Rads won't work?????

dibs101 · 25-09-2014 6:45pm #1

So none of the rads in the house are working bar the one in the extension. I have bled all the rads twice and still none of them working. At the end of last winter I noticed that the rads were working sporadically but forgot about it during the summer.... Any ideas before I call in the professionals?

All help greatly appreciated...

Dtp1979 · 25-09-2014 7:27pm

dibs101 wrote: »

So none of the rads in the house are working bar the one in the extension. I have bled all the rads twice and still none of them working. At the end of last winter I noticed that the rads were working sporadically but forgot about it during the summer.... Any ideas before I call in the professionals?

All help greatly appreciated...

Could be a balancing issue, air locks or sludge perhaps

jca · 25-09-2014 10:43pm

dibs101 wrote: »

So none of the rads in the house are working bar the one in the extension. I have bled all the rads twice and still none of them working. At the end of last winter I noticed that the rads were working sporadically but forgot about it during the summer.... Any ideas before I call in the professionals?

All help greatly appreciated...

Is the circulation pump running? It could be jammed from sludge. Try giving it a few taps with a screwdriver handle.

dibs101 · 26-09-2014 10:43am

Thanks for responses and sorry about the stupid question but will said pump be located in the gas boiler enclosure?

Dtp1979 · 26-09-2014 11:37am

dibs101 wrote: »

Thanks for responses and sorry about the stupid question but will said pump be located in the gas boiler enclosure?

If it's a system boiler then the pump is inside and you are legally not allowed to go in at it. You may get an Rgi plumber to have a look. What area are you based and maybe somebody here could help you out

wilser · 26-09-2014 1:03pm

Is it a zoned system in the house?
Could be a faulty motorised valve or room stat

dibs101 · 26-09-2014 2:01pm

Not a zoned system, the extension is on a separate loop to the house. I'm in the dublin 15 area

Dtp1979 · 26-09-2014 2:45pm

dibs101 wrote: »

Not a zoned system, the extension is on a separate loop to the house. I'm in the dublin 15 area

Shane007, johnnieK or k flyer on here cover Dublin. Pm one of them

Sleeper12 · 26-09-2014 9:24pm

Sounds like you might need to have the system flushed. Not the end of the world. The heating will be more efficient afterwards.

dibs101 · 26-09-2014 9:54pm

Sleeper12 wrote: »

Sounds like you might need to have the system flushed. Not the end of the world. The heating will be more efficient afterwards.

Hi sleeper, from my diggin around on the web that's what it sounds like to the uneducated eye. Any idea How much does this costs... Also hearing I should put fernox into it when drained.

Sleeper12 · 26-09-2014 10:19pm

dibs101 wrote: »

Hi sleeper, from my diggin around on the web that's what it sounds like to the uneducated eye. Any idea How much does this costs... Also hearing I should put fernox into it when drained.

If I remember correctly I think Scudo2 is the man for this. I'm not sure of the price but I guess €200. I could be way off the mark.

If done correctly everything will work better. Rads heat up quicker etc. If the boiler needs a service get it done too.

dibs101 · 26-09-2014 10:28pm

Sleeper12 wrote: »

If I remember correctly I think Scudo2 is the man for this. I'm not sure of the price but I guess €200. I could be way off the mark.

If done correctly everything will work better. Rads heat up quicker etc. If the boiler needs a service get it done too.

Great. If I can get it done for that price brilliant. Can u pm me his details?

Dtp1979 · 26-09-2014 10:33pm

Sleeper12 wrote: »

If I remember correctly I think Scudo2 is the man for this. I'm not sure of the price but I guess €200. I could be way off the mark.

If done correctly everything will work better. Rads heat up quicker etc. If the boiler needs a service get it done too.

You're way off mate if your getting a flush done for 200 I'd avoid it. It's a lot of money to waste

Sleeper12 · 28-09-2014 8:34am

Dtp1979 wrote: »

You're way off mate if your getting a flush done for 200 I'd avoid it. It's a lot of money to waste

I'm glad I said "I may be off the mark"

Roughly how much should it cost to flush the system?

Dtp1979 · 28-09-2014 9:27am

Sleeper12 wrote: »

I'm glad I said "I may be off the mark"

Roughly how much should it cost to flush the system?

A starting point would be 400

Sleeper12 · 28-09-2014 9:30am

Dtp1979 wrote: »

A starting point would be 400

OK thanks. I'll remember that. There is nothing worse than miss information on this site. I'm always happy to be corrected.

jca · 28-09-2014 4:16pm

Why has everyone decided the op's heating system requires a €400 fix?? Maybe it just needs a new circulation pump.

Sleeper12 · 28-09-2014 4:21pm

jca wrote: »

Why has everyone decided the op's heating system requires a €400 fix?? Maybe it just needs a new circulation pump.

One downstairs works. Pump works for this one but none other.
Most likely not the pump.

dibs101 · 28-09-2014 4:58pm

The house is 15-20 years old. Pretty sure the burner was never serviced and the system was never flushed. Im looking for someone reliable to flush the system particularly if its going to increase the eficiency of the heating afterwards. From the few enquiries ive made the cost ranges from anywhere between 150 - 450? Dont mind paying the going rate to have the job done properly but hate the thought of getting my pants pulled down for someone to half do the job....

