Downstairs rads not working

ShamFeen

Evening all,

Was at friends house earlier and noticed that none of her downstairs rads were working. Upstairs heated fine, it's just a one zonal, pressurised system by an oil fired boiler. She has trv's on all rads.

I bled the downstairs rads, but still nothing. A few of the pipes at some rads were warm, but all rads stone cold, whilst piping upstairs. I closed in the lockshield valves upstairs and left them about a quarter turn open but still nothing.

The pump seems to be running fine. The plumber seems to have run just two pipes from the boiler to the rads and I reckon he has just teed off for upstairs. Is this correct?

Anyone have any ideas?? My knowledge is limited being a sparks, but I was wondering could this be due to faulty valves downstairs. Seeing as the rads were working at one stage. The system is fitted about 8 years. And the pressure isn't dropping so surely this rules out a leak?

Any help would be greatly appreciated

Buford T Justice

Are the valves open on both sides of the radiators?

ShamFeen

Yes they appear to be, but I don't trust her trv's

Sparkpea

take the heads off the trvs downstairs and turn all rads off upstairs

push the pins in and out in the ones downstairs to check they aren't jamed

if this doesn't work maybe turn off all rads except one and try it

what is the pump at? if its a pressurised system then u can set it to 3 if its not already

ShamFeen

Sparkpea wrote: »

take the heads off the trvs downstairs and turn all rads off upstairs

push the pins in and out in the ones downstairs to check they aren't jamed

if this doesn't work maybe turn off all rads except one and try it

what is the pump at? if its a pressurised system then u can set it to 3 if its not already

Thanks for that they all worked when I took the heads off. Must get replacements for her rads now

Sparkpea

what make is the trv? you should be able to buy the head seperately.

myson heads are actually more expensive than buying the head&body together. weird I know but it seems to be a better head when its bought on its own.

robd

ShamFeen wrote: »

Thanks for that they all worked when I took the heads off. Must get replacements for her rads now

Quite common for this to happen, particularly if it's a more recent build as low quality TRV's where used. Putting a new head on it won't work as usually it's the valve that has seized. You should be able to recover them by lightly oiling the valves and pushing in and out a number of times.