Flow and return

[Simon Man]

Hi

I want to know if my upstairs radiators are on a flow and return system. The type where a pipe feeds hot water and then a separate pipe to return the cold water to make it more effective and efficient. can anyone please tell me if by looking at the photo of that is the case or can you please tell me what u should be looking at to help me see if it is. Thanks!

 

[muggles]

Are you thinking of one pipe vs two pipe systems? You'd need to look at the pipes going to your radiators - the boiler pipework will look the same either way. How old is the system?

 

[Simon Man]

Muggles

thanks the reply! The system was installed 5 years ago. It’s an old house and there were radiators down stairs so nothing was touched downstairs. There were no rads upstairs so a new boiler And new Rads installed upstairs. The plumber mentioned it was an old 1 pipe system so I’m wondering if upstairs was installed as a flow And return as there are no pipes coming down from upstairs rads direct to down stairs rads. All rads have 2 pipes one on each end so I don’t understand how it’s a one pipe system, and I’m hoping upstairs is a 2 pipe system . Thanks for the advise!

 

[Steady]

you need to look under the floorboards downstairs. one pipe system should be obvious then.

 

[Steady]

And the downstairs rads are surely connected to the new systempipework or are you saying they are no longer working?

 

[ianmcd]

All rads have 2 pipes one on each end so I don’t understand how it’s a one pipe system, and I’m hoping upstairs is a 2 pipe system . Thanks for the advise!

Both 1 pipe and 2 pipe systems have a valve at each end

 

[Simon Man]

Hi Steady

The upstairs pipes are not connected direct to the downstairs ones , there are no pipes leading down from upstairs but the downstairs ones do work , however they don't heat up as well and they were not touched when we got the rads done upstairs. The plumber said it was an old one pipe system, however these rads downstairs have 2 pipes coming from the under the floor boards so im a but confused! any help is greatly appreciated!

 

[gas112]

the new upstairs circuit would have been done as a 2 pipe by 99.9% of installers

 

[Simon Man]

gas112

thanks for that. We are getting a downstairs extension, so I'm hoping that when we do this we can get the downstairs ones connected to upstairs and have a full 2 pipe system that is more efficient and gives better heat down stairs. thanks

 

[Madrab]

Quick idea of how a 1 pipe and a 2 pipe system is laid out (don't worry about the relief valve) when you get to have a look.

So you will always have a flow and return at the boiler, it's all down to how the rads are piped.

 

[Simon Man]

thanks Madrab!

 

[Simon Man]

Madrab

Im I right in saying that image you sent is what it would look like on just one of the levels, upstairs for example? for it be a good 2 pipe system would it have to then have the upstairs Rads pipes connected to the downstairs one, or could it have its own flow and return pipes that branch of the existing one?

 

[denso13]

for it be a good 2 pipe system would it have to then have the upstairs Rads pipes connected to the downstairs one

Your upstairs and downstairs are "connected", you can see it in the boiler pictures you posted. The flow for the heating is split and goes up and down as does the return.

 

[Simon Man]

Denso13,

Sorry I should have been more clear. In most houses I see rads downstairs that have the pipes running upstairs through the ceiling is that makes sense? So in that case Im i correct assuming that the flow and return does not branch into 2? and is that a better setup than the one in my photo where is branches in 2?

 

[denso13]

and is that a better setup than the one in my photo where is branches in 2?

No, not really, the feed from downstairs to upstairs is usually by the easiest route which may be like yours or maybe a pipe chase for example. No real benefit in any particular route, normally.