We've just moved into an 1930s block of flats with a central heating system. All rads are on full blast and cannot be turned down/off. The valves turn in both directions (on/off in theory) but the rads remain boiling at all times and the flat is unbearably hot. A bathroom installer has had a look and says that the rads simply cannot be turned off unless the whole system (80 flats) is drained -which we won't be allowed to do- and the individual rad valves replaced. Any ideas about what the exact problem may be and what we could do about it? Could the bottom part of the pipes be frozen and new valves fitted? Cheers.
Faulty Valves?
- Thread starter Wolfson
- Start date
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Perhaps you should get a second opinion from your postman, or the newsagent on the corner. Of course if you really get desperate you could try asking a heating engineer.[/quote]
Cheers for the suggestion but 'never assume anything': the person I've called 'bathroom installer' is actually a plumber which, of course, is not the same as a heating engineer. We're pretty broke and a couple of real heating engineers have quoted us £90 call-out charge. Hence why I asked for kind suggestions before going deeper into the red only to be told it's a no-brainer and there's nothing that can be done. As said, any other suggestions most welcome.
Cheers for the suggestion but 'never assume anything': the person I've called 'bathroom installer' is actually a plumber which, of course, is not the same as a heating engineer. We're pretty broke and a couple of real heating engineers have quoted us £90 call-out charge. Hence why I asked for kind suggestions before going deeper into the red only to be told it's a no-brainer and there's nothing that can be done. As said, any other suggestions most welcome.
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You need to know if there is any means of isolating the pipework to your flat. I'm not familiar with the type of system you describe, but I'd be surprised if there weren't isolating valves. Secondly, why can't the radiator valves be shut? this needs looking at in more detail.
Many thanks to both of you. The problem started because there are no isolating valves to the flat. Unbelievably enough we cannot even turn off the cold water in the bathroom and the pipes had to be frozen to remove the old sink! We don't know why the rad valves are not working: they do turn clockwise and anticlockwise all the way but this doesn't stop the hot water flowing through the radiator. Perhaps some internal bit died?
Is it possible to freeze the pipes when very hot water is going through them?
Thanks again.
Is it possible to freeze the pipes when very hot water is going through them?
Thanks again.
Wolfson said:
are you sure that you the rad is still hot an needs to cool down?
as for freezing them, unless you have a few hundred litres of liquid nitrogen or summit then you have no chance of freexzing them when hot and flowing. does the CH ever get switched off so there will be nothin flowing? you could freeze the main pipes then and fit valves
Cheers Bripl - caretaker/managing agent won't allow anyone into the plant room...(unless you submit a written proposal signed by a professional and then they get their own engineer to assess it for a price). 
No freezing then - I guess we bought in the wrong block. Thanks for trying though - much appreciated.
Andy - yes, we've tried and spent a few sleepless tropical nights already: the rads are so hot. The heating (except for the bathroom) will go off in late May (they say), so maybe the freezing can be done then. Thanks.
No freezing then - I guess we bought in the wrong block. Thanks for trying though - much appreciated.Andy - yes, we've tried and spent a few sleepless tropical nights already: the rads are so hot. The heating (except for the bathroom) will go off in late May (they say), so maybe the freezing can be done then. Thanks.
Sounds like an utterly ludicrous situation. Here are we fitting condensing boilers to conserve energy and there you are presumably having to keep windows open whilst the heating belts it out like there's no tomorrow.
Surely you can get your local environmental health department involved. They might be able to force the management company to behave responsibly. And shame them by exposure in the local press - it's a good story.
Remember you're going to have to pay your share of the fuel bill, to add insult to injury. In the meantime, try insulating the radiators - drape with towels, duvets, blankets, etc.
Surely you can get your local environmental health department involved. They might be able to force the management company to behave responsibly. And shame them by exposure in the local press - it's a good story.
Remember you're going to have to pay your share of the fuel bill, to add insult to injury. In the meantime, try insulating the radiators - drape with towels, duvets, blankets, etc.
FWIW most of the district heating systems i hahe worked on usually have a duct under the front door mat
BTW the valves dont work
BTW the valves dont work
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