Just moved in

[Litherbeth]

Hi
We have just moved into a new house with 6 small rads upstairs and 6 large ones downstairs. The rads downstairs take an absolute age to heat up and then don't throw out any heat. Upstairs is a different matter and quite hot. The gas meter is whizzing round out of control and have just received a bill for 3 weeks use of £300. It is still whizzing round as we speak. The house downstairs is really cold (10 degrees) despite the theromstat being on 15 +
The pump is making a fair bit of noise (Grundfos 15-60 selectric) and is on setting 2.
The boiler is 3 years old (Ideal) and has been checked and is running perfect. No leaks.
Any ideas? I wondered if we needed a new pump? Or that the pump is too small for the job?The new system, it would appear, was installed about 3 years ago along with the boiler. I have bled a rad just to see and the water is running clear.
Any ideas please? Thanks.

 

[MANDATE]

Sounds to me as if the system needs balancing. If it's too hot upstairs then why not close the lockshield valves a little. This will restrict the flow to those radiators and give more flow to the cooler radiators.

 

[ChrisR]

COuld also be that your gas pressure is too low due to a faulty regualtor. I keep finding these.
Your meter will be calibrated in cubic metes or cubic feet. If you time the usage in a minute of continous boiler-running, and tell us what the boiler is, exactly, we can do the sums.
If it's a combi, turn HW on full for a minute.

 

[Prof.plumb]

It does my head in why does everyone on this site think balancing up is the problem when people complain with these problems?
No! THE PUMP IS WEAK. It is hot upstairs as hot water convects upward and because the pump is weak the hot water is no longer under pressure and so no longer wants to go downstairs.

 

[wilhelm]

well why not, turn off all lockshields off upstairs and see if downstairs comes on. (i read this on this forum..not my idea)

i did this on a breakdown, ...heat went to downstairs rads.

and what was the fault? it was the black stuff . it had gathered around pump valves. so i would whip pump head off and have a look, and see if any black stuff around.?

 

[Prof.plumb]

Will helm yes that would work but when you open upstairs again the problem will continue.

 

[wilhelm]

i know. read it again.

 

[ChrisR]

It does my head in why does everyone on this site think balancing up is the problem when people complain with these problems?
No! THE PUMP IS WEAK.

Does YOUR head in? Why do YOU keep on and on asserting the same guess when you must be aware that there are several possible reasons for the symptoms?
Poor circulation yes, but could be a blockage, general sludge, balancing, pump blocked or slow or set too low, pipes too small, and probably a few more.

I find it's usually general sludge, which collects more in lower circuits. We don't know if this person's lower rads are on "drops" or not, which would make sludge much more likely to be the problem.

 

[Prof.plumb]

Sludge in a house that age?! Behave yourself chris! I ll put a wager on my diagnosis. Yes there are other possibilities but im stating the obvious and most likely.

 

[wilhelm]

a 15-60 packing in after 3 years?

 

[Prof.plumb]

I know! I have come across a Grundy gone in a year before tho.

 

[wilhelm]

well , im speachless. or to be technically correct. keyboardless

 

[ChrisR]

Sludge in a house that age?!

We have no idea how old the house is, let alone the pipes and rads. The boiler was changed 3 years ago. 3 years is plenty.
If a Grundfos has gone weak in 3 years, it'll probably be sludge causing it.

im stating the obvious and most likely.

If you misread and thought the house was 3 weeks old, it's hugely nore likely to be a balalncing problem than a new faulty pump.

You going to keep digging?

 

[Prof.plumb]

The wager stands. I know it will be the problem at hand as do you but you want to keep writing as if to ascertain your position of billy big balls of DIYNOT! Hahaha bet you work as a sole trader cos you would p*** another person off if they worked with you all day!

 

[wilhelm]

well, im for sludge. and if the pump is sh£gged and that is down to ..sludge.