Having to bleed rad frequently?

[trenchfoot]

Hello,I'm looking for advice on why I have to bleed one of the rads in my house quite frequently,also noticed today on returning to the house a small leak from the overflow pipe that is connected to the plastic water tank in the loft.Is it likely the two things are connected?Many thanks.

Trenchfoot [/b]

 

[dextrous]

The tank in the loft - are you talking about the small Feed and Expansion tank? However, I can't see that this has any effect on the radiator.

Whereabout is the radiator (highest one in the system?

 

[jackthom]

Is that leak actually water coming out of the end of the vent pipe, which curves over the top of the tank?

 

[kevplumb]

system is

 

[trenchfoot]

Just getting to grips with the posting etc on here,sorry for any confusion.
The water drips are coming from the overflow pipe which comes out of the wall high up on the side of the house.I had a look at the tank above the hot water cylinder in the cupboard and the levels on that are ok,no overfill there.Had the lid off the toilet to check that,no overfill there.As there are only 3 overflow pipes on the side of the house I guessed the overflow had to be coming from the black plastic square tank in the loft.Sure enough the level was at the overflow hole and obviously just seeping into it causing the leak.I only recently purchased the property so I'm still picking up on things and diy etc is not my strong point.Getting properly into the loft is not easy for me at the moment although I could get up enough to see the level of water.Should there be a lid on the tank?The radiator is a reletively small single in the smallest bedroom upstairs in the house.The system is a Baxi Bermuda,my next door neighbour told me it was installed between 3 and 4 years ago. Thanks.

Trenchfoot

 

[jackthom]

Is the ballcock riding high on top of the water in the overflowing tank or has it been submerged.

If it's below the water and the tank is still filling it may need a new valve.
If its just closing too late you may be able to bend the arm downwards so the valve closes at a lower water level.



The air in the radiator won't be connected with this and is most likely happening because there's not enough (or maybe no) inhibitor in the CH system water.

 

[trenchfoot]

Thanks for that advice jackthom.

Haven't a clue what an inhibitor is but the problem has only recently started with the radiator.I moved into the house late July but I've only just started bleeding the rad on a 10 day frequency, (approximately).

What exactly does the water tank in the loft get used for.The one above the hot water cylinder is for water,taps and toilet but I'm guessing the tank in the loft is connected to the heating system??

Trenchfoot.

 

[dextrous]

Is the ballcock riding high on top of the water in the overflowing tank or has it been submerged.

If it's below the water and the tank is still filling it may need a new valve.
If its just closing too late you may be able to bend the arm downwards so the valve closes at a lower water level.

Or maybe the ball itself has failed.

 

[dextrous]

Thanks for that advice jackthom.

Haven't a clue what an inhibitor is but the problem has only recently started with the radiator.I moved into the house late July but I've only just started bleeding the rad on a 10 day frequency, (approximately).

What exactly does the water tank in the loft get used for.The one above the hot water cylinder is for water,taps and toilet but I'm guessing the tank in the loft is connected to the heating system??

Trenchfoot.

Correct - it keeps the heating system (radiators) full and allows for water expanding when it gets heated up. That's why it's called the Feed and Expansion tank.

Inhibitor is a chemical which is added to the water that runs around the heating circuit to prevent it becoming sludged up - mostly from rust from the insides of the radiators. If there is insufficient inhibitor in the system, then the water will react with the metals that it flows through to create gases which sometimes accumulate at the top of radiators and thus need bleeding.

 

[trenchfoot]

That makes sense Dextrous,thank you.

What would be the best way to rectify the problem? Obviously it sounds like inhibitor is needed,how do I go about the proccess of re-inhibiting?
One thing I forgot to mention is that I have removed, (not me but someone I know), a medium sized radiator from the kitchen,this is only temporary while the walls are being skimmed and a decission is made on where to put a gas cooker.Could this have caused any problems with the rad upstairs,I think I have bled the upstairs rad in question twice since?

Thanks.

Trenchfoot.

 

[dextrous]

Once you've rectified the water overflowing problem and all seems OK, then you should tie the ball up and drain the system. Then add some desludging chemical to the small (FE) tank in the loft and refill it. Run the system for a couple of weeks as normal and flush it through by opening the drainoff valve until the water runs clear. It's worth doing this to try to clear out the system as best you can.

Then drain down once more, clean out the FE tank with a cloth and add inhibitor before refilling the system.

While the downstiars rad is off, take it into the garden and run a hose through it until it is clean. You'll get an idea of how much much gets accumulated then.

 

[trenchfoot]

Cheers Dextrous, much appreciated.Would taking the radiator in question (bedroom) off and running a hose through it make the job easier?Could it just be crud in that particular radiator?No doubt if one is affected it wont be long before others are the same,but would it correct things in the short term?Also if the bedroom rad is really crudded,is trying to run the crud through the whole system ok?


Trenchfoot.

 

[dextrous]

Cheers Dextrous, much appreciated.Would taking the radiator in question (bedroom) off and running a hose through it make the job easier?Could it just be crud in that particular radiator?No doubt if one is affected it wont be long before others are the same,but would it correct things in the short term?Also if the bedroom rad is really crudded,is trying to run the crud through the whole system ok?


Trenchfoot.

No harm in trying just the one radiator.

Draining a system and flushing it through using desludging chemicals is tried and trusted I've yet to hear of it creating problems to be honest. Suppose it's worth trying a minimalist disruption process first though.

 

[trenchfoot]

Thanks for all the help,would have been struggling otherwise.

All The Best.


Trenchfoot.

 

[twgas]

I beleive your two problems could well be related.
You may be getting pump-over, which brings air into the system and as it sucks on the water inf&e tank the ball valve drops a little and lets some water in then when the pump stops the water level is higher than it should be, hence the overflow problem.