Hi. Have a fairly large house, 13 rads. Gasoil boiler. Heating used to be ok many years ago, but boiler broke down a while back, couldn't afford to get it fixed so had no heating for about three months during a really really cold snap. Couldn't have happened at a worse time really, because it seems having a freezing cold damp house for three months caused an awful lot of problems we've now got (constant damp, mold problems etc.).
While I'm getting on top of those issues the central heating has never been right since I got the boiler fixed.
First of all, when it's on, only some of the radiators seem to get hot. Others either only get slightly warm or they get hotish around the top but never warm up throughout (always cold at the bottom).
I've tried balancing the system following various guides. It made absolutely no difference at all. i wasn't even able to complete the balancing because I just wasn't seeing any clear differences in temperatures with any of the rads no matter what i did. And some of the rads don't even have lockshield valves on them (they're ancient rads though, probably put in when the CH was first done in the 70s).
The boiler is working fine now, is set up properly so it isn't that. I'm suspicious the pump isn't working anywhere as well as it should be (it's rather old now, I think it was put in about 15 years ago). it's on the max power settings. it is working I think, since when it's on you can hear it running if you put your ear to it, and in one room in particular where there are a few pipes it makes a clear resonating sound through the pipes.
What I'm not sure is if it's working enough to circulate the water properly.
Also air gets into the system somewhere but I cannot find any evidence of leaking. The first rad to get hot in the system always seems to be the one that fills up with air, none of the others have this problem. I was always having to bleed it until I got fed up and put an auto bleeder valve on it.
That rad incidentally always gets red hot throughout. I was going to empty the system, and fill it again, so I bought some rad cleaner off the shelf from B&Q. I don't think I had enough to be honest since when i bgot it home I realise the system was probably bigger than the one tub was meant for, but I couldn't think of anyway to put it into the system except into the expansion tank in the loft. So I did. It doesn't appear to have made any difference what so ever. I still need to empty the system but I'm thinking if I do that and the water runs clear and I still haven't solved the problem, wha next is there to do?
While I'm getting on top of those issues the central heating has never been right since I got the boiler fixed.
First of all, when it's on, only some of the radiators seem to get hot. Others either only get slightly warm or they get hotish around the top but never warm up throughout (always cold at the bottom).
I've tried balancing the system following various guides. It made absolutely no difference at all. i wasn't even able to complete the balancing because I just wasn't seeing any clear differences in temperatures with any of the rads no matter what i did. And some of the rads don't even have lockshield valves on them (they're ancient rads though, probably put in when the CH was first done in the 70s).
The boiler is working fine now, is set up properly so it isn't that. I'm suspicious the pump isn't working anywhere as well as it should be (it's rather old now, I think it was put in about 15 years ago). it's on the max power settings. it is working I think, since when it's on you can hear it running if you put your ear to it, and in one room in particular where there are a few pipes it makes a clear resonating sound through the pipes.
What I'm not sure is if it's working enough to circulate the water properly.
Also air gets into the system somewhere but I cannot find any evidence of leaking. The first rad to get hot in the system always seems to be the one that fills up with air, none of the others have this problem. I was always having to bleed it until I got fed up and put an auto bleeder valve on it.
That rad incidentally always gets red hot throughout. I was going to empty the system, and fill it again, so I bought some rad cleaner off the shelf from B&Q. I don't think I had enough to be honest since when i bgot it home I realise the system was probably bigger than the one tub was meant for, but I couldn't think of anyway to put it into the system except into the expansion tank in the loft. So I did. It doesn't appear to have made any difference what so ever. I still need to empty the system but I'm thinking if I do that and the water runs clear and I still haven't solved the problem, wha next is there to do?