How can i be sure I have a one pipe central heating system??

[littlepigeon]

Questions in the subject really.

I have an old central heating system with old radiators and have been told different things by different people. I want to get the thing upgraded, better radiators for a start and a couple of new rads in rooms that don't have any at present.

With being told different things by different people I'm worried that just replacing the radiators in each room wont really have much benefit over whats already there.

I have been told i have a one pipe and i haven't got a one pipe system.

All radiators seem to have one pipe coming in at the top of the rad on the left and out of the bottom on the right which is what made me think i have a 1 pipe system, but the guy who came round and quoted for the radiators to be replaced said this doesn't mean you have a a one pipe and he was under the impression it wasn't a one pipe.

Is there any easy way for me to know without ripping up all the new carpet and floorboards?

 

[simond]

It can be difficult to tell without taking up the floor, if the pipework is mainly hidden.

It's not unusual for a house to have a mixture, often the older part on 1 pipe and the later additions on 2 pipe.

However, if some/all of the house is piped this way it can still be connected to an HE boiler, providing the manufacturer permits it. One pipe is not 'wrong', it works very well.

The main difficulty with a one pipe system is powerflushing; it simply doesn't work. So to do the job properly its a 'radiators off, hose outside and put back' scenario.

A second best would be chemical loading a few weeks earlier (in the heating season of course, when the pump is on), and a Magnabooster dirt separator for continued protection.

 

[littlepigeon]

Would replacing the radiators for more moder bigger ones be beneficial though if its a one pipe system?

 

[Agile]

To get adequate heat output that may be essential in the return rads, thats usually upstairs.

Unfortunately you really do need a professional to do a complete assessment of your system.

No-one in their right mind would do that free if they had not been given the job.

If you can afford it the best solution would be to repipe the system but retaining the rads if possible.

Tony

 

[muggles]

Larger radiators run at a lower temperature would be more efficient, even on a one-pipe system, if you have a new high efficiency boiler fitted

 

[littlepigeon]

Not sure i get you ... is that a no?

I did have a central heating engineer come round and quote for changing all rads that are there at the mo and installing two new ones.

How do i know i'm getting the right info.

He wasnt going to change ony of the pipe work just the rads?

 

[Agile]

You need a competent heating engineer with the experience and equipment to work out how your system is piped.

That does not come easily and you should expect to pay for it. Or put it another way I would always charge for a system assessment like that.

The simple answer is that you have to trust a competent enginere to do his job properly. I appreciate that you probably think that all plumbers are thick and that you will always be more clever than they are but I would say that is not going to be the case with your problem.

Yes, some are thick but you dont need one of them! You need someone competent.

Tony

 

[littlepigeon]

Not in the slightest. I'm pretty sure if you were being told different things by different people you would be a bit wary of spending £1300 on something that may be of no use!

If i thought i was better than the plumbers i would be doing the job myself.

 

[Nige F]

Questions in the subject really.



Is there any easy way for me to know without ripping up all the new carpet and floorboards?

No - but lifting the carpet away from 1 wall under a rad and then lifting a floorboard (that has probably been previously lifted to install the system) - then paying a carpet fitter to stretch and re do the carpet -seems a small ( and simple ) price for a definite answer to the problem . The alternative is the Real World/ Cyber World of the arguing Engineers

 

[Agile]

One of my customers has been quoted £210 to lift a carpet in a small bedroom so that I can lay some pipes. Thats a minimum charge for a visit !

I dont touch fitted carpets for customers otherwise I would be blamed for damaging them! Thats except where the customers condirms they are scrap and then I do it at their own risk.

In that senario dont expect many engineers to come free and start lifting your carpets to look at pipework free!

If you were local and took up the carpet yourself then I would lift a floorboard and assess the system at our standard diagnostic fee of £84.

Tony

 

[muggles]

If it's a very simple one-pipe system with no bypasses then closing down a radiator would confirm it, as the system would stop working. It's rare for it to be done in this way but I have seen it once or twice

 

[daneski88]

If it's a very simple one-pipe system with no bypasses then closing down a radiator would confirm it, as the system would stop working. It's rare for it to be done in this way but I have seen it once or twice

Huh Not as experienced as you, but I ain't ever seem a system daisy chaining radiators like this.

You could of course disconnect the valves from the rad and try to make an electric circuit - timing how long it takes for the circuit to become live afer switching the power on

 

[muggles]

It's a nasty way of doing it but I came across it a while back in a couple of old houses we were working on, not good for the boiler as turning a radiator off caused it to overheat, needless to say we were there to repipe the systems!

 

[Terrywookfit]

I have never in 35 yrs seen a system piped in series.

 

[daneski88]

I have never in 35 yrs seen a system piped in series.

Doesn't mean some twerp didn't do it though.