Plumber for heating - costs? Any advice please

[koalabear]

Hi, I wonder if anyone can help.

I have a problem with my radiators, that 3 downstairs at front of house do not heat up at all. It's not air or balancing, this has been checked. I had a plumber out in the Summer for something else, and I asked him about it. He said to call him back and he'd be happy to help, and I said I was worried I might need a power flush, because the expense is too much at the moment.

He didn't seem to think a power flush would be necessary, but I guess you can't give an estimate for a job like this, when it's an unknown problem?

My question is - what happens when he gets here, if he tries cleaning out the radiators individually and that doesn't help, will he want to do a power flush? What if pipes buried in the walls are blocked, do walls get dismantled?

My budget is tight, and I'm so worried a job like this could spiral into a massive, massive bill.

Thanks for any advice.

 

[seco services]

has he tried shutting all the other rads and leave the cold ones open ?

 

[koalabear]

Yes I've done that before, from advice on here. Makes no difference. They stay completely cold!

 

[gas4you]

Could be a tired pump. Try setting it on the max speed setting.

 

[koalabear]

But the pump is on the max setting...

 

[gas4you]

What pump and how old is it?

 

[koalabear]

Hang on a mo...

 

[koalabear]

It's a Worcester combi boiler. The pump is set on the third setting which I think is the top setting. Model is 24CDI and I think it's as old as the house, so from about yr 2000. Boiler was serviced winter before last, 2006. Rads were already playing up then, but I'd just moved in so I hadn't really had the heating on to work out what the problem was yet.

 

[gas4you]

Forget the pump then.

Have you TRV's on the radiators? If so take the heads off and see if the pins have stuck down, turning them off.

 

[koalabear]

Yes, forgot to mention that bit, sorry. Plumber tried that, no probem apparently.

Thanks for this.

 

[gas4you]

Well from this distance a powerflush is sounding more like it could be needed.

What reason did your plumber say the powerflush would not be needed?

Did he test the condition of your heating system water?

 

[koalabear]

No he didn't test the water.

When I mentioned power flush, he laughed and said he'd doubt a pipe could be blocked, because a pipe is quite wide.... Obviously I know a pipe COULD be blocked because of research I've done on here before.

I think that's why I haven't called him back, I'm not sure he inspired confidence, and as I say, I'm worried about the costs rocketing...

 

[koalabear]

As a result, we've been getting by with an electric fan heater in the living room. False economy I know, the electricity bill last winter was crazy.

 

[gas4you]

Depending on how competent and confident you are with plumbing etc, you could drain a working rad and add X400 into it then leave it in for up to 3 or 4 weeks, then drain and flush out with mains pressure cold water.

A quicker job would be X800 and let it circulate with heat on for a couple of hours.

This would only cost you the price of a bottle of chemical (£15-£20).

Once the chemical is well in the system, shut off all the working rads and see if it will force its way into the 3 cold ones.

 

[koalabear]

Dave, I have no experience with plumbing so I wouldn't have a clue. Thanks so much for your advice though.