Circulation problem - and my plumber is desperate!

[doitall]

Whatever the guy is it ain't a plumber.

I mean come on the time he's been there he could have repiped the whole house.

 

[JohnD]

Perhaps paulhodson has a very attractive daughter or wife?

 

[paulhodson]

Perhaps paulhodson has a very attractive daughter or wife?

Damn that's it - it's the wife

Thanks -first smile I have had fior a week

To clear up for others - no-one has ever touched the system other than professional plumbers - no DIY, or anybody else.

Glad the topic has provided some entertainment value although sadly I can't share in it the amusement.

I still cannot understand why pressurising it cured all ills and reverting to open vented put me back in a mess - love to know the answer to that unless it was simply coincidence. - which seems unlikely.

And I still want to know - how do you find a competent engineer???

 

[holty]

look in yellow pages maybe for a registered plumber with the IPHE or try there website

 

[tryitandsee]

The flow has found the route of least resistance, sludging up over time in the area with poor circulation, air pockets a plenty. Sounds like a good balancing act is required, forcing the water to flow to parts it doesn't want to reach, good flush through with mains pressure water i.e. end of hose pipe connected to pipe work where it was noticeably cold, give it a good blast, the wife looking at the drain off point to watch for sludge and air pockets bubbling out.

I suspect the pipe work has U bends and all sorts of obsticals causing the problem.

When the system is drained down again (in your case this would seem quite a lot) it wouldn't be to difficult to then blast the pipework as I said above when you take off a radiator. It's time to get physical. Don't give up until you are sure the water is flowing freely to all rads and pipework. There, something to do for the weekend.

Perhaps it is more exciting than writing this on a Friday night, past twelve.
Good luck.

 

[paulhodson]

When the system is drained down again (in your case this would seem quite a lot) it wouldn't be to difficult to then blast the pipework as I said above when you take off a radiator. It's time to get physical. Don't give up until you are sure the water is flowing freely to all rads and pipework. There, something to do for the weekend.

Perhaps it is more exciting than writing this on a Friday night, past twelve.
Good luck.

Well - I'm up at 6:30 unable to sleep! Would not be me doing it - but as it happens the plumber has tried this - but even when he has got it going again it stops - the theory being it is dragging in more air. I cannot understand why - but it seems to be connected with having an open vented system as the sealing of the system did cure it and it ran happily like that (if unsafely as it turned out) for a day or do.

I will try and get a competent guy to look at it next week - problem is time pressures with a house sale pending and repiping could cause thousands of pounds worth of damage to recently tiled floors - which have had thick subfloors fitted over them (plus electric hesting) which might mean removal of the new bathroom and cloakroom equipment, furniture etc. This is not an attractive prospecr so any alternatives would be more attractive even if this meant fitting a new boiler and converting to a sealed system.

Thanks for the suggestion

 

[paulhodson]

look in yellow pages maybe for a registered plumber with the IPHE or try there website

There is only one in the area - but I will try him next week. Thanks.

 

[ChrisR]

Pressurising the system
1)
stops micro leaks which can let air in on input side of pump
2)
compresses any air in the system


I suggest as others have you get the boiler/pump/valve area replumbed, in copper with soldered joints.

You never know where there's a blockage , these are pump valves.

ALso check there's no bypass you don't know about. Turn off all the rads and put the ch only on, from cold. The return pipe should NOT get hot. Recently found a bypass under a floor which nobody had too many ideas about, stopping the pump circulating round the system. Not a run-of-the-mill test - but your problem is worth lateral thought!

 

[paulhodson]

Ay 3:00 pm Friday the heating engineer/plumber declared that he had no more time to spare, saddled up his horse and rode off into the sunset.

Not sure whether to be sad, angry or relieved!

Anyway heating is still worse than when he came.

I have though managed to contact a Registered Plumber through the iphe website - just in the process of retiring so certainly experienced. Thanks for the suggestion "holty"

He is due Monday - will update all who care when I have more news. Thanks for the various suggestions - all/most of which have been or no doubt will be tried over the the day or so.

 

[DP]

I have only looked at page one so far. I would suggest you look at the pipe where it goes from larger to smaller bore.

Also look at the tee right of vent. for blockage.

 

[paulhodson]

I have only looked at page one so far. I would suggest you look at the pipe where it goes from larger to smaller bore.

Also look at the tee right of vent. for blockage.

Yes - this probably supports that theory

worth reading the rest of the sorry tale so far though (and it is all true)

 

[doitall]

If you look at your last photo the problem is stairing you in the face

You have no cold feed

The pipe sticking up with the air valve on the top should be connected to the header tank.

 

[corgiman]

prollie combined one DIA

 

[doitall]

It is a combined one cm, However if the pipe mark slightly magnetic is blocked, scale or sludge then it will not work.

Best to simply renew the primary flow from the boiler.

 

[paulhodson]

It is a combined one cm, However if the pipe mark slightly magnetic is blocked, scale or sludge then it will not work.

Best to simply renew the primary flow from the boiler.

If I could easily - I would (and may of course have to). But it travels down inside some boxing into the cloakroom, through recently expensively fitted furniture, under a recently fitted tiled floor (tiles no longer available either) and will be a pig of a job unless I (or rather the engineer) can find an alternative route. Might be possible to take it across landing under another bedroom floor, down through what would have to be a newly constructed box and into the garage. This would mean crossing all the ceiling joists though and I am not sure how difficult this will be.