Micro-bore central heating - flush out and clean - do i need to

[ETAF]

Hi,
I have moved into a house bungalow which has micro-bore central heating - pressurised - the pressure controls and pressure vessel are in the loft

I'm not sure if it needs draining and flashing out at all ?

How would I tell , if this does need doing

There is a matrix in the airing cupboard about 9" off the floor with all the small pipes going into
on the main pipe is a drain plug

but as all the micro-bore goes down under the floor - which is concrete with a sheet of wood on top and what looks like channels for the pipes and cables
then the water is not going to come out of those pipes
The matrix valve tap is about the same height as the bottom of the valve connector on the radiators

Whats the best way to approach this as a DIY project

1st does it need doing
2nd best way to flush it out
3rd best chemicals to buy to do the job

thanks
wayne

 

[flameport]

If it's working then leave it alone.

Flushing out may well dislodge a certain amount of corrosion, sludge and whatever but that may also block the small diameter pipes and leave you in a worse state than when you started.

If you are intent on cleaning it, remove the radiators one at a time and flush through outside.

 

[ETAF]

Thanks not intent at all
Just the house has been cold - its my deceased mother-in-law and we are moving in
however , just had the builders in for the facias and sofits also asked them to take of 10-11 tiles to see installation and there was none
so that maybe it
the loft is well insulated but the walls had a curve on and we thought that maybe an issue
its so much warmer and they only started on Wednesday and put the insulation in yesterday

I was worried the heating was not up to it
but the radiators get warm

any more advice
i checked the boiler and its rating is high enough for the bungalow

 

[gas112]

well if radiators get hot and the house doesn`t . That tells you something

 

[ETAF]

yes, thats was why we paid for the builders to take 10+ tiles off to check insulation in that part of the roof

i'm going to run all the radiators today and see just how hot they get

thanks again

 

[ETAF]

I just cranked up the heating and 4 out 8 radiators are Hot 2 are warm and 2 are cold , slightly warm at the bottom
I checked the pipe work coming into the rads and they are really hot

I guess i need to bleed them all first and then see what i'm left with
the fact all the micro-bore is really hot , means water is moving around OK

thanks , will do that later today

 

[ETAF]

Well, this shows how much i need to go back to first principles on this stuff
Thanks for all the help

I looked at the pressure and it was 0
Spoke to my brother-in-law and he said , he used to often re pressurise for his mum - which seems strange.

So i added some pressure after getting the valve to open !!!!!!! as it was stuck
then bleed ALL the radiators.

Put the pressure up to 1bar and run the system
now they are all getting quite hot , except for one , which is hot at the top and warm at the bottom
check both the valves at the side of the radiator - not far from the micro-bore matrix

The pressure loop had 2 isolation valves and one was off - brother-in-law said he never touched that
it just has a Nut - so i have attached a photo - as i dont know how to tell how on/off it is

Also I found a small black cylinder and is that some form of filter is it a magnetic filter
I have also attached a photo

had a good look around, having to keep re-pressurising is not right , anyway - i found a very very slight leak - thats been there for ages.....
so arranged for a plumber to look at that , as its the soldered joints that are leaking , i dont have that kit

 

[flameport]

Also I found a small black cylinder and is that some form of filter is it a magnetic filter

It's an auto air vent. Water has been leaking out so it is now useless, and should be replaced.

 

[ETAF]

thanks - i will get the plumber to do that on monday

thanks for all the help and quick response