CH advice needed lots of possible solutions...

[mickyg]

Blockage will be in the manifolds so either cut them out an clear them or try and rig up something so you can stick a hose on mains pressure onto rad valves this sometimes works.

what he said. you haven't done this, its good advice, you don't need any more.

 

[hoppaz]

Ok thanks for the help guys. The manifolds are likely to be under floorboards and I have laminate flooring down throughout so cutting them out is going to be a massive job.

I might try and connect mains directly on to the rads. Does anyone know what is the easiest and best way to connect directly on to the radiator valves?

There is a sink in the bathroom right next to the radiator which is small so easy to remove so I can pipe mains water in one valve and allow the waste to drain from the other valve if need be. I am just unsure which connectors would be best to use so I don't end up with floods of water.

 

[mogget]

I might try and connect mains directly on to the rads. Does anyone know what is the easiest and best way to connect directly on to the radiator valves?.

Here's how I'd do it

--> spare rad valve tail --> 1/2 inch female socket to 15mm compression adaptor --> short stub of 15mm tube --> hose and jubilee clip.

Hope that helps.

 

[hoppaz]

Thanks Mogget I got some bits from Screwfix last night and rigged it up like you said. I drained a few bowl fulls of water to avoid any overflow and took the bathroom radiator off and connected up to the blocked/restricted pipe.

After a good few back flushes (pumping the water back up the pipe then releasing it) I cleared out a lot of black water and black debris and I did this till the water ran clear.

I hooked the radiator back up and hey presto all is good with the bathroom one.

I need to get a long bit of pipe (20m plus) to rig up to the bedroom one which I will do at the weekend and hopefully this will sort the heating system once and for all. I will have a good drain at the weekend too and then add some inhibitor to prevent this from happening again.

I have just updated this thread for the benefit of other forum members who may have the same problem as the parts cost about £5 and it saved me a lot of heartache.

 

[JohnD]

if you have got the water circulating now, this would be a good time to add a litre of Sentinel X400 or similar sludge-loosener to help wash out some of the remaining stuff. You leave it circulating for 4 weeks for best effect before draining and rinsing.

It will loosen a surprising amount of sediment even after your plain-water flushes seem clean.

It will cost you £15

 

[hoppaz]

Hi JohnD I had already tried the x400 and even x800 route before I backflushed which got out a lot of crud anyway (and the backflush got rid of a lot of crud when the water flowed back out). I am not sure if another dose is needed?

 

[Agile]

Chemical will only have any effect if there is some circulation!

Mains pressure applied to a radiator will sometimes force some of the dirt back through the system.

Thats only only effective if you have two rad valves and can force it out of each one in turn.

Tony

 

[hoppaz]

Ok tonight I finished work early so thought what the heck I will try and sort the bedroom rad. Drained a bit of water out of system and turned off the stopcock to the expansion tank. I then turned off the valves to the rad before loosening the nut on the tail to the offending valve. After draining the it I proceeded to connect up a male garden hose connector (3/4" BSP) and then backflushed the valve when I opened it.

When a good flow of water started to come out freely I turned off the valve and connected radiator back up and re-filled. The water was not as dirty as previous but again lots of debris / bits came out when I backflushed and allowed the water to drain down the sink.

I opened the stopcock to re-fill the expansion tank and then put the heating back on.

I am pleased to say that every radiator is now heating up fine.

I have opened up all the valves to allow the new cleaner I put in to do its work over the next month.

Thanks for everyone's help I hope this thread will help others.