Rads won't work?????

dibs101

So none of the rads in the house are working bar the one in the extension. I have bled all the rads twice and still none of them working. At the end of last winter I noticed that the rads were working sporadically but forgot about it during the summer.... Any ideas before I call in the professionals?

All help greatly appreciated...

Dtp1979

dibs101 wrote: »

So none of the rads in the house are working bar the one in the extension. I have bled all the rads twice and still none of them working. At the end of last winter I noticed that the rads were working sporadically but forgot about it during the summer.... Any ideas before I call in the professionals?

All help greatly appreciated...

Could be a balancing issue, air locks or sludge perhaps

jca

dibs101 wrote: »

So none of the rads in the house are working bar the one in the extension. I have bled all the rads twice and still none of them working. At the end of last winter I noticed that the rads were working sporadically but forgot about it during the summer.... Any ideas before I call in the professionals?

All help greatly appreciated...

Is the circulation pump running? It could be jammed from sludge. Try giving it a few taps with a screwdriver handle.

dibs101

Thanks for responses and sorry about the stupid question but will said pump be located in the gas boiler enclosure?

Dtp1979

dibs101 wrote: »

Thanks for responses and sorry about the stupid question but will said pump be located in the gas boiler enclosure?

If it's a system boiler then the pump is inside and you are legally not allowed to go in at it. You may get an Rgi plumber to have a look. What area are you based and maybe somebody here could help you out

wilser

Is it a zoned system in the house?
Could be a faulty motorised valve or room stat

dibs101

Not a zoned system, the extension is on a separate loop to the house. I'm in the dublin 15 area

Dtp1979

dibs101 wrote: »

Not a zoned system, the extension is on a separate loop to the house. I'm in the dublin 15 area

Shane007, johnnieK or k flyer on here cover Dublin. Pm one of them

Sleeper12

Sounds like you might need to have the system flushed. Not the end of the world. The heating will be more efficient afterwards.

dibs101

Sleeper12 wrote: »

Sounds like you might need to have the system flushed. Not the end of the world. The heating will be more efficient afterwards.

Hi sleeper, from my diggin around on the web that's what it sounds like to the uneducated eye. Any idea How much does this costs... Also hearing I should put fernox into it when drained.

Sleeper12

dibs101 wrote: »

Hi sleeper, from my diggin around on the web that's what it sounds like to the uneducated eye. Any idea How much does this costs... Also hearing I should put fernox into it when drained.

If I remember correctly I think Scudo2 is the man for this. I'm not sure of the price but I guess €200. I could be way off the mark.

If done correctly everything will work better. Rads heat up quicker etc. If the boiler needs a service get it done too.

dibs101

Sleeper12 wrote: »

If I remember correctly I think Scudo2 is the man for this. I'm not sure of the price but I guess €200. I could be way off the mark.

If done correctly everything will work better. Rads heat up quicker etc. If the boiler needs a service get it done too.

Great. If I can get it done for that price brilliant. Can u pm me his details?

Dtp1979

Sleeper12 wrote: »

If I remember correctly I think Scudo2 is the man for this. I'm not sure of the price but I guess €200. I could be way off the mark.

If done correctly everything will work better. Rads heat up quicker etc. If the boiler needs a service get it done too.

You're way off mate if your getting a flush done for 200 I'd avoid it. It's a lot of money to waste

Sleeper12

Dtp1979 wrote: »

You're way off mate if your getting a flush done for 200 I'd avoid it. It's a lot of money to waste

I'm glad I said "I may be off the mark"

Roughly how much should it cost to flush the system?

Dtp1979

Sleeper12 wrote: »

I'm glad I said "I may be off the mark"

Roughly how much should it cost to flush the system?

A starting point would be 400

Sleeper12

Dtp1979 wrote: »

A starting point would be 400

OK thanks. I'll remember that. There is nothing worse than miss information on this site. I'm always happy to be corrected.

jca

Why has everyone decided the op's heating system requires a €400 fix?? Maybe it just needs a new circulation pump.

Sleeper12

jca wrote: »

Why has everyone decided the op's heating system requires a €400 fix?? Maybe it just needs a new circulation pump.

One downstairs works. Pump works for this one but none other.
Most likely not the pump.

dibs101

The house is 15-20 years old. Pretty sure the burner was never serviced and the system was never flushed. Im looking for someone reliable to flush the system particularly if its going to increase the eficiency of the heating afterwards. From the few enquiries ive made the cost ranges from anywhere between 150 - 450? Dont mind paying the going rate to have the job done properly but hate the thought of getting my pants pulled down for someone to half do the job....

