Had a problem with three faulty TRVs. Managed to get two working again. Tried repairing the third but couldn't disconnect it from radiator. After a lot of twisting and banging, the pipe is now weeping where it's connected to the TRV. Is it advisable to attempt repairing pipe, and if so, how? Or would a better option be to replace TRV?
Ideally I'd like to upgrade the whole ch system. It's an eighteen-years-old glow-worm boiler, vented gravity system, which I feel is long past its sell-by-date. Contacted some plumbers and was quoted three grand for a complete refit (Baxi 105HE running eight rads), including repositioning boiler and ripping out old system. I wanted to put it off untill the autumn because of financial reasons, but with TRVs recently packing in, the potential for other worn out parts playing up, leaking pipe, and the inconvenience of being unable to heat the water without heating the house througout the summer, perhaps it would be better to opt for the refit.
I've been thinking hard about how to bring the cost down on the refit option, such as buying boiler, attaching rads myself or keeping old ones and keeping all the old microbore piping in place. I'm not sure if this is a good plan though. Because I gather plumbers want the satisfaction of fitting self bought materials they know are going to be reliable, or is that just extravegant trust! Secondly, microbore piping appears to be unpopular in most of the threads I've read on this forum. Lastly, I'm not sure I would be financially much better-off. Also, one plumber mentioned that if you get any muck from the old pipes/rads into the new boiler it could cause damage.
So, If I do decide to go with the refit option should I get it completed before dry walling my kitchen, which I'm also planning to get done in the near future?
Ideally I'd like to upgrade the whole ch system. It's an eighteen-years-old glow-worm boiler, vented gravity system, which I feel is long past its sell-by-date. Contacted some plumbers and was quoted three grand for a complete refit (Baxi 105HE running eight rads), including repositioning boiler and ripping out old system. I wanted to put it off untill the autumn because of financial reasons, but with TRVs recently packing in, the potential for other worn out parts playing up, leaking pipe, and the inconvenience of being unable to heat the water without heating the house througout the summer, perhaps it would be better to opt for the refit.
I've been thinking hard about how to bring the cost down on the refit option, such as buying boiler, attaching rads myself or keeping old ones and keeping all the old microbore piping in place. I'm not sure if this is a good plan though. Because I gather plumbers want the satisfaction of fitting self bought materials they know are going to be reliable, or is that just extravegant trust! Secondly, microbore piping appears to be unpopular in most of the threads I've read on this forum. Lastly, I'm not sure I would be financially much better-off. Also, one plumber mentioned that if you get any muck from the old pipes/rads into the new boiler it could cause damage.
So, If I do decide to go with the refit option should I get it completed before dry walling my kitchen, which I'm also planning to get done in the near future?