Dtp1979 · 28-09-2014 6:59pm

dibs101 wrote: »

The house is 15-20 years old. Pretty sure the burner was never serviced and the system was never flushed. Im looking for someone reliable to flush the system particularly if its going to increase the eficiency of the heating afterwards. From the few enquiries ive made the cost ranges from anywhere between 150 - 450? Dont mind paying the going rate to have the job done properly but hate the thought of getting my pants pulled down for someone to half do the job....

Don't know bout k flyer but johnniek and Shane007 both flush and use quality machines and chemicals

jca · 28-09-2014 8:29pm

dibs101 wrote: »

The house is 15-20 years old. Pretty sure the burner was never serviced and the system was never flushed. Im looking for someone reliable to flush the system particularly if its going to increase the eficiency of the heating afterwards. From the few enquiries ive made the cost ranges from anywhere between 150 - 450? Dont mind paying the going rate to have the job done properly but hate the thought of getting my pants pulled down for someone to half do the job....

My system is 14 years old and not a sign of sludge anywhere. I got the circulation pump replaced last year and the plumber remarked at how clean the system was. I find it hard to believe that a system would stop suddenly due to sludge.

Sleeper12 · 28-09-2014 8:40pm

jca wrote: »

My system is 14 years old and not a sign of sludge anywhere. I got the circulation pump replaced last year and the plumber remarked at how clean the system was. I find it hard to believe that a system would stop suddenly due to sludge.

I'm not trying to be smart but you're obviously not a plumber. Most plumbers come across this a few times a year & the lads that specialises in heating must see it every few weeks.
It is very common & these are just the ones that you can see because the flow just stops. There are much more thick with sludge but the rads heat up. If these were flushed the heating system would be more efficient.

Dtp1979 · 28-09-2014 8:55pm

Sleeper12 wrote: »

I'm not trying to be smart but you're obviously not a plumber. Most plumbers come across this a few times a year & the lads that specialises in heating must see it every few weeks.
It is very common & these are just the ones that you can see because the flow just stops. There are much more thick with sludge but the rads heat up. If these were flushed the heating system would be more efficient.

Totally agree. I come across 1-2 a week easily that have bad sludge damage. It absolutely destroys gas boiler heat exchangers, which block easily. With oil and solid fuel, they'll take a lot more punishment

Dtp1979 · 28-09-2014 8:56pm

jca wrote: »

My system is 14 years old and not a sign of sludge anywhere. I got the circulation pump replaced last year and the plumber remarked at how clean the system was. I find it hard to believe that a system would stop suddenly due to sludge.

I'd say your plumber 14 years ago probably put a good inhibitor into the system from day one, which would have prevented the buildup of sludge

jca · 29-09-2014 12:03am

Dtp1979 wrote: »

I'd say your plumber 14 years ago probably put a good inhibitor into the system from day one, which would have prevented the buildup of sludge

I don't think he did tbh but saying that, it is a pressurised sealed system which are less prone to sludge.

Dtp1979 · 29-09-2014 8:56am

jca wrote: »

I don't think he did tbh but saying that, it is a pressurised sealed system which are less prone to sludge.

I wouldn't say that. Most systems I flush are sealed

Sleeper12 · 29-09-2014 9:53am

jca wrote: »

I don't think he did tbh but saying that, it is a pressurised sealed system which are less prone to sludge.

He possibly did. Some boiler manufacturers supply inhibitor free with the boiler. Ideal boilers do this. So he might have used it & not billed you for it.

emeldc · 29-09-2014 10:25am

Dtp1979 wrote: »

A starting point would be 400

€400+ :eek:. How long does it take. What materials are used?

The reason I ask is because I had a similar problem to the OP. I drained the system myself. It took less than an hour. I'm not a plumber so the job I did may not have been done as a professional might do it but I have a decent pair of hands and I used common sense. The system has worked perfectly ever since.

Dtp1979 · 29-09-2014 10:43am

emeldc wrote: »

€400+ :eek:. How long does it take. What materials are used?

The reason I ask is because I had a similar problem to the OP. I drained the system myself. It took less than an hour. I'm not a plumber so the job I did may not have been done as a professional might do it but I have a decent pair of hands and I used common sense. The system has worked perfectly ever since.

If only draining your system fixed the problem, then sludge wasn't the issue. A flush should take the best part of a day to complete.

emeldc · 29-09-2014 10:51am

Dtp1979 wrote: »

If only draining your system fixed the problem, then sludge wasn't the issue. A flush should take the best part of a day to complete.

So if it wasn't sludge, what do you reckon it was then. And do plumbers really earn €400 a day.

Dtp1979 · 29-09-2014 12:24pm

emeldc wrote: »

So if it wasn't sludge, what do you reckon it was then. And do plumbers really earn €400 a day.

I've no idea. Air locks probably. And yes we all earn 400 a day. Fernox or kamco send out free powerflushing machines, along with boxes of chemicals. So when the customer hands over 400, we go on holidays, don't bother paying expenses, vat, insurance, registration fees, diesel bills. It's great to be honest

Rads won't work?????

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