Heating Flush

[NewhouseOldhouse]

Hi

I purchased a house couple of years ago and it has microbore plumbing to most of the rads with the connections at one end of the rad.

Some rads have been either added or upgraded to have the standard plumping pipes.

The boiler is possibly 20+ yrs old and i have noticed that it is taking longer to get heating up to a good level in all the rads.

I also have a back boiler open fire which mildly heats a few of the rads but doesn't really heat the water cylinder.

I contacted a plumber who advertises on facebook and gets excellent reviews on his central heating flushing jobs and he advised that he cannot flush a microbore system especially when the double connection to the rads are at one end of the rad.

I also asked his advice about the back boiler not really working correctly and he said system probably clogged up, thats why I asked about the power flush!!

I am a good DIYer have referbed bathrooms, kitchens but know absolutely no clue about plumbing do to with the heating.

Any advice would be great.

Thanks

 

[ianmcd]

the valves with both pipes at the same side are called twin entry valves, there is a small tube comes off the flow on the inside of the valve and carries the water to the opposite und of the valve, horribble things, but as nothing is really heating, more likely to be the pump, what is the boiler thermostat on the BBU set to ?

 

[NewhouseOldhouse]

the valves with both pipes at the same side are called twin entry valves, there is a small tube comes off the flow on the inside of the valve and carries the water to the opposite und of the valve, horribble things, but as nothing is really heating, more likely to be the pump, what is the boiler thermostat on the BBU set to ?

The boiler has to be on at least 1hr 1/2 to 2 hrs to really heat and thermostat is at 90C and boiler never knocks off at that temp.

If I turn the thermostat down to around 70C it will knock off when it reaches this temp.

the valves with both pipes at the same side are called twin entry valves, horribble things.

Whats best way to upgrade these? Installing new rads with entrys at either end?

 

[ianmcd]

Whats best way to upgrade these? Installing new rads with entrys at either end?

yes

I am not really covinced that your problem is sludge, check the F&E tank has water in and that the cold feed is not blocked, what controls do you have ? is it S plan, Y plan or gravity HW

 

[NewhouseOldhouse]

yes

I am not really covinced that your problem is sludge, check the F&E tank has water in and that the cold feed is not blocked, what controls do you have ? is it S plan, Y plan or gravity HW

Its gravity HW as cold water tank in loft above hot water cylinder. If the cold feed was blocked sure no cold water would be going to toilets or water taps??

yes

check the F&E tank has water in and that the cold feed is not blocked

What is this and where would it be located?

 

[ianmcd]

I think its gravity HW as cold water tank in loft above hot water cylinder.

that doesnt mean anything, just means you have an open vented system, can you have the ch selected to on with the hw set to off or do they both come on

What is this and where would it be located?

It is a small tank that fills the ch system usually in the loft but not always

 

[NewhouseOldhouse]

that doesnt mean anything, just means you have an open vented system, can you have the ch selected to on with the hw set to off or do they both come on

no both HW and Rads heating both come on.

It is a small tank that fills the ch system usually in the loft but not always

yes small tank in loft above hw cylinder. does this feed the toilets and water taps?

 

[ianmcd]

yes small tank in loft above hw cylinder. does this feed the toilets and water taps?

would be best if you posted pics of the tanks in the loft, all of them

 

[NewhouseOldhouse]

I checked boiler and the pump is this one NEW Altech CPA 130-6M Circulating Circulator Pump Made in EU Boxed Instructions | eBay

It is sitting at 22 on the digital display.

 

[NewhouseOldhouse]

would be best if you posted pics of the tanks in the loft, all of them

getting pics now there is just one black plastic tank with water feed going into it and seems to be 2 outlets running down into hot press where HW cylinder is located.

 

[NewhouseOldhouse]

Pics of water tank in loft

 

[NewhouseOldhouse]

The metal tank seen must have been the old tank which is empty and has been for some time by the looks of it.

 

[ianmcd]

 

[ianmcd]

that tank is your problem, the water level should be up at the vevel of the bue ballcock the hole juse adove the existing water levil is the pipe that supplies the heating system, either the ballcock is seized or somone has closed a valve somewhere, try gently pushing the blue ball down and see if water comes out

 

[NewhouseOldhouse]

You see something in this pic Ian?