2 Upstairs Radiators Not Working.... :-( sooooo cold!!!!

[ambient]

Hi everyone,

Since I moved in there has always been 1 radiator in a spare room upstairs that has never worked. Its competely stone cold and the pipes are cold too. I've lived with that since its only a spare room but now another radiator in the main bedroom has started to do exactly the same thing. It never heats up and both pipes are cold. The rest of the radiators in the house work perfectly. Is it more likely to be an air lock that is causing the problem or a sludge blockage???

So far to rectify the problem I have (in order)...

- Bled all the radiators

- Tried switching off all the working radiators to increase pressure to the non working radiators and hopefully flush through blockage/air lock??

- Added some Sentinel X400 Sludge Remover into the F&E tank in the loft

- Drained off some water from the central heating to ensure that the X400 has entered the heating circuit

- Again switched off all the working radiators to increase pressure and flow of X400 to the non working radiators

- Finally the last thing I've tried is bleeding the circulating pump, this has a bolt right in the middle which I've loosen but nothing seemed to come out (air or water). I switched off the heating before I did this so the pump wasn't on.


I had high hopes for the X400, its been in the system for over 3 days now but hasn't shifted the blockage. Any sugestions on what I can do next would be grately appreciated + whats going on with my pump???

Thank you in advance. PS: I'm not that brave in the DIY department, especially when waters involved!!!!

 

[Breesey]

When you bled the cold radiator did you get water out?

Are you sure that the valves are functioning properly on the two cold rads when you shut all the others down? Are they quite old?

What sort of system do you have?

 

[ambient]

Hi Breesey, I really appreciate your prompt reply...

When I bled the radiators (and I have just done them all again now) water does come out of all of them.

I don't know if the valves are working since I haven't adjusted them at all. How can I work out if they are working? The radiator in the main bedroom was working before but has all of a sudden stopped working.

The house was built in the 80's so they're not really old or anything but there are a couple of radiators they have obviously been replaced coz they're of a more modern looking design. The rad in the main bedroom is an old one, the rad in the spare room (which has never worked) is however one of the newer radiators.

Thanks again.

PS: I just read one suggestion saying switch off both valves on the non-working radiators and then open the bleed valve to remove all the pressure and then open the valves up again to see if any water enters. Is this worth a try?

 

[Breesey]

Do you have TRVs?

I assume you have an open vented system (F&E cistern in loft)?

 

[ambient]

Whats a TRV, some type of valve I assume?
EDIT: Worked out its a Thermostatic Radiator Valve. No I don't have these, all radiators are just manual handwheel and lockshied valve.
Yes its an open vented system.
Thanks

 

[bengasman]

Cleaner can take up to a month to work. compare the valve-BODIES on both sides of the rad. If they look the same, you should be able to turn them the same amount. Open and close both valves same amount of turns. Do not force if stuck, but replace

 

[ambient]

The valves at either end of all the radiators are exactly the same (I've never known which one is in and out!)

I assume you say "turn the same amount" to ensure the radiator stays balanced?

I keep reading about "balance" but when I switched off the radiators before I just turned one of the valves all the way off and to open it again I just turned it all the way open, could I have messed them up?

 

[ambient]

Hang on I lied... some of the raditors have a hand wheel (a drayton TRV 4) so the valves aren't the same at either end. The radiator in the bedroom has one of these.

 

[Breesey]

I assume you say "turn the same amount" to ensure the radiator stays balanced?

No, don't worry about balancing at the moment. If the valve has had it then it is likely to get stuck after, say, half a turn. Compare the valves on the cold rads with ones on a hot one.
As bengasman says, if the valves are stuck replace them.

How many rads have you got all together? It would probably be worth while to have them replaced with TRVs (except the one in the room with the room stat) and get the system cleaned out at the same time. Then you know where you stand.

 

[Breesey]

Hang on I lied... some of the raditors have a hand wheel (a drayton TRV 4) so the valves aren't the same at either end. The radiator in the bedroom has one of these.

maybe the TRV pin is stuck so no amount of turning will affect it. New one required!

 

[ambient]

But I haven't adjusted the valves on the non-working radiators so presumably if they'd seized they would have seized open??

 

[Breesey]

What happens (or doesn't happen) when all working rads are shut down?

 

[ambient]

This TRV 4 problem (which from searching on the web appears to be quite common) sounds like the culprit. Both the non-working radiators have a TRV 4.
Apparently the pin gets stuck inside over the summer when not in use which is exactly what happened to the radiator in the main bedroom.
I'll have a go at tapping the pin to see if I can release it as a few others have suggested otherwise I'll just have to replace the whole valve. Argh scary!

 

[ambient]

What happens (or doesn't happen) when all working rads are shut down?

Nothing there's no flow to the non-working radiators at all and the pipes remain cold.

 

[bengasman]

Take the head of the trv 4 by undoing the big chrome ring right beneath the plastic head. Try if you can push the pin in by holding a coin on top of it and push down firmly. Coin is only because pushing pin directly hurts. Is safer than using pliers.
Pin should move freely in and out. Just tried it on the ones I got here and guess no more than a couple of pounds pressure moves them in and out.
That leaves the valve on the other side. You should be able to turn at least 2 full turns. Can not say which way as I don’t know if it is open or shut. Leave open.
Close all other rads and see what happens