help - partially cold, noisy, apparently empty rads

[merrylegs]

Had combu boiler central heating system fitted about 5 years ago. Ariston bolier. 3 floor house. Always seem to have had problems with rooms feeling really cold, or air in pipes or radiators that are warm at bottom and cold at the top. Usually the ones on the top floor.

I am a lady living alone. All I know about central heating and all I have ever had to do in the past, was bleed them. There are two on the top floor that have always been a problem with the hot/cold issue and a towel radiator on that floor that is more or less always cold on the top couple of bars. When I try to bleed these radiators - NOTHING comes out. Not air. Not liquid. My questions are:

1. What do I need to get done?
2. Is it OK to use the radiators until I get it done?
3. Will it cost me an arm and leg to have fixed?

Huge thanks in anticipation,

Margaret

 

[cantaloup63]

I assume that you have pressurised the system via the filling loop when you have bled the radiators?

 

[yerino]

1. What do I need to get done?

You need to re-pressurise your system - normally done by a filling loop near your boiler. This needs to be topped up to 1.5 bar. Very easy job if you can find the filling loop.


2. Is it OK to use the radiators until I get it done?

If the pressure drops too low the boiler will cut out but yes it's safe.


3. Will it cost me an arm and leg to have fixed?

It's a 2 minute job. If you decide to call someone out they will obviously charge the minimum of an hours call out charge.

 

[merrylegs]

what does it look like?

 

[cantaloup63]

Look at the underside of the boiler - you might see a couple of black or grey plastic thumbturn knobs. Turn them both a quarter turn to let water into the system (if you press the panel on the front cover, you'll see a small dial - you need to allow water in until the needle points about a third of the way around - or on the 1 if it has numbers on it). Turn both knobs to their original position to stop the system from filling. Go upstairs, bleed the radiators, and then back to the boiler to repeat the process to get the pressure up.

 

[merrylegs]

It WORKED! lol. So simple when you know how. From a lady currently suffering one of yon can't-get-warm, achey colds, I seriously thank you. Have a lovely Christmas.

Meg x

 

[spraggo]

And don`t forget, if you need to bleed the radiators, normally indicated by them being cold at the top, you must switch the heating OFF to do this. Then afterwards make sure you repressurise the system to 1.5 bar BEFORE you switch the heating back ON. Merry Xmas.

spraggo