Bleeding radiators

spurious

I attempted to bleed three rads today. The first two went fine, hissing sound of air escaping, tightened back at the first sign of a drop of water. Both heating up fine now.

The last one, when I loosened the nut, water started spurting out without any accompanying air, so I just tightened it back again, as I figured this wasn't just air in the system. Is this a sign of something major? Or rather, is this a sign of something a plumber will charge me a fortune to fix?

I had the boiler serviced during the summer by Bord Gais - their serviceman didn't mention anything as being awry.

If it's not a terribly stupid question, where does the air that has got into the rads (at least the two fixed ones) come from? How does it get in?

JamesM

Are you saying that the 3rd rad is not heating ? Does it have a thermostatic valve that could be stuck ?
Air can get in when water leaks out or it can be a gas formed by a chemical reaction from the different metals in the system.(someone else might explain this better)
Jim.

spurious

3rd rad is not heating at all - anywhere - completely cold at top and bottom, and also the pipes coming up out of the floor.

It is the one closest to the hot press if that makes any difference. All the other rads on the system are working fine.

To be honest I don't know what a thermostatic valve is - it has one of the knobs all the rads have for turning them on and off - perhaps it isn't working?

johnnyrotten

There are two valves on a rad. The normal one used to turn rad on and off. The opposite side has a valve usually with a plain plastic cover. Take off the cover and ensure that it is fully open. you will need a pliers or vice grips to to this

spurious

God those stairs will have me killed....

Ok, super mortification here. Thanks to Mr Rotten I had a look at the knob on the other end of the rad, and discovered somebody (probably Mr Nobody who does all silly things) had turned it 'off'. As soon as I twisted it the other way, I could feel the rad warming, so all is now cosy at the spurious house.

Seriously though my friends, I was not far off ringing for a plumber on Monday, and you have saved me a lot of embarrassment and probably a few euro too. Cheers.

johnnyrotten

Glad to be of Help!;)

JamesM

I'm afraid that I was looking for "Natural Causes", I had forgotten about "Mr Nobody" being around:D
Jim.