will drained system operate again?

[tigerlaser]

I've bought a house that was lying empty for some time and the owner drained the heating system.

On viewing the home I noticed the radiators were slightly buckled inwards with a couple actually having cracked.
According to the estate agent, who spoke to a plumber, this was caused by cold air contracting while the system was empty.

So my question is, is this the likely cause of the damaged radiators and after they are replaced, is a system that has been lying drained and unused likely to work again?

 

[misterdubya]

Fill it up and try it!

Sounds like a few rads may need replacing.

Are you sure it was drained prior to the cold weather. Never known radiators buckle when empty.

Oh, and it will work again.... just fine - once you've ironed out the leaking rads / pipework.

Mr. W.

 

[Hufty]

Can I go out on a limb here and say that sounds like total BS from the estate agent. How much would air have to contract to cause a vacuum strong enough to buckle a radiator? It would have to liquefy. Have the double glazing units imploded too? I would also suggest it wasn't drained properly. Replace rads, fix leaks, fill it and see.

 

[OLLIE20]

The weather got the economy, it got the elderly and it got your radiators, busy busy weather, or excuse's ????????????

 

[joe-90]

The system has been heated to boiling point for that to happen. Remember the experiment at school with the 5 litre tin that you boil - then put the lid on and watch it crumple? The system MUST have been filled with steam rather than water for that to happen.

 

[tigerlaser]

The system has been heated to boiling point for that to happen. Remember the experiment at school with the 5 litre tin that you boil - then put the lid on and watch it crumple? The system MUST have been filled with steam rather than water for that to happen.

This sounds more feasible. In that case is there likely to be other damage in the system?

 

[45yearsagasman]

The system has been heated to boiling point for that to happen. Remember the experiment at school with the 5 litre tin that you boil - then put the lid on and watch it crumple? The system MUST have been filled with steam rather than water for that to happen.

View media item 30509

 

[tigerlaser]

The system has been heated to boiling point for that to happen. Remember the experiment at school with the 5 litre tin that you boil - then put the lid on and watch it crumple? The system MUST have been filled with steam rather than water for that to happen.

View media item 30509

45yearsagasman, are you saying that this isn't the case and if not what would you say is the cause?

 

[joe-90]

He doesn't know mate - he's the forum troll. Anyone with any knowledge of science at all will see that it is the only possible explanation.

 

[Inky Pete]

Even filling the whole system with steam and then completely condensing it to produce a perfect vacuum inside will only produce a pressure difference between the inside and outside of the system of 1 atmosphere, or 1 bar.

Since a central heating system in normal operation will be containing well more than twice that pressure difference when hot - without leaking or buckling the radiators, and with a fair old safety margin designed into the rad - then I can't see a one bar pressure difference imploding a rad.

 

[Nige F]

.

On viewing the home I noticed the radiators were slightly buckled inwards with a couple actually having cracked.
n?

Buckled inwards by last owner giving them a Glasgow Kiss goodbye