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Radiator or plumbing issue

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  • 20-01-2013 4:17pm
    #1
    mastodonj
    Registered Users Posts: 20 ✭


    So for the last few days the radiator in the bedroom has been making a strange water flowing noise but the heat was still working. this morning I woke up to cold radiators. I went out to the boiler shed and the pump was stopped. When I opened the screw on it a lot of air came out. Some of the hot pipes heated up to a certain point but no further. I threw some warm water on them and it seemed to start a flow but after a few minutes they went cold again. Boiler and pump working fine but still no hot water flowing into the pipes. Any ideas? Keep pouring warm water?
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    #2
    shane0007
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,677 ✭✭✭shane0007


    Oil or gas?
    Sealed or vented system?
    If sealed, what is the pressure gauge showing?
    If vented, is there water in the small tank in the attic?


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    #3
    mastodonj
    Registered Users Posts: 20 ✭mastodonj


    shane0007 wrote: »
    Oil or gas?
    Sealed or vented system?
    If sealed, what is the pressure gauge showing?
    If vented, is there water in the small tank in the attic?

    It's oil and vented. There is water in the small tank and it is being drawn out now. That radiator is still making a sound almost like there is something trapped in it? Could it be clogged with dirt or something?


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    #4
    shane0007
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,677 ✭✭✭shane0007


    mastodonj wrote: »
    There is water in the small tank and it is being drawn out now.

    Do you mean the system is filling?


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    #5
    mastodonj
    Registered Users Posts: 20 ✭mastodonj


    shane0007 wrote: »
    Do you mean the system is filling?
    Yeah the system is constantly filling it seems. The pump is going fairly fast actually


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    #6
    shane0007
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,677 ✭✭✭shane0007


    You have a substantial leak somewhere so.


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    #7
    mastodonj
    Registered Users Posts: 20 ✭mastodonj


    shane0007 wrote: »
    You have a substantial leak somewhere so.
    Damn, I was afraid of that! Time to pull up some floor boards so!


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    #8
    shane0007
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,677 ✭✭✭shane0007


    Is it one or two storey house?
    Is it suspended timber floors?
    You could drain the system, blank the feed & the osvp & with an air compressor, pressurise the system with air to about 2.5bar. Listen very carefully and it can lead you to the culprit or at least to the vicinity.


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    #9
    mastodonj
    Registered Users Posts: 20 ✭mastodonj


    shane0007 wrote: »
    Is it one or two storey house?
    Is it suspended timber floors?
    You could drain the system, blank the feed & the osvp & with an air compressor, pressurise the system with air to about 2.5bar. Listen very carefully and it can lead you to the culprit or at least to the vicinity.
    It's a bungalow with suspended timber floors. Sounds like a plan, might try that if I can find someone with an air compressor! What's the osvp though? Thanks very much by the way, you've been very helpful!


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    #10
    shane0007
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,677 ✭✭✭shane0007


    The osvp is the open safety vent pipe, the hockey stick shaped pipe over the small tank in the attic.


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    #11
    celiam
    Registered Users Posts: 127 ✭✭celiam


    you would imagine if you had a substantial leak it would show up without going to all that trouble


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    #12
    sullzz
    Registered Users Posts: 2,409 ✭✭✭sullzz


    celiam wrote: »
    you would imagine if you had a substantial leak it would show up without going to all that trouble

    Not always the case , with suspended timber floors a big leak could go unnoticed for years .


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    #13
    shane0007
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,677 ✭✭✭shane0007


    mastodonj wrote: »
    Damn, I was afraid of that! Time to pull up some floor boards so!
    Forgot to ask, is it copper pipework or gun barrel (GB)?


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    #14
    mastodonj
    Registered Users Posts: 20 ✭mastodonj


    shane0007 wrote: »
    Forgot to ask, is it copper pipework or gun barrel (GB)?
    It's copper pipework. Would that make a difference? I'm going to pull up a board or two near the bedroom radiator. If the leaks not beside the radiator I'll stick a camera down there and see if I can spot it!


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    #15
    mastodonj
    Registered Users Posts: 20 ✭mastodonj


    mastodonj wrote: »
    It's copper pipework. Would that make a difference? I'm going to pull up a board or two near the bedroom radiator. If the leaks not beside the radiator I'll stick a camera down there and see if I can spot it!
    Scratch that... The pipe coming up out of the floor is copper but under the floor it's all gun barrel which had rotted through at a bend about 200mm from the rad.


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    #16
    shane0007
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,677 ✭✭✭shane0007


    mastodonj wrote: »
    Scratch that... The pipe coming up out of the floor is copper but under the floor it's all gun barrel which had rotted through at a bend about 200mm from the rad.
    That's why I was asking!
    You need a new heating system so. If you just repair that section, it won't be long before the rest of it goes. If you can, bite the bullet and repipe it all now. Zone it while you are at it also.


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    #17
    mastodonj
    Registered Users Posts: 20 ✭mastodonj


    shane0007 wrote: »
    That's why I was asking!
    You need a new heating system so. If you just repair that section, it won't be long before the rest of it goes. If you can, bite the bullet and repipe it all now. Zone it while you are at it also.
    I know when we moved in two years ago some of the pipework had been replaced, and the plumber did some more, thought it was all done but obviously not! Can't afford anything too extensive til maybe the summer... Just replacing the riser pipe now, the rest of the gun barrel I can see looks in pretty good nick so maybe it'll last a few months?


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    #18
    shane0007
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,677 ✭✭✭shane0007


    Sure but just keep an eye on it as you may not realise it is leaking as quickly as this time. Damage to building structure, etc. underneath the floors. It might be worth pressure testing the system once you re-piped that section to be sure, even to just 1 bar.


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