Cold radiators - any advice please?

[koalabear]

Hi all.

I have a Worcester combi boiler supplying 10 radiators in a 3 bed house. when I moved in I had no heat, so I called a plumber out who serviced the boiler and replaced the gas valve, if I remember rightly. The house is 7 years old and as far as I know, so is the boiler.

Last winter, the rads in my living room did not get anywhere as hot as the rads elsewhere, and the plumber said it might be the balancing, but he didn't tackle this problem.

This year, 4 rads downstairs - 2 in lounge, 1 in hall and 1 in wc have this problem. The 2 in the lounge are now cold. (Yet the dining room is hot!) If I turn off the rads upstairs, it does not change the situation downstairs.

I'm just scaring myself looking online, that there must be a blockage, and that I'm going to have to pay hundreds for a power flush to sort this out.

Any advice please?
Thank you.

 

[koalabear]

By the way, the boiler seems fine, no nasty noises or anything.

 

[Return to the Shed]

try bleeding the radiators downstairs.. a key will cost £1 ish.

do they each have their own temperature setting? adjust these to suit.

also look at the valve on the opposite side. you need to alter this to do the balancing, a simple search through google will show you how to do this. if that doesn't work... let us know.

 

[Durgo]

I agree. Also, TRVs can stick shut/half open and require the pin pulling up manualy and some WD40....

 

[bengasman]

Which model is it, Worcester make more than one?

 

[clf-gas]

Which model is it, Worcester make more than one?

and the model will tell you

TRVs can stick shut/half open and require the pin pulling up manualy and some WD40....

Possible, though a 7 year old system may not have TRVs unless upgraded.

More than likely an untreated system with muck blocking the lockshields.

I'm just scaring myself looking online, that there must be a blockage, and that I'm going to have to pay hundreds for a power flush to sort this out.

Buy yourself a system cleaner (Fernox/Sentinel) follow the instructions, Flush with mains, Flush and flush again, add inhibitor/protector,fill and bleed, sit back and reap the rewards

Look on here for more info on mains flushing

 

[bengasman]

Which model is it, Worcester make more than one?

and the model will tell you

Would not be the first time I am called for a boiler problem and find a waterheater. My mate went out the other day to check a `waterheater` and found a combi with no rads. Those RGIs are not what they used to be. When I were young……

 

[clf-gas]

Which model is it, Worcester make more than one?

and the model will tell you

Would not be the first time I am called for a boiler problem and find a waterheater. My mate went out the other day to check a `waterheater` and found a combi with no rads. Those RGIs are not what they used to be. When I were young……

OK yeah point taken, though most know what a combi is

 

[Durgo]

CLF - I agree blockage is most likely - Thats the obvious assumption with cold downstairs rads when you know its a circulation problem. The o/p is dreading that so we were just giving him things to eliminate that could be responsible and save him agro.
I been to numerous properties for landlords and seen, TRVs, slow pumps (wrong speed selected), air all cause this problem.
Not argueing with you - just clarifying my position

 

[koalabear]

A waterheater? Are you kidding?!!!!

It's a Worcester24cdi. It's a combi boiler which provides hot water for... hot water and central heating ie. radiators.

Didn't know I needed to explain that!!!

Thanks for the advice from you others, much appreciated.

 

[Nige F]

I agree. Also, TRVs can stick shut/half open and require the pin ***pulling up**** manualy and some WD40....

argh push down or it`ll pop right out and be buggered

 

[Durgo]

I agree. Also, TRVs can stick shut/half open and require the pin ***pulling up**** manualy and some WD40....

argh push down or it`ll pop right out and be b*****r

Push it down? when its already stuck down? what are you talking about?

If the valve is stuck shut, its because the pin is stuck in/down keeping the valve shut and radiator cold. This can happen after a summer when some radiators were turned off and seized in that position over the months before winter. When the valve is operated, the top part that pushes the pin in to close the valve lifts off the pin but the pin remains down - until pulled up (finger force is sometimes sufficient other times grips help.)