bleeding a radiatior

[jamborta]

dear all,

I moved to a house where I can't have an access to the boiler, so I can't really check how it works. I have a problem that in my flat the radiator only gets warm at the bottom. So I tried to bleed it, but after a while the air stopped coming out, if I repeat it 30 min later some more air comes out, but it stops again. I can also hear some bubbly noise as the water is flowing in the radiator in the meantime. I repeated this bleeding a couple of times in the last two days, but after a little bit air comes out there is nothing else and it still does not get warm properly. any idea what I could do with it?

thanks,
Tom

 

[kevplumb]

depends on what system is installed

why no acess to boiler

 

[jamborta]

it's an old house divided into flats, and the boiler is locked, so people in the house can't put it on whenever they want...

 

[kevplumb]

methinks time to have a word with the landlord

 

[jamborta]

do you think if I just keep doing this bleeding, it won't solve the problem?

 

[kevplumb]

no

 

[JohnD]

you say air stops coming out. Do you mean water then comes out, or nothing?

are you on the top floor?

can you access the loft?

 

[jamborta]

the air stops coming out and nothing after. yes, i'm on the top floor.
no access to the loft either.

 

[JohnD]

it sounds like the system is short of water

Most likely it is an open-vented system with a Feed & Expansion tank in the loft, and either this is dry because the float valve has seized, or there is sediment blocking the pipe that should allow water to top-up the system.

As you are on the top floor, there is not enough water to fill your radiators. Eventually the radiators on the next floor down will go dry, and the hot-water cylinder, and the whole thing will stop working once the dry section reaches the pump (which might be by the boiler or by the hot-water cylinder.

The sooner you notify the landlord the better.

If he refuses to co-operate there are a few things yoiu could do, but they involve DIY plumbing and you might cause damage.