

[JohnD]

Have you got corrosion inhibitor in the water?

 

[NEILAIDKEY]

not at the moment john had loads of probs drained down dont know how many times washed all the rads out ect, i am now trying to balance them and keep getting 2 maybe three hot but when i move to others it all goes to pot i can heat upstairs but not down or i can heat down but not up and i keep getting this air prob to boot, all rads balance ok 1 at a time, so dont know what the prob is

 

[JohnD]

If you have no inhibitor in the water then the radiators will corrode (iron + oxygen from the water) releasing hydogen which is probably what you keep venting. It will never stop until the radiators have rusted away. Either add inhibitor now, or give them a chemical clean and flush to get the sludge out, then add inhibitor.

As for balancing (I am no expert and use TRVs myself) if you haven't got thermometers, find the hottest ones, and keep turning them down until they are no longer the hottest.

 

[NEILAIDKEY]

thanks john will take your advice have tried it all with the balancing but will persevere thanks again for advice

 

[BoxBasher]

The regular addition of fresh mains water will also speed up any corrosion process due to the extra saturated air that will escape during heating.

 

[NEILAIDKEY]

thanks again for warning it is an old boiler a glow worm majorca 2 and to be honest it has been a very good one for the 15 yrs i have been here it still pumping out great heat for the hot water (gravity fed ) and the few rads that get hot are good and hot prob is when i balance them and move round the house it seems to fail, will put inhibitor in today as the system has been drained and cleaned so many times, and keep trying thanks for help and any pointers will be greatly recieved