Empty Radiators

[UPLUMB]

I have drained down all radiators to disonnect a radiator and to remove some pipe work.

On thing now is I am not sure how to re-fill the radiators. It's a back boiler system. There are valves in the airing cupboard but am not sure if I am meant to fill them up from one of these?

Help would be grateful

 

[JohnD]

If you have a back-boiler, you most likely have a feed and expansion tank in the loft, or somewhere else above the level of your highest radiator and the cylinder.

It will probably be plastic, about 1 ft x 1 ft x 18", with a large copper pipe curved over the top of it, a copper pipe coming out near the bottom to top up the radiators, and a ball-valve inside, like in a toilet cistern, fed from the mains or the cold-water tank.

Go and have a look.

See if it has sludge in the bottom; and what colour. If so, bale it out before letting it flow down and refill the radiators.

What colour was the water that came out when you drained the rads? Did you get any sediment?

 

[UPLUMB]

If you have a back-boiler, you most likely have a feed and expansion tank in the loft, or somewhere else above the level of your highest radiator and the cylinder.

It will probably be plastic, about 1 ft x 1 ft x 18", with a large copper pipe curved over the top of it, a copper pipe coming out near the bottom to top up the radiators, and a ball-valve inside, like in a toilet cistern, fed from the mains or the cold-water tank.

Go and have a look.

See if it has sludge in the bottom; and what colour. If so, bale it out before letting it flow down and refill the radiators.

What colour was the water that came out when you drained the rads? Did you get any sediment?

Yeah, I checked the cistern and it was full of black smelly stuff. I cleaned as much as I could and the cistern has now filled up with water. Does this mean I have water back in the radiators if the cistern is full?

 

[JohnD]

Try bleeding them and see. Unless you have a blockage it should refill them.

You can buy a chemical cleaner to remove some of the existing sediment from your radiators and pipes; and a Corrosion Inhibitor to stop it happening again.

 

[UPLUMB]

Try bleeding them and see. Unless you have a blockage it should refill them.

You can buy a chemical cleaner to remove some of the existing sediment from your radiators and pipes; and a Corrosion Inhibitor to stop it happening again.

Thanks John. The thing is, I think we're contemplating getting a whole new combi boiler central heating system as back boilers are s*it! But for now thanks for the advice!

 

[Lagerkhan]

The thing is, I think we're contemplating getting a whole new combi boiler central heating system as back boilers are s*it! !

You have a lot to learn

 

[JohnD]

If I were you, I would keep my old pipes and radiators clean and corrosion-free. You don't want them going wrong before you upgrade; and you might want to re-use some or all of them with your new boiler.

Now you know how to drain and refill your system, you will find it fairly easy.

BTW combis go wrong fairly often, they are much more complicated.

 

[werewolf]

And they keep me busy