CH advice needed 2 problems in 1?

[JazzyJ]

Hi there guys, I'm really hoping someone can help me out.

It's just after Xmas, the car needed taxing and work done, it was my daughters birthday on Sunday and now I have heating issues.

I'm hoping someone can help me fix this issue myself as I'm strapped for cash. I know my way around a workshop but I've not done much plumbing before so I could do with a hand.

I thought I'd fixed my issue by reading this forum but now I'm not do sure and think I may actually have 2 problems and not the initial 1 issue to deal with.

The problems started one morning at 5am when a sound like a drunk bugler was coming from my airing cupboard. I've got a megaflo cylinder fitted with an expansion tank and potterton boiler downstairs in the kitchen.

On looking at the cylinder it was obvious there was a leak from the cold water combination valve. It wasn't much, just a drip, but frequent enough to dampen the floorboard underneath it. The tundish was dry.

I looked online and found on this forum people mentioning removing the cold water combination valve and cleaning out the filter inside etc. I've lived in this house for nearly 3 years and it's only come apparent that you should recharge the air gap in the cylinder every year.... oops. So I thought while I was recharging the cylinder I'd have the leaky valve off for a clean. So I did all that and touch wood the leak from the cold water combi valve has stopped. The only thing to mention here is that when I recharged the air gap I accidentally turned the wrong valve (turn valve and hear the gurgling noise etc?) but as soon as I realised I'd got the wrong valve open I released it and carried on correctly.

Anyway, that seemed to sort it and no noisy pipes the next day.

The day after that the noise came back. It's sounding like air in the pipe right where a motorised valve is (honeywell 272848 unit).

I then came back on here to find out the expansion tank on my cylinder, as it's red, is for the heating and not hot water and the pressure gauge should read about 1.5bar for a 3 story house (which is what my house is). The gauge is reading 0.2, the highest I've seen it is 0.5 and I've even seen it bottom out at 0bar.

So it seems I've got a leak somewhere. After inspecting the rads I found the one in the downstairs loo on ground floor is wet on the nut on the top right of the rad.

So here's the questions;

1) could this be 2 separate issues or could they be related?

2) could a small drip so small that water evaporates before you notice it gradually leak most of the system dry?

3) when the heating comes on the rad in the en suite on top floor gurgles A LOT, indicating loads of air inside, do I try bleeding this first?

4) how do I fix it, is it legal for me to fix it and if not what needs doing and how much should it cost roughly?

Like I said earlier, I'm skint and need this sorting. I'm willing to try doing it myself but if I need a plumber I don't wanna get mugged off for a 5 min job I coulda done myself.

Any help, thoughts or suggestions would be really great.

Cheers for your time in reading all that by the way, bit long winded but at least you get the full picture.

J

 

[JazzyJ]

In addition to the above, here's some pics to help out.

This is the offending rad, the leak is on the top right bolt, it's not a dripping leak, but the fitting is wet to the touch. I'm pretty sure it's not condensation.



This is the cylinder on top floor, as you can see the gauge is reading jaff all.



And this shows the valves on the cylinder. I accidentally opened the valve directly below the cold water combination valve when I should have opened the one directly attached to the cylinder.




I'm guessing (and I really don't know plumbing) that the leak needs to be isolated at the leaky rad (if I have to permanently isolate it I don't care as we seldom use the downstairs loo) then refill and bleed the CH system?

If this is the case then simple question; how?

 

[dcawkwell]

You need to top up the central heating. It hasn't got enough water in.

Connect the valve at the big red expansion vessel to the valve that is just below it. There will be a filling loop pipe somewhere.

 

[JazzyJ]

That'd be the braided hose laying on top of the cylinder?

Any bleeding need doing afterwards?

 

[dcawkwell]

That'd be the braided hose laying on top of the cylinder?

Any bleeding need doing afterwards?

Top it up to 1.5 bar and go around the radiators.
Then repeat should be sorted.

 

[JazzyJ]

Nice one I'll give that a try later on

 

[JazzyJ]

Well I've been and topped up the system, didn't need much but quite a bit of gurgling and bubbling noises coming from the expansion tank during the top up.

I decided to er on the side of caution and take the pressure up to 1.2bar.

I then went round and bled all the rads starting at the bottom with the leaky rad and worked my way back upstairs.

All the rads dripped clear water except for 2 on the middle floor which bled black water. Only the rad in the en suite on too floor bled air, and there was quite a bit, not just a hiss then water, but a long hiss eventually followed by clear drips.

I've ran the heating and hot water for an hour an not heard anything.... yet.

I guess time will tell and only at 5am will the fix prove itself.

However, the bottom loo rad IS leaking and it will need sorting soon.

How easy is it to fix this leak or change the whole rad? Is it getting to the point where a plumber is now the only safe option?

 

[dcawkwell]

Well I've been and topped up the system, didn't need much but quite a bit of gurgling and bubbling noises coming from the expansion tank during the top up.

I decided to er on the side of caution and take the pressure up to 1.2bar.

I then went round and bled all the rads starting at the bottom with the leaky rad and worked my way back upstairs.

All the rads dripped clear water except for 2 on the middle floor which bled black water. Only the rad in the en suite on too floor bled air, and there was quite a bit, not just a hiss then water, but a long hiss eventually followed by clear drips.

I've ran the heating and hot water for an hour an not heard anything.... yet.

I guess time will tell and only at 5am will the fix prove itself.

However, the bottom loo rad IS leaking and it will need sorting soon.

How easy is it to fix this leak or change the whole rad? Is it getting to the point where a plumber is now the only safe option?

If the radiator itself is leaking and it is a modern metric size. Easy job. Close both radiator valve and drain the radiator. Swap it over. Job done.