Radiator connected to hot water cycle - not harmful?

[andrew12345]

Hello!


In my flat I have central heating and hot water - all with gas boiler (with hot tank in flat + cold tank in loft).
Now I had very old radiators in dining room which almost did not heat.
I bought new large radiator and a plumber connected and closed taps of old radiators (it was hard to demosih old radiators as they go all over the length of dining room).


It was in summer and I have not used the heating since then and now, when cold weather came I discovered, that this new radiator is connected not to the heating cycle, but to the hot water cycle (i.e. kitchen/bathroom taps/shower). I.e. when I switch on water heating, this radiator also heats, and it does not heat when I switch on the flat heating.

Now for me that's all fine, as this new radiator is in dining room where noobody sleeps and we need it rearly, so I usually close the tap on it, but if I want to heat the dining room, I open the tap and swittch hot water heating. Also the shower water flux power has not changed. (I am even happy, as all other radiators in our flat are old and contain rust inside them, so the new one won't be touched by this rust).


MY QUESTION IS: is it not harmful that our hot water that we use for showering and dishwashing passes through radiator? Can radiators contain any harmful substances inside them? For example lead or any oil?

Will appretiate any help.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Get the plumber back, he has made major cock up!
Harmful or not!

 

[Galoka]

The hot water that you use doesn't pass directly through the boiler.

The hot water from the boiler, (the same water that goes round the CH) goes through a coil of pipe inside the HW tank and back to the boiler. This heats the water in the tank that you use.

 

[Galoka]

Get the plumber back, he has made major cock up!
Harmful or not!

Hmm, Not sure about that.

Presumably he connected up to the existing pipes supplying the rad. so presumably already plumbed like this. If he did something else (eg ran new pipes) then yes it would sound like a cockup.

Though I would have thought he should have noticed it when he tested it after installing it, and mentioned it to the OP.

 

[andrew12345]

Get the plumber back, he has made major cock up!
Harmful or not!

Hmm, Not sure about that.

Presumably he connected up to the existing pipes supplying the rad. so presumably already plumbed like this. If he did something else (eg ran new pipes) then yes it would sound like a cockup.

Though I would have thought he should have noticed it when he tested it after installing it, and mentioned it to the OP.

When he tested, he switched on both: central heating & water heating and all worked OK.

He connected new radiator not where the old ones were, but on opposite wall. The previous radiator's pipes went through corridor and he connected the new one through hole from kitchen. He just connected new copper pipes to the pipes which he branched from the boiler.

But I don't want all this mess in my flat again - is it harmful that water for shower goes through radiator?

Thanks...

 

[jackthom]

It doesn't go through the radiator and it isn't harmful.

See Galoka's first post...

The hot water that you use doesn't pass directly through the boiler.

The hot water from the boiler, (the same water that goes round the CH) goes through a coil of pipe inside the HW tank and back to the boiler. This heats the water in the tank that you use.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Get the plumber back, he has made major cock up!
Harmful or not!

Hmm, Not sure about that.

Presumably he connected up to the existing pipes supplying the rad. so presumably already plumbed like this. If he did something else (eg ran new pipes) then yes it would sound like a cockup.

Though I would have thought he should have noticed it when he tested it after installing it, and mentioned it to the OP.

So are you saying when you replace something, it is okay to assume that it was installed correctly to begin with and just fit regardless, then when it comes to flow/return temperature readings and functionality of the component installed, would you think the results were satisfactory.
And how exactly would this rad work, without the opening of a hot water fitting (or have I missed something) so then we can start talking about the undue use of water for constant heating.
It's a cock up, the plumber should have noticed this and reported to the client.

 

[andrew12345]

It doesn't go through the radiator and it isn't harmful.

See Galoka's first post...

The hot water that you use doesn't pass directly through the boiler.

The hot water from the boiler, (the same water that goes round the CH) goes through a coil of pipe inside the HW tank and back to the boiler. This heats the water in the tank that you use.

Many thanks!

Now I see, so actually the water in the tank (which goes to showers etc.) does not itself circulate in the boiler (and so in the wrongly fitted radiator).
That's the thing I wanted to know, cause actually I don't care if I need to switch on central heating or hot water heating to heat that radiator - doesn't matter for me. Especially my gas bills are low comparing to the electricity ones and that specific radiator I need very rearly.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Many thanks!

Now I see, so actually the water in the tank (which goes to showers etc.) does not itself circulate in the boiler (and so in the wrongly fitted radiator).
That's the thing I wanted to know, cause actually I don't care if I need to switch on central heating or hot water heating to heat that radiator - doesn't matter for me. Especially my gas bills are low comparing to the electricity ones and that specific radiator I need very rearly.

So you are happy with that situation
It's a cock up, call the plumber back and get it sorted out.
I hope you are not one of these people that post on a forum, hoping to get the answer you want to hear and once that has been given you are content to carry on regardless.

 

[Galoka]

Get the plumber back, he has made major cock up!
Harmful or not!

Hmm, Not sure about that.

Presumably he connected up to the existing pipes supplying the rad. so presumably already plumbed like this. If he did something else (eg ran new pipes) then yes it would sound like a cockup.

Though I would have thought he should have noticed it when he tested it after installing it, and mentioned it to the OP.

So are you saying when you replace something, it is okay to assume that it was installed correctly to begin with and just fit regardless, then when it comes to flow/return temperature readings and functionality of the component installed, would you think the results were satisfactory.

It's a cock up, the plumber should have noticed this and reported to the client.

Ok, I've no need to argue semantics about whether or not something is a cock up. I agree (as I said) that the plumber should have noticed and informed the OP, and suggested a course of action.

(This is assuming that the rad in there was always like this, and that the plumber didn't plumb new connections into the HW heating circuit)

And how exactly would this rad work, without the opening of a hot water fitting (or have I missed something) so then we can start talking about the undue use of water for constant heating.

I read the OP to mean it is on the HW heating circuit, not the HW supply (though they are asking about the water supply, I take it to be due to misunderstanding)

I doubt it's a situation i'd want to live with, but maybe to plumb it into the heating circuit would be more disruption/expense than the Op wants right now, given that they don't use it much.[/quote]

 

[andrew12345]

Thanks gentlemen, well, with regards to calling the plumber back, I don't want to do so, because it is to spend the whole day at home and also to have all my flat messed up as it was when he installed the radiator. I really don't want all this, if things work OK as they are.

I only wanted to make sure that I don't take my shower and wash plates in dirty water flowing via radiator, and I got here an answer that this is not the case.

Thanks to everyone!

(P.S. yes, this was not replacing existing radiator, this was completely new fitting, now I checked and saw that pipes leading to the new radiator are branched right near the boiler, whilst in a separate cupboard (which is a bit distance from the boiler) there is a special valve switching between hot water and central heating. So I beleive he either missed up or deliberately did it because this was the easier way of doing, but this is never mind).

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Depending on the pipe route he may not have to upend your flat, it may be a simplish sort out. I wouldn't be happy at all. if it was a job that had been done for me, the plumber has cocked up, he has a responsibility and liability to you.
He will be insured, claim any loss of earning and inconvenience from his insurers.
I am sure there are some water regulation issue here, so possibly a legal claim!