Not another heating thread!!

FX Meister

I'll keep it short. Enclosed system, some rads are heating up and other's aren't. I'm fairly sure it's air in the system but it's not in the rads themselves as they have all been bled already. Tried filling the system from too but no good. Any ideas?

Corkey123

If it is an enclosed system are you sure you have the correct pressure?

johnnyrotten

Make sure that both rad valves are open.
See what I said here:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2054851

rooferPete

Hi,

It may be a simple but slow task of balancing the radiators, driving the heat from the hottest rads to the coldest and then going back and finding that nice even balance.

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FX Meister

Cheers for the info, I'll check all the options out. MartinCorcoran, I don't have a pressure gauge on the system so not sure how to check this. Johnny Rotten, I clicked that link but it doesn't give me a valid page. Pete, if I have a flow and return system do I still need to balance the rads or is that just for a single flow system?

Corkey123

If you don't have a pressure gauge it is most likely a gravity based system with a small exspanion tank in the attic ? If you have bled the rads recently the system would have required to be topped up this done by a expansion tank in the case of a gravity system or a mains feed controlled by a value and or gauge.

Does this ring any bells to which system you have

johnnyrotten

Make sure the valve opposite the main on/off valve is also open fully. Normally this valve is covered by aplain plastic cap. remove this and ensure valve is fully open with Pliers etc

rooferPete

Hi FX,

The majority of home heating rads have two valves, again the majority but not all have one valve adjustable by turning and the cap on the other side spins doing nothing because it's a decorative / protective cover.

Open all the hand turned vales and remove the caps from the other side, usually a pull does the job, when the cap is off you open that valve sometimes a screw driver does the job and sometimes a pliers or allen key.

When all the valves are open run your heating for about fifteen minutes, while it's running mark the pipes that heat up the fastest, that way you have established which one is the flow, use a piece of tape or black marker if needed to remember them.

Switch off the boiler, and vent each radiator again, if you strike air look forward to heat again soon try the upstairs first, if the rads downstairs are the only ones releasing water then the chances are you need the system filled / topped up.

If all the rads release either water or air, clear the air and start the boiler again, you keep checking which radiator heats first , second etc

When you have heat in all the rads (don't worry about temp yet) start to slowly close the control valve on the radiator, a note pad is handy because you can count how many turns it took to open each valve and how many turns you apply as you go back over the system.

Close the first valve and open it by say a quarter turn, do the same to next fastest heating rad and leave that open a half turn, keep going until you have adjusted each valve.

If you find you have a few turns left on the last one then begin at the first rad and open it another quarter , same with the next as so on.

It might be a good idea to turn the thermostat up on the boiler and the stat in the house while doing this.

Worst case you go back on your notes and reset everything the way it was before you touched it and call in someone who knows how to top up / pressurise the system, at least you will have tried.

I hope the above is of some help, if it works don't forget to replace the caps on the rad valves.

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FX Meister

Hi Martin, it is a sealed system. A pluber I spoke to at work said they son't always have a pressure gauge. He said it could be air in the system but not in a rad. He said to turn off all the rads except the hottest one and this should force the air to that rad. I'll give that a shot and then try Roofer Petes suggestions above. Cheers