Hi all,
I have a query that may or may not be a major problem but I'd very much appreciate some expert advice to be sure.
I recently had my central heating boiler replaced. As it was previously an old gravity fed system it was also converted to fully pumped with the pump and electrics moved upstairs to the airing cupboard. Also had thermostatic values fitted to all rads except for bathrooms and hallway, where the wireless room thermostat is sited.
Some extra info :
• New boiler is a Potterton Promax HE Plus condensing boiler, fitted downstairs in kitchen (same site as old boiler)
• Boiler thermostat set to almost max
• Hot water tank stat set to 60 deg
• Motorised 2-way valves fitted on each of radiator and hot water circuits below pump in airing cupboard
• Pump speed on max (engineer said to leave this way)
• Gate valve in between motorised valve and hot water tank (turned about half way on/off)
• Heating system is microbore (house is late 70's build) with rad feed pipes under floorboards upstairs and in concrete floor downstairs
• 6 rads upstairs 5 downstairs
• System had full flush prior to new boiler install
First of all the good news. The effectiveness of both the central heating and the hot water is excellent. Certainly radiators are much hotter and heat up much more quickly than with the old system. All radiators get hot and there aren't any cold spots. Hot water also fine. So I have no complaints with this at all.
My query is with the noises, of which there a few which may or may not be related :
1. When the boiler fires upon timer coming on and request for heat from the radiators, there is what I can best describe as a gushing and gurgling of water from all around the pump area. Now I know the pump will obviously make a noise when it starts up but it seems to be all around the piping gurgling for quite probably 10 seconds. Can be quite loud. No banging just gurgling and glugging. Noticeably worse on initial morning start up from cold when the odd glugging sounds can go on for half hour or so. Eventually goes away once warmed up but also then gurgles, albeit less, when boiler kicks in again when further request for heat.
2. Trickling water sound down the radiator hot feed pipe from pump leading to downstairs radiators. Can get quite loud (like tap running). Only makes noise when downstairs rads are warming up (i.e. no noise until upstairs rads are hot and downstairs rads then get heat. No noise when heating switches off)
3. Water trickling sound coming from pipes going in/out boiler, again like a tap running slowly
I only get the sounds when the heating circuit is running (i.e. it's fine when just hot water cirtcuit)
So my obvious first thought was air in rad cirtcuit so bled all the rads. Which were fine. Tried isolating to a single rad and bleeding. No air all fine. Bled pump by loosening screw in centre, also fine. Also checked header tank in loft to make sure it had water and water was on. Fine again. I also tried different pump speed settings, no change.
So I called the company who fitted it, who have been helpful and came out to inspect right away. They checked various things but pretty much said its working fine and that the noises would eventually go away.
I guess my expectation was for a system that was quieter than the old one rather than noisier, but this isn't the case.
Any advice very much appreciated. Thanks!
I have a query that may or may not be a major problem but I'd very much appreciate some expert advice to be sure.
I recently had my central heating boiler replaced. As it was previously an old gravity fed system it was also converted to fully pumped with the pump and electrics moved upstairs to the airing cupboard. Also had thermostatic values fitted to all rads except for bathrooms and hallway, where the wireless room thermostat is sited.
Some extra info :
• New boiler is a Potterton Promax HE Plus condensing boiler, fitted downstairs in kitchen (same site as old boiler)
• Boiler thermostat set to almost max
• Hot water tank stat set to 60 deg
• Motorised 2-way valves fitted on each of radiator and hot water circuits below pump in airing cupboard
• Pump speed on max (engineer said to leave this way)
• Gate valve in between motorised valve and hot water tank (turned about half way on/off)
• Heating system is microbore (house is late 70's build) with rad feed pipes under floorboards upstairs and in concrete floor downstairs
• 6 rads upstairs 5 downstairs
• System had full flush prior to new boiler install
First of all the good news. The effectiveness of both the central heating and the hot water is excellent. Certainly radiators are much hotter and heat up much more quickly than with the old system. All radiators get hot and there aren't any cold spots. Hot water also fine. So I have no complaints with this at all.
My query is with the noises, of which there a few which may or may not be related :
1. When the boiler fires upon timer coming on and request for heat from the radiators, there is what I can best describe as a gushing and gurgling of water from all around the pump area. Now I know the pump will obviously make a noise when it starts up but it seems to be all around the piping gurgling for quite probably 10 seconds. Can be quite loud. No banging just gurgling and glugging. Noticeably worse on initial morning start up from cold when the odd glugging sounds can go on for half hour or so. Eventually goes away once warmed up but also then gurgles, albeit less, when boiler kicks in again when further request for heat.
2. Trickling water sound down the radiator hot feed pipe from pump leading to downstairs radiators. Can get quite loud (like tap running). Only makes noise when downstairs rads are warming up (i.e. no noise until upstairs rads are hot and downstairs rads then get heat. No noise when heating switches off)
3. Water trickling sound coming from pipes going in/out boiler, again like a tap running slowly
I only get the sounds when the heating circuit is running (i.e. it's fine when just hot water cirtcuit)
So my obvious first thought was air in rad cirtcuit so bled all the rads. Which were fine. Tried isolating to a single rad and bleeding. No air all fine. Bled pump by loosening screw in centre, also fine. Also checked header tank in loft to make sure it had water and water was on. Fine again. I also tried different pump speed settings, no change.
So I called the company who fitted it, who have been helpful and came out to inspect right away. They checked various things but pretty much said its working fine and that the noises would eventually go away.
I guess my expectation was for a system that was quieter than the old one rather than noisier, but this isn't the case.
Any advice very much appreciated. Thanks!