Dtp1979

dibs101 wrote: »

The house is 15-20 years old. Pretty sure the burner was never serviced and the system was never flushed. Im looking for someone reliable to flush the system particularly if its going to increase the eficiency of the heating afterwards. From the few enquiries ive made the cost ranges from anywhere between 150 - 450? Dont mind paying the going rate to have the job done properly but hate the thought of getting my pants pulled down for someone to half do the job....

Don't know bout k flyer but johnniek and Shane007 both flush and use quality machines and chemicals

jca

dibs101 wrote: »

The house is 15-20 years old. Pretty sure the burner was never serviced and the system was never flushed. Im looking for someone reliable to flush the system particularly if its going to increase the eficiency of the heating afterwards. From the few enquiries ive made the cost ranges from anywhere between 150 - 450? Dont mind paying the going rate to have the job done properly but hate the thought of getting my pants pulled down for someone to half do the job....

My system is 14 years old and not a sign of sludge anywhere. I got the circulation pump replaced last year and the plumber remarked at how clean the system was. I find it hard to believe that a system would stop suddenly due to sludge.

Sleeper12

jca wrote: »

My system is 14 years old and not a sign of sludge anywhere. I got the circulation pump replaced last year and the plumber remarked at how clean the system was. I find it hard to believe that a system would stop suddenly due to sludge.

I'm not trying to be smart but you're obviously not a plumber. Most plumbers come across this a few times a year & the lads that specialises in heating must see it every few weeks.
It is very common & these are just the ones that you can see because the flow just stops. There are much more thick with sludge but the rads heat up. If these were flushed the heating system would be more efficient.

Dtp1979

Sleeper12 wrote: »

I'm not trying to be smart but you're obviously not a plumber. Most plumbers come across this a few times a year & the lads that specialises in heating must see it every few weeks.
It is very common & these are just the ones that you can see because the flow just stops. There are much more thick with sludge but the rads heat up. If these were flushed the heating system would be more efficient.

Totally agree. I come across 1-2 a week easily that have bad sludge damage. It absolutely destroys gas boiler heat exchangers, which block easily. With oil and solid fuel, they'll take a lot more punishment

Dtp1979

jca wrote: »

My system is 14 years old and not a sign of sludge anywhere. I got the circulation pump replaced last year and the plumber remarked at how clean the system was. I find it hard to believe that a system would stop suddenly due to sludge.

I'd say your plumber 14 years ago probably put a good inhibitor into the system from day one, which would have prevented the buildup of sludge

jca

Dtp1979 wrote: »

I'd say your plumber 14 years ago probably put a good inhibitor into the system from day one, which would have prevented the buildup of sludge

I don't think he did tbh but saying that, it is a pressurised sealed system which are less prone to sludge.

Dtp1979

jca wrote: »

I don't think he did tbh but saying that, it is a pressurised sealed system which are less prone to sludge.

I wouldn't say that. Most systems I flush are sealed

Sleeper12

jca wrote: »

I don't think he did tbh but saying that, it is a pressurised sealed system which are less prone to sludge.

He possibly did. Some boiler manufacturers supply inhibitor free with the boiler. Ideal boilers do this. So he might have used it & not billed you for it.

emeldc

Dtp1979 wrote: »

A starting point would be 400

€400+ :eek:. How long does it take. What materials are used?

The reason I ask is because I had a similar problem to the OP. I drained the system myself. It took less than an hour. I'm not a plumber so the job I did may not have been done as a professional might do it but I have a decent pair of hands and I used common sense. The system has worked perfectly ever since.

Dtp1979

emeldc wrote: »

€400+ :eek:. How long does it take. What materials are used?

The reason I ask is because I had a similar problem to the OP. I drained the system myself. It took less than an hour. I'm not a plumber so the job I did may not have been done as a professional might do it but I have a decent pair of hands and I used common sense. The system has worked perfectly ever since.

If only draining your system fixed the problem, then sludge wasn't the issue. A flush should take the best part of a day to complete.

emeldc

Dtp1979 wrote: »

If only draining your system fixed the problem, then sludge wasn't the issue. A flush should take the best part of a day to complete.

