Quick fire round of questions

[mackandmutley]

Just had the back half of my semi integral garage converted to be a home for the kids guinea pigs. The questions involve plumbing in a radiator in the new room which is directly below the bathroom in which I have access to the pipe work for an existing radiator which is 15mm. When we had the boiler redone last year the engineer said it was more than adequate to support an additional rad in the planned room.

1. When plumbing to the existing rad how can I tell flow and return, it has no TRV, is there a noticeable temp difference in the pipes as they enter the rad?

2. Do I tee into the existing flow and return pipes for the bathroom rad or do I pipe it to be inline with the existing rad? Ie link between the rads and use one flow and return line?

3. Do I need to wrap the pipe work in insulation as it goes through the cold part of the garage on its way to the new room?

4. How long do guinea pigs live for? When I can plan a better use for this room?

Thank you

 

[FiremanT]

4. How long do guinea pigs live for?

I have no idea


When I can plan a better use for this room

Now

 

[Charnwood]

1) The end that gets warm first is flow. "As they enter the rad"? Only one enters, the other exits.

3) Yes.

4) As long as you want. Just don't tell the kids what you've done.

 

[Agile]

Guinea pigs live for about 5-7 years if well looked after and fed a varied diet.

Being social animals they are happiest with another one to live with.

Tony

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

Turn heating on from cold, pipe that gets warm first is flow. Doesnt really matter which, just tee into both pipes and run to the new rad. If using a TRV fit a bidirectional TRV if unsure which end is flow.

Do not run from one rad to the other, first rad will take lions share of the heat, giving a cooler input to second rad, making it unlikely to ever work properly. Must have seperate connection to flow and return, system may need to be balanced afterwards to ensure all rads get the required share of the flow from the boiler.

Important to give Guinea Pigs correct diet. They cannot produce their own Vitamin C, (like humans) so will need to get it through their diet. Looked after, as Tony says, they have an average 5-7 year lifespan.

 

[Dan Robinson]

Don't they get a bit tough and chewy after the 2nd year?