Only 3 radiators working

[FixItDuck]

We have a 3-storey house, with a total of 9 radiators. When I turned on the CH yesterday, only 3 radiators, all on the top floor came on (there is 1 up there that didn't) - all radiators on the lower 2 floors are cold.

Last winter, they all worked fine, the only thing I have changed since is removing and replacing the kitchen radiator to paint behind it, so that may be unbalanced, but none of the others have been touched.

Can anyone give me or direct me to an idiot's guide to what the blue boxes attached to my pipes might be, and how to work out if there is zoning or something that may be turned off?

Thank you

 

[picasso]

Check that the pins on your thermostatic valves arent stuck down (like I missed on another thread ) if its not this can you post a picture of the blueboxes.

 

[yerino]

If you turn off the 3 hot radiators on the thermostatic valves what happens?

You could have a faulty pump?

What type of system do you have?

 

[FixItDuck]

No TRVs (those are the sort with numbers on, by which you can control the temperature of individual radiators?), beyond that, I have no idea what sort of system it is, I'm a complete novice.

 

[FixItDuck]

Does that show anything helpful?

 

[Terry lambert]

The pump looks pretty old, this could be failing.

If you shut the rads that get warm, see if the heat goes elsewhere

 

[FixItDuck]

The pump looks pretty old, this could be failing.

If you shut the rads that get warm, see if the heat goes elsewhere

Just a quick update- it was the pump. We are now nice and warm. Thank you all for your help