Cold radiator pipes

[zuber ali]

Hi all,

I have a radiator in my house which one day decided to go dead cold and I haven't been able resolve for years.

I've now resulted to lifting the floor boards to try to resolve. The pipe branch leading to the radiator is also cold. There is a isolation valve fitted in a extremely awkward position on this branch which is in such a position I can't see whether it is open to allow flow to the radiator.

My question is, assuming the valve is closed should the pipework leading up to the valve stay warm.

If it should stay warm, this indicates the problem is further down the line, or is it a case that the entire branch before the valve can go cold by isolating.

Thanks for any help

 

[CBW]

Isolation valves of the ballofix type shouldn’t be fitted on a heating system. Could be closed, could have a small blockage at that point. Regards being warm/hot, it would depend on the length of run.

 

[dilalio]

Isolation valves shouldn’t be fitted on a heating system

Well... Not ballofixes any way.

 

[CBW]

Well... Not ballofixes any way.

Fixed it

 

[zuber ali]

Isolation valves of the ballofix type shouldn’t be fitted on a heating system. Could be closed, could have a small blockage at that point. Regards being warm/hot, it would depend on the length of run.

interesting, just curious as to what the issue is with having a ballofix valve on a rad system. the run is approx 3m from the main branch, would you expect this to be cold at this length?

regards

 

[dilalio]

They leak like old men and restrict flow.

 

[zuber ali]

They leak like old men and restrict flow.

ah i see thanks. they are not leaking, but they are not full bore so i imagine they could be restricting the flow, although this rad did used to work completely fine before so im not sure if this will be the problem. can the vales get blocked with crud over the years?

i also noticed one the cowboy who must have fitted it has left one of the valves is not fully open (about 80 percent open i would guess) although its completely jammed so i cant open it any further. would this be enough to completely restrict the flow of water?