So if it wasn't sludge, what do you reckon it was then. And do plumbers really earn €400 a day.

Dtp1979

emeldc wrote: »

So if it wasn't sludge, what do you reckon it was then. And do plumbers really earn €400 a day.

I've no idea. Air locks probably. And yes we all earn 400 a day. Fernox or kamco send out free powerflushing machines, along with boxes of chemicals. So when the customer hands over 400, we go on holidays, don't bother paying expenses, vat, insurance, registration fees, diesel bills. It's great to be honest

emeldc

Dtp1979 wrote: »

I've no idea. Air locks probably. And yes we all earn 400 a day. Fernox or kamco send out free powerflushing machines, along with boxes of chemicals. So when the customer hands over 400, we go on holidays, don't bother paying expenses, vat, insurance, registration fees, diesel bills. It's great to be honest

Fair enuf, I only asked :rolleyes:

PD Plumbing Supplies

Definitely worth getting the pump checked. If it is working inefficiently it may explain why hot water is only reaching one rad.

dibs101

Thanks guys for all the responses, have someone coming to look at it tomorrow so I can hopefully fill ye in on what the fix was then.... in the famous words of George Hamilton...... "a nation holds its breath"...

jca

dibs101 wrote: »

Thanks guys for all the responses, have someone coming to look at it tomorrow so I can hopefully fill ye in on what the fix was then.... in the famous words of George Hamilton...... "a nation holds its breath"...

A pound to a penny says it's the pump and it won't cost you €400..

emeldc

jca wrote: »

A pound to a penny says it's the pump and it won't cost you €400..

It will if it takes a day to fit it

jca

emeldc wrote: »

It will if it takes a day to fit it

oooooh Nasteee, I got a week's ban for less;) One must thread carefully among the plumbers...

Dtp1979

dibs101 wrote: »

Thanks guys for all the responses, have someone coming to look at it tomorrow so I can hopefully fill ye in on what the fix was then.... in the famous words of George Hamilton...... "a nation holds its breath"...

Well what was the outcome ??

dibs101

Dtp1979 wrote: »

Well what was the outcome ??

So the motorised or summer valve upstairs was stuck sending water to the tank. Also the rad in the extension was plumbed straight to the boiler effectively acting as a cylinder robbing the other rads of heat.

Plumber balanced the system, reduced flow to the big rad in the extension and replaced 3 broken/missing thermostats off the rads. All working fine now.

Delighted with outcome and a somewhat better understanding if how the system works.

Delighted with price too. Thanks for all the advice too...

Dtp1979

dibs101 wrote: »

So the motorised or summer valve upstairs was stuck sending water to the tank. Also the rad in the extension was plumbed straight to the boiler effectively acting as a cylinder robbing the other rads of heat.

Plumber balanced the system, reduced flow to the big rad in the extension and replaced 3 broken/missing thermostats off the rads. All working fine now.

Delighted with outcome and a somewhat better understanding if how the system works.

Delighted with price too. Thanks for all the advice too...

That's good glad it worked out ok

dibs101

Dtp1979 wrote: »

That's good glad it worked out ok

As a matter of interest does all that sound plausible?

Dtp1979

dibs101 wrote: »

As a matter of interest does all that sound plausible?

Ye sounds about right

Sleeper12

dibs101 wrote: »

So the motorised or summer valve upstairs was stuck sending water to the tank. Also the rad in the extension was plumbed straight to the boiler effectively acting as a cylinder robbing the other rads of heat.

Plumber balanced the system, reduced flow to the big rad in the extension and replaced 3 broken/missing thermostats off the rads. All working fine now.

Delighted with outcome and a somewhat better understanding if how the system works.

Delighted with price too. Thanks for all the advice too...

Could you tell how much he charged & how long it took him & did you get a receipt. There are a lot of people here asking how much this sort of job costs. You get the odd fool on the dole saying he can do it below minimum wage & this confuses things.

dibs101

Sleeper12 wrote: »

Could you tell how much he charged & how long it took him & did you get a receipt. There are a lot of people here asking how much this sort of job costs. You get the odd fool on the dole saying he can do it below minimum wage & this confuses things.

The whole lot came to 100 euros. That included the 3 thermostats, which I believe were about 30 in total. Then it was 70 in labour for the two hours in total. He was thorough and explaind why and where the problems were. Delighted with cost and service. He offered me a receipt but I genuinely didn't see the need for it.