School Heating System

[Bahco]

Promised my kid's school I would bleed a couple of rads for them as they are cold at the top.

Only done domestic heating before so, do I need to worry about the system pressure going down i.e. is it likely to be a sealed system?

I know the loss of pressure will be minimal but thought I would ask anyway.

Thanks

 

[corgiman]

see if you can see an expansion vessel filling loop mate

that will give you a clue

doesnt the school have a maintainance contract with someone.

 

[Bahco]

doesnt the school have a maintainance contract with someone.

The school is dropping apart rotten windows etc

It a big school and I haven't had a look at the system.

 

[corgiman]

If it were me mate (being without a commercial ticket etc) I would not touch it with a barge pole

dont you have any commercially qualified mates that owe you a favour

 

[Bahco]

I'll see if Kev will come down and sort it.

Only doing it as a favour, do you think I should leave well alone?

Can't see the pressure dropping much and cutting the boiler out.

 

[corgiman]

maybe not

but what if it does????

 

[Bahco]

maybe not

but what if it does????

I've promised now so will have to do it.

Thanks anyway.

 

[Nige F]

The Ofsted Gestapo will be onto you

 

[Aquaheat]

Hi Bahco, first off you will need to find the plant room (boiler room). This will tell you everything you need to know. If its a sealed system all filling loops, pressure gauges will be in there. If it open vented the cold feed is generally in there as well and can be identified either by the lagging or from the valve chart that "should" be present. If you have knowledge of domestic though mate then you should be able to tell as most it is common sense and follows the same principle. Like you say, systems of this size the pressure loss will be minimal but its better to be aware of it in the first place. Really you "should" isolate the plant eg: pumps off while bleeding etc as you would in a domestic situation but if all of us were honest if its just small amounts it generally wouldn't become an issue.

 

[Bahco]

Thanks to all. I bled them both and they are now piping hot as expected.

Told them I'll do them all for free if they want.

The school looks as if it needs a bit of an overhaul but get the feeling there is no money in the kitty.

When I mentioned maintenance contract, they looked at me as if I had gone mad. Obviously not one in place.

The plumbers I have worked in the past never turn the heating off when bleeding rads. Picked up a bad habit I think.