NEWBIE - central heating stress......!

[amandaj]

Hi all

Was wondering if anyone can help please - I am having major problems (seem major to me...!) with my CH. The system is quite old I think (we moved in 3 yrs ago and the place had been renovated 20 yrs before) and consists of:

'standard' (please excuse technical terms!) wall mounted Baxi gas boiler
6 rads on two floors - old style with no individual thermostats

We have had a problem with the rad in the lounge (furthest away from boiler on ground floor) not heating up much - and tonight it is almost stone cold whilst the other rads are lukewarm to cold. The thermostat is also located in this room, and it is set to 25 but the room is freezing....

I have 3 star cover with B'Gas and they are coming to look at the system on Monday, they mentioned on the phone I may need the system 'powerflushing' but this isn't covered. The rad in the lounge felt hot on top last night but cooler further down. Just concerned they are going to blind me with science and try to charge me for things that I can't afford and don't need doing.

Also the pipes have been knocking something rotten tonight - sounds like they have trapped air in them - could this be linked to the radiator problem? Yesterday I turned the Baxi boiler up from no 2 setting inside to no 4, as it suggested for winter, again could this all be linked? Not had this problem until today, so I turned the boiler down again. Be very very grateful for any help with this one so thanks so much in advance - I am having to go up to bed now as I am freezing cold!

Thanks once more

Amanda

 

[breezer]

just a thought have you bled the radiators?

 

[oilman]

It sounds like your system has sludge in it, but air in the system is another likely problem and you should bleed the radiators and pump first (it's really more likely to be hydrogen, but don't worry about that). Make sure the pump is turned off when you do it.

If you are reasonably practical you could clean the system out yourself. Take the radiators off the wall and rinse through with a hosepipe. Then refill the system and add some system restorer/cleaner. Let it run for a couple of weeks, then drain and flush and refill adding corrosion inhibitor.

If you have lots of money to spare, have it powerflushed. The benefit is it's quick and you don't have all the hard work.

 

[ollski]

it is possible your sludgy 20 year old pump is finding it difficult to force the water through aswell....does it make any difference on the next speed setting?. I would give that a whirl along with bleeding and balancing the rads.
I would skip the powerflush, it's often cheaper to get all your pipework replaced and your rads blown out with a pressure washer!!

 

[oilman]

I would skip the powerflush, it's often cheaper to get all your pipework replaced and your rads blown out with a pressure washer!!

You'd replace all my pipes AND pressure the rads for £350? When can you do it? Do you take sugar in your tea?

 

[ollski]

sorry oilman...I was referring to a british gas powerflush!