Bleeding Radiators

[nino_savatte]

The law is one thing, finding a gas fitter licensed to issue gas safety certificates is another.

That's easy enough: make sure you only employ a CORGI registered fitter.

 

[Epicurus]

Hang on! is it a combination boiler?

 

[Epicurus]

There are two types of boiler, do you have constant hot water i.e. the boiler comes on when you turn the hot tap on, if so it is a very different system and you need to do something else.

PM me a number a friend of mine who is here maybe able to help you

 

[maes]

It should be above the boiler or near to it.

Nope, nothing there....

 

[tobyjug]

That's easy enough: make sure you only employ a CORGI registered fitter.

My original comment applies. It took me a month to find a gas fitter able to service a gas appliance and issue a safety certificate.

 

[maes]

There are two types of boiler, do you have constant hot water i.e. the boiler comes on when you turn the hot tap on, if so it is a very different system and you need to do something else.

PM me a number a friend of mine who is here maybe able to help you

Yeah it turns on when I turn on the tap, it's set to constant hot water & I set the heating times on a timer...

 

[Epicurus]

If it is a combi boiler you have to pressurise the system by turning a little valve that adds water to the system it is different to the system with the header tank

 

[nino_savatte]

My original comment applies. It took me a month to find a gas fitter able to service a gas appliance and issue a safety certificate.

And my original comment still applies: make sure you find a CORGI registered gas fitter. I've never had any trouble. A CORGI registered engineer should be able to do both, if they can't they aren't doing their job.

 

[maes]

If it is a combi boiler you have to pressurise the system by turning a little valve that adds water to the system it is different to the system with the header tank

Is that the thing where you have to set it to one bar of pressure?

I should really just go & look, see if I can find anything in the attic that looks right, but I'm scared there might be spiders up there

 

[Epicurus]

Is that the thing where you have to set it to one bar of pressure?

I should really just go & look, see if I can find anything in the attic that looks right, but I'm scared there might be spiders up there

yes yes hang on I'll try and explain

 

[nogoodboyo]

Is that the thing where you have to set it to one bar of pressure?

I should really just go & look, see if I can find anything in the attic that looks right, but I'm scared there might be spiders up there

Yes, like in my post on the first page.

Or you could carry on looking for the header tank...

 

[Epicurus]

OK it is a combi boiler.

Under the boiler you should see a number of pipes coming out 2 of these will be the flow and return possibly the 2 biggest pipes, there will also be a mains water pipe you should see a pipe with a valve in it coming from the mains water pipe and going to the flow or return, it could be a flexible pipe that you have to tighten yourself.

When you open the valve you will see the pressure on the clock go up turn the valve off when you get to 2 bars.

Then go and bleed all the radiators again and check the clock for pressure

 

[lizzieloo]

Is that the thing where you have to set it to one bar of pressure?

I should really just go & look, see if I can find anything in the attic that looks right, but I'm scared there might be spiders up there

If it's in the loft it's going to be a header tank system, not a combi system

Yes? no?

 

[maes]

If it's in the loft it's going to be a header tank system, not a combi system

Yes? no?

Well yeah... So I thought if I went & there isn't anything there then it's a combi, if there is then it's a header tank. But apparently it's a combi one anyway.

 

[tobyjug]

And my original comment still applies: make sure you find a CORGI registered gas fitter. I've never had any trouble. A CORGI registered engineer should be able to do both, if they can't they aren't doing their job.

I used the gas fitter who attends domestic gas emergencies under contract to the mains gas supplier. (he was the only certificated fitter I could find)

 

[maes]

Yes, like in my post on the first page.

Or you could carry on looking for the header tank...

Ah yes, that first post is v useful, cheers

Found the pressure dial & the pipes etc. Have to go out now but will try when I get home. If I'm not online tonight, the heating system has exploded

 

[starfish]

If your rads are only hot around the bottom it sounds more like an airblock. When you bleed a radiator it doesnt neccessarily have to be water that comes out. If its just air then it is an airblock. Our lounge radiator was acting up, bled the air out of it & now its fine.

 

[Velouria]

If your radiators are bleeding, I'd advise calling a priest for an exorcism...

sorry couldn't resist

 

[guinnessdrinker]

And my original comment still applies: make sure you find a CORGI registered gas fitter. I've never had any trouble. A CORGI registered engineer should be able to do both, if they can't they aren't doing their job.

only corgi registered gas fitters are allowed to touch heating systems, landlords are not allowed to use anybody else.

