Central Heating not working

[martwall]

Hi

On Sunday evening my radiators stopped working downstairs.

I checked the small header tank in the loft to make sure that it had water in, it had.

I bled the radiators, starting upstairs and moving gradually downstairs.

I had little success. The downstarir rads got lukewarm and then went cold again.

I uncoupled the downstairs rads, took them outside and flushed each (3) of them until the water coming out was clear, then bought some sludge remover and put it in the tank.

I bled the radiators but only the upstairs ones retained their heat.

On monday I bled the radiators thoroughly, shutting off all but the first until the water was piping hot until moving to the next one where I;d open that radiator.

Now, none of the radiators, including the first one stays warm for longer than ten minutes.

I recently had a towel rail style radiator fitted in the bathroom, but the heating was ok post-installation.

We called for plumbing assistance, but they won't be coming until friday evening, have you any suggestions, as it's murder at night, especially for the kids.

The water heater is fine, the water to the first radiator is hot, I bled it earlier today for about 15 mins before capping it again. Shortly after the rad was getting colder.
All other rads are turned off.

It is a gravity system, not a pump.Any help will be gratefully received.

 

[martwall]

Is it likely to be an airlock?

I have bled and bled the first radiator and it does intermittantly sound as though there could be air coming out though minutes between each occurrence.

On the boiler there is a tap like valve on the bottom, with what looks like a hose attachment.

Would it be worth draining some water from there into the sink or would the air be likely to come from the top of the tank?

Any suggestions welcome.

Thank you

 

[martwall]

I have just remembered something else.

The spare bedroom radiator was removed approximately two months ago.

It was just closed each end and the radiator taken off.

There was also a new radiator put in the living room a couple of weeks ago, could this have contributed to the problem? it was slightly smaller than its predecessor.

 

[compheat]

It could be a number of things thats causing you greef!! Is your boiler a combi. If not have you checked the pump is working ok. The upstairs rads could be working on gravity. Is your hot water ok.

 

[MANDATE]

Are you absolutlely certain there is no pump. or is it that you have not located a pump.? pumps do get hidden!
Just a thought.

 

[martwall]

Hi

Called a guy out the other day and he got out a hammer, smahed the tiled flooring and found the pump, of which we were told there were none by two plumbingh "experts".

He found a pump immediately and the wiring had gone on it.

As it was a 30 year old Grundfos he replaced it with a new one and came back the following day with a new pump.

It's like toast on our house now.

Was a bit concerned when the old hammer came out though.

Thanks for your help, we did indeed have a concealed pump, the previous owners of our house were not aware.

Mart