2 slow heat up downstairs radiators

[coralbead]

It is my first time here to ask for an advice and I should have posted it ages ago. There may be a problem of my downstairs radiators in the hall and the sitting room. They seem to take a lot longer to heat up than the rest of the radiators in the house.

Prior this happens, all the radiators in the house heat up very quickly and work as normal. However, during last Christmas, there was pump over problem in the F&E tank in the loft. I was not too sure what caused the pump over but eventually my local plumber advised me to turn down the pump setting from the normal level 2 to level 1. This stopped the pump over problem. The local plumber suspected that I have the pump over problem for a while without realising it.

During the cold spell I noticed that the these two radiators were taking some time to heat up. They are hot at the top of the radiator to begin with and eventually works to the bottom of the radiators about an hour later whereas the radiators in the rest of the house are piping hot. There is no air in the radiators. The valves are the normal control and lockshield type. Both radiators are less than 3 years old.

Can anyone offer an explanation or solution?

A bit of history:
The heating system is used to be Gravity Feed with the boiler on the floor but the last owner installed the current boiler on the kitchen wall with a pump fitted above the boiler. The pump is Grundfos Selectric; the boiler is Potterton NetaHeat Electric 10-16, both are over 15 years old. The property is an average 3 ups 2 downs.

 

[Agile]

This is a typical situation of a blinkered or turn your back approach. Perhaps the plumber sensed that you did not want to pay to fix it properly or perhaps he was just too busy?

If its pumping over then its usually sludged up or there is a blockage. Turning the pump down does nothing to remove the blockage.

Turning the pump down gives less flow and results in the rads taking longer to heat up.

I suppose you will prefer the no cost solution which does not address the real problem. Turn down the hottest rads upstairs and that will put more flow through the ones downstairs.

To deal with it properly the system needs to be cleaned and power flushing ( about £300 ) is the best way to do that, a conscious operator will give you a guarantee. The alternative is chemical treatment but thats really a poor second choice but it might stop it pumping over.

You have to realise that pumping over is like running your car with flat tyres, it very quickly ruins them. The oxygen radidly rusts the inside of the rads and that greatly increases the amount of sludge. The downstairs rads are probably already quite badly sludged up.

Tony Glazier

 

[coralbead]

Hi Tony,

Thanks very much for the very informative reply. Much appreciated indeed.

I think I do realise that by turning down the setting level it would decrease the flow rate but the extent of which the sludge build up I had not envisage. No doubt sooner or later the lower half of the radiators will not be heated at all!

It sounds like a power flushing action is needed. At least, with milder weather I can afford stop using the systems for a few days!

Do you or if anyone could recommend a reputable operator?

Coralbead

 

[Agile]

Probably not, but it would help if you say where you are living.

Hampshire is a big county from east to west!

Tony

 

[coralbead]

Hi Tony,

Yes, you are right, I should have mentioned my location. Farnborough is the town, postcode GU14. If you do happen to know an operator within the area or may be a bit further away who could the task I am most grateful.

Many thanks
Coralbead