 

[guinnessdrinker]

Landlords are actually required by law to ensure all gas appliances in their properties are serviced once a year. But enforcing this law is difficult.

it's become a recipe for gas companies to extract money at presumably extortionate rates from local councils and big social landlords for little work of value. sometimes, they break the boiler on purpose to get more work.

 

[nadia]

"Depends on the system it isn't rocket science. It involves finding the radiator at the lowest point in the system and attaching a hose to the large outlet t the bottom of the radiator and running the hose out side to a drain and leaving the water to run through for an hour or so.
After that tie of the ball valve to the header tank for the system and let the system drain dry. Close off the outlet remove the hose, add desludger to the header tank,(available frim hardwear shop and builders merchants) refill the system and bleed starting at the lowest radiator and working up.
Switch the system on to circulate the water/desludger, this can take some time. Fush the system again and then pour a corrosion inhibitor into the header tank.
If this fails you need a heating engineer."

Just a thought if you have a sealed central heating system you may simply need to find the top up tap on the boiler and keep topping up and bleeding until water comes out. Do you have pressure in the system? If so what is it. The desludge stuff is called Fernox follow the instructions very carefully and I am not sure what you do with this if you have a sealed system (did it at old house with tank in loft).


btw lots of boiler manuals are avaliable on line

 

[nino_savatte]

it's become a recipe for gas companies to extract money at presumably extortionate rates from local councils and big social landlords for little work of value. sometimes, they break the boiler on purpose to get more work.

Oh aye, I've seen them. When I used to work for Lambeth, the heating contractors they used were some of the worst I've ever seen. I don't think they use Waltham Forest Heating Services anymore but it really doesn't matter who they use because more often than not, the fitters are on a basic rate (schedule of rates) and as a result don't feel too enthusiastic about their work.

 

[guinnessdrinker]

Oh aye, I've seen them. When I used to work for Lambeth, the heating contractors they used were some of the worst I've ever seen. I don't think they use Waltham Forest Heating Services anymore but it really doesn't matter who they use because more often than not, the fitters are on a basic rate (schedual of rates) and as a result don't feel too enthusiastic about their work.

the guy who broke my boiler on purpose must have have had some form of enthusiasm to do it. my understanding is that they are actively encouraged to do so by their employers.

 

[nino_savatte]

the guy who broke my boiler on purpose must have have had some form of enthusiasm to do it. my understanding is that they are actively encouraged to do so by their employers.

They get to charge the council more money if they have to renew the boiler. A simple gas service or repair job may cost only £25. If they can claim the boiler is beyond repair the cost shoots up dramatically.

 

[WouldBe]

If your radiators are bleeding, I'd advise calling a priest for an exorcism...

sorry couldn't resist

Snap

The desludge stuff is called Fernox

I thought that was an inhibiter?

When British Gas have put it in my parents system they have done so after flushing the system.

 

[guinnessdrinker]

They get to charge the council more money if they have to renew the boiler. A simple gas service or repair job may cost only £25. If they can claim the boiler is beyond repair the cost shoots up dramatically.

the repair job, done because of the guy who broke the boiler, was useless and it stopped working after 10 mn! I did get some compensation and a brand new heating system after a good bit of hassle, so it ended well.

 

[nino_savatte]

the repair job, done because of the guy who broke the boiler, was useless and it stopped working after 10 mn! I did get some compensation and a brand new heating system after a good bit of hassle, so it ended well.

Well I'm glad it all worked out. Other people (usually the elderly) aren't so lucky.

 

[guinnessdrinker]

It needs to be done by an engineer, but it's not cheap. It will save you money long term though, as the radiators will work more effectively, so British Gas told us. can't remember how much they quoted us.

the like of british gas will always say that the system needs replacing, quoting 1000s of £, but there is always a man in the know somewhere....

 

[xes]

I have been allowed to bleed radiators twice.

Both times i flooded the hall

(f'kin key thingy fell out,cos I forgot which way i was turning it)

Just thought I'd share.......

 

[Miscellaneous]

Maestro- If you need to get something replaced- let me know what it is, and i'll find out how much it would cost trade/cash etc... because they will charge you through the nose for bits that are usually very cheap- and you may be better off buying it yourself.