Is it easy for a novice DIYer to replace pump isolator valves and possibly the pump?
Background:
Classic Sunday evening disaster. The isolator valves either side of the water pump (Grundfos Super 4 - an older model I think) are leaking (quite a spurt out each of them). I have partially drained the system to stem the flow. I am guessing that my best bet is to replace the valves (for example with screwfix item number 13885? but would these be any better quality?). I looked at a couple of previous posts on related topics and given my inexperience I think I would prefer new valves but am worried by difficulty.
//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=88437
//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=74436&view=previous
However, I'm also wondering if I should go the whole hog and replace the pump too, given that I've already drained the system and had some suspicions about it?
The problem that led me to fiddle with the isolator valve nut was that not all of the radiators in the house have been getting hot. I saw the pump isolator valve at 45 degrees and thought it would help if it was in line with the pipes (fool that I am) - then, spurt went the first, shortly followed by the second when, extra foolishly, I thought that switching off the second would help stop the first leaking - double doh!
The cool radiator problem may have just been a symptom of the system having been drained down during extension building this summer (2 new radiators added to system - which now totals 11 rads - I had checked the rads post-install but obviously not thoroughly enough, or the intervening time has told). It is a pumped open system so I had already checked that the feeder tank was topping up the system and it was (I've now turned off the water supply to this as part of partial drain down).
I had bled air out of several radiators and now all just squirt water, but 3 out of 4 upstairs and 2 downstairs radiators were still not getting hot. I had thought at one point that the pump had conked out - it was very quiet - but, possibly down to me fiddling with the screw on the front of the pump, I heard it whirring today with some vibrations, but still same cool radiators.
Given that there is no speed control it seems like it might be a very old pump and perhaps not up to the job? Is it worth putting in a higher spec pump while I/a plumber replace the leaky valves? (I had seen a Grundfos 15/60 at B&Q for £80). Or should I just get on the phone to a plumber (bad time of year, I know)?
Background:
Classic Sunday evening disaster. The isolator valves either side of the water pump (Grundfos Super 4 - an older model I think) are leaking (quite a spurt out each of them). I have partially drained the system to stem the flow. I am guessing that my best bet is to replace the valves (for example with screwfix item number 13885? but would these be any better quality?). I looked at a couple of previous posts on related topics and given my inexperience I think I would prefer new valves but am worried by difficulty.
//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=88437
//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=74436&view=previous
However, I'm also wondering if I should go the whole hog and replace the pump too, given that I've already drained the system and had some suspicions about it?
The problem that led me to fiddle with the isolator valve nut was that not all of the radiators in the house have been getting hot. I saw the pump isolator valve at 45 degrees and thought it would help if it was in line with the pipes (fool that I am) - then, spurt went the first, shortly followed by the second when, extra foolishly, I thought that switching off the second would help stop the first leaking - double doh!
The cool radiator problem may have just been a symptom of the system having been drained down during extension building this summer (2 new radiators added to system - which now totals 11 rads - I had checked the rads post-install but obviously not thoroughly enough, or the intervening time has told). It is a pumped open system so I had already checked that the feeder tank was topping up the system and it was (I've now turned off the water supply to this as part of partial drain down).
I had bled air out of several radiators and now all just squirt water, but 3 out of 4 upstairs and 2 downstairs radiators were still not getting hot. I had thought at one point that the pump had conked out - it was very quiet - but, possibly down to me fiddling with the screw on the front of the pump, I heard it whirring today with some vibrations, but still same cool radiators.
Given that there is no speed control it seems like it might be a very old pump and perhaps not up to the job? Is it worth putting in a higher spec pump while I/a plumber replace the leaky valves? (I had seen a Grundfos 15/60 at B&Q for £80). Or should I just get on the phone to a plumber (bad time of year, I know)?
