Hello everybody,
Long time reader of the website, and now in need of some help, so thanks very much in advance for anybody that can help! I finally thought I was on top of my DIY, but my central heating system is playing up. And I have very limited knowledge of central heating systems.
I have a standard (?) indirect gas fired central heating system with hot water cylinder, a gas boiler feeding the hot water cylinder indirectly through a coil, or heating the radiators (controlled via a valve), a cold water storage tank and a hot water header tank. I think.
This morning my shower was quite cold, and my radiators wouldn't get hot. Turned out that the boiler was turning on for short periods and then switching off - I am guessing because of a lack of water in the system and nothing was flowing.
I tried to bleed the radiators, but no water or air came out. I went into the loft and the smaller of my two tanks (the header tank, right?) was empty. The isolation valve to fill it via a ball valve was closed, so I opened it and let it fill. The ball valve isn't working properly so this must have been shut off in the past (I got the house a year ago). Now firstly, am I right in thinking that this tank is just for expansion of the hot water circuit, and therefore it is not unreasonable for the valve to have been shut and it not have been a problem until now?
After the tank was filled, I went through all of the radiators and a bleed point on the pipework (above the valve) in my laundry cupboard and they all filled. The boiler started up and after continually bleeding the system radiator by radiator, it stayed on and everything was fine.
This was around 2pm, and then at 10 pm I tried to turn the radiators on and had the same problem, boiler wouldn't stay on and no air/water to bleed from the radiators and I found the header tank empty.
Now I know I need to replace the ball valve in the header tank as it is not working, but I also shouldn't be losing all of the water in this circuit, should I?
I have no visible signs of water leaks internally, and I haven't spotted anything outside of the house (but I am in Manchester so I am used to seeing wet ground!). Does anybody have any suggestions as to where my header tank water is going in such a short space of time, please!?
The only thing I could think of is that the hot water cylinder coil is leaking so all of my header tank water is going into the radiator circuit and then leaking into the cylinder and then taps? BUT, since 2 pm all I have done is washed my hands a few times, so if my theory falls down as I don't think I have used that much water.
I hate plumbing
All the best guys and girls and thanks very much in advance for any advice you may have.
Paul
Long time reader of the website, and now in need of some help, so thanks very much in advance for anybody that can help! I finally thought I was on top of my DIY, but my central heating system is playing up. And I have very limited knowledge of central heating systems.
I have a standard (?) indirect gas fired central heating system with hot water cylinder, a gas boiler feeding the hot water cylinder indirectly through a coil, or heating the radiators (controlled via a valve), a cold water storage tank and a hot water header tank. I think.
This morning my shower was quite cold, and my radiators wouldn't get hot. Turned out that the boiler was turning on for short periods and then switching off - I am guessing because of a lack of water in the system and nothing was flowing.
I tried to bleed the radiators, but no water or air came out. I went into the loft and the smaller of my two tanks (the header tank, right?) was empty. The isolation valve to fill it via a ball valve was closed, so I opened it and let it fill. The ball valve isn't working properly so this must have been shut off in the past (I got the house a year ago). Now firstly, am I right in thinking that this tank is just for expansion of the hot water circuit, and therefore it is not unreasonable for the valve to have been shut and it not have been a problem until now?
After the tank was filled, I went through all of the radiators and a bleed point on the pipework (above the valve) in my laundry cupboard and they all filled. The boiler started up and after continually bleeding the system radiator by radiator, it stayed on and everything was fine.
This was around 2pm, and then at 10 pm I tried to turn the radiators on and had the same problem, boiler wouldn't stay on and no air/water to bleed from the radiators and I found the header tank empty.
Now I know I need to replace the ball valve in the header tank as it is not working, but I also shouldn't be losing all of the water in this circuit, should I?
I have no visible signs of water leaks internally, and I haven't spotted anything outside of the house (but I am in Manchester so I am used to seeing wet ground!). Does anybody have any suggestions as to where my header tank water is going in such a short space of time, please!?
The only thing I could think of is that the hot water cylinder coil is leaking so all of my header tank water is going into the radiator circuit and then leaking into the cylinder and then taps? BUT, since 2 pm all I have done is washed my hands a few times, so if my theory falls down as I don't think I have used that much water.
I hate plumbing
All the best guys and girls and thanks very much in advance for any advice you may have.
Paul