Only 1 or 2 rads on upstairs zone working at a time

Cork981

Hi,

Our heating system (rads, boiler and pipes) are just over 10 years old now.

We have 3 zones downstairs, upstairs and hot water.

Downstairs and hot water zone heat up fine.

Upstairs we have 6 rads that won’t heat up all at once, the rad furtherst away from the boiler will only heat up when all other rads are off.

When bleeding the upstairs rads a lot of air is released and then nothing, no sign of water.

I’ve tried balancing the system but that hasn’t helped.

Our boiler indicates low pressure but we have a small second tank in the attic that I believe should fill the system automatically, but I’m open to correction on this.

We had a plumber up who had a “quick look” and wants to take up the floorboards to check the pipes which are just over 10 years old.

Any ideas or advice ?

I’ve attached a picture of our boiler pressure.

Cork981

Added boiler picture.

Ubbquittious

They're probably empty and the sound you heard while bleeding could have been air being sucked in rather than being blown out.

Let in a bit of water and bring the pressure back up out of the red. There might be an auld closed valve before the water in-letter yoke that's preventing it from serving its purpose. You can probably adjust it as well to let in more pressure

Cork981

Ubbquittious wrote: »

They're probably empty and the sound you heard while bleeding could have been air being sucked in rather than being blown out.

Let in a bit of water and bring the pressure back up out of the red. There might be an auld closed valve before the water in-letter yoke that's preventing it from serving its purpose. You can probably adjust it as well to let in more pressure

Thanks, sounds like a good idea.

Where would I find the valve to let water in ?

Up in the attic near the tank, at the boiler or up in the immersion ?

Ubbquittious

Cork981 wrote: »

Thanks, sounds like a good idea.

Where would I find the valve to let water in ?

Up in the attic near the tank, at the boiler or up in the immersion ?

Mine is by the boiler but if your small second tank is in the attic then it might be close to that or somewhere else altogether

Dtp1979

Ubbquittious wrote: »

Mine is by the boiler but if your small second tank is in the attic then it might be close to that or somewhere else altogether

Send a pic of all hotpress pipework

Cork981

Dtp1979 wrote: »

Send a pic of all hotpress pipework

I’ve attached 3 pic.

Under boiler, hotpress and tank in attic

Dtp1979

Cork981 wrote: »

I’ve attached 3 pic.

Under boiler, hotpress and tank in attic

Is the ballcock releasing water into the small tank?

Cork981

Dtp1979 wrote: »

Is the ballcock releasing water into the small tank?

Yeah once I push it down water does get released into the tank

Dtp1979

Cork981 wrote: »

Yeah once I push it down water does get released into the tank

Make sure the heating is turned off when you’re trying to bleed the rads

agusta

Simple test,Get someone to bleed 2 litres of water from downstairs rad.Monitor the small tank in the attic while the the rad downstairs is being bled. The ballcock should open and top up the two litres.My money is on the ballcock not opening

Cork981

agusta wrote: »

Simple test,Get someone to bleed 2 litres of water from downstairs rad.Monitor the small tank in the attic while the the rad downstairs is being bled. The ballcock should open and top up the two litres.My money is on the ballcock not opening

Just an update in this.

You were on the ball with this one.

A valve on the tank in the attic was not allowing water out of the tank. (Valve in attachment 1 above)

Plumber removed that and all rads are heating at 100% now.