Balancing radiators.
(1) As a first step close any rads that are getting hot and see if that heats any of the other rads. You can quickly work out which rad heats first by letting them all get cold and when they start heating up find out which pipe gets hot first, stick a bit of insulating tape on the pipe that gets hot first, this is the one you test on. Use the pipe temp to test rad for heat it is quicker than waiting for the rad panel to heat up.
(2) The radiators that are nearest the pump are usually getting hot first.
First make sure system is on heating only no hot water and any bypass if fitted is closed.
(3) If they have a lockshield valve one end and a hand control valve the other end, make sure hand control valve is fully open and then closed just a touch. Close the lockshield valve with a small spanner on the flats of brass shaft exposed when the plastic knob is pulled off, then open it 1/8-1/4 of a turn.
(4) If there is a trv then make sure they are all open and the pins are up not stuck down.
(5) Then move to rad that is next one from pump and repeat, and so on until you are downstairs then open lockshield valve ¼ -1/2 a turn. By the time a valve is open by 1 turn it may as well be fully open.
(6) That should work all rads. Then open bypass valve to same position it was in. If you manage to get all the rads working, once the hot water starts heating it will unbalance the rads so set the programmer to heat the hot water continuous or hot water 1.5 hrs before heating.
(7) If this doesn't work and one rad or two are being a real problem then there is another reason not covered by balancing.
Good luck
(1) As a first step close any rads that are getting hot and see if that heats any of the other rads. You can quickly work out which rad heats first by letting them all get cold and when they start heating up find out which pipe gets hot first, stick a bit of insulating tape on the pipe that gets hot first, this is the one you test on. Use the pipe temp to test rad for heat it is quicker than waiting for the rad panel to heat up.
(2) The radiators that are nearest the pump are usually getting hot first.
First make sure system is on heating only no hot water and any bypass if fitted is closed.
(3) If they have a lockshield valve one end and a hand control valve the other end, make sure hand control valve is fully open and then closed just a touch. Close the lockshield valve with a small spanner on the flats of brass shaft exposed when the plastic knob is pulled off, then open it 1/8-1/4 of a turn.
(4) If there is a trv then make sure they are all open and the pins are up not stuck down.
(5) Then move to rad that is next one from pump and repeat, and so on until you are downstairs then open lockshield valve ¼ -1/2 a turn. By the time a valve is open by 1 turn it may as well be fully open.
(6) That should work all rads. Then open bypass valve to same position it was in. If you manage to get all the rads working, once the hot water starts heating it will unbalance the rads so set the programmer to heat the hot water continuous or hot water 1.5 hrs before heating.
(7) If this doesn't work and one rad or two are being a real problem then there is another reason not covered by balancing.
Good luck
