Rad hot on top but cold at bottom

iregk

Hi all,

I've a gas CH system in a standard 3 bed house. I'm wondering why some rads are hot at the top but cold at the bottom. Someone told me I need to balance the heating system but the instructions I got to do this make all sorts of references to things I've never heard of.

Leave TRV heads off
Open all LS valves

Does anyone know if the problem is indeed a system that needs balancing, what is it and does anyone have any proper instructions for this?

Thanks
Graham

kerryplumbing

Graham
From what you are telling us it seems like it is not a balancing issue but more an issue with sludge in your system - I would recommend that you get a heating engineer around who would be able to power flush your central heating system

DoneDL

Your system sounds like it needs balancing, open the trvs to their highest setting ie 5, then adjust each rad from closest to the boiler to furthest away. The rad should be just open on the valve that is not a trv where closest to the boiler and progressively more open as you move farther away from the boiler. The object is to get all the rads equally hot. Patience and trial and error.

JohnnieK

I would go sludge too. Classic symptom is hot on top, cold on bottom.

Billy Bunting

Although it is a classic symptom, a poorly balanced system can also give those symptoms, i would look at balancing before the expence of flushing, a classic to cause ridicuously poor rad circulation is the by-pass cracked fully open.