Radiator needs frequent bleeding

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I have a radiator upstairs that needs bleeding once a week lately. It used to be the only one that really needed bleeding, which was about once every few months. We have a power flush a few weeks ago and since then I have had to bleed the radiator every few days.

Anyone know what it could be?
 
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My experience is that certain radiators seem to collect all the air in a system.

If it is a couple of weeks since the system flush then I would ensure that the system is at pressure (if pressured) or there is water in the header tank (if gravity fed). I would leave it a couple of more weeks and keep bleeding.

If the system still needs continually bleeding then I would suspect something worse. Leaking pipe allowing air in, slowly leaking radiator etc.

Dave
 
Should I try a internal leak sealer? The combi boiler is at the correct pressure.
 
was a corrosion inhibitor added when it was refilled?
 
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To be honest I am not 100% sure. I was wondering that too as I didn't see him do it.

Can I add some myself or will too much inhibitor be bad for the system.
 
If he added it, he should have put a label on the boiler or hung from a pipe saying so. The containers usually come with a label for this purpose, or have one you can clip off the wrapper. The inhibitor costs about £15 so there are some people who might not include it.

Phone and ask.

If he did, you can add more of the same brand (Sentinel and Fernox are good brands). It does no harm to add extra.

If not he is a bit of a dummy, although there are some people who say inhibitor is not required on a sealed system.

Look at the pressure gauge and verify that the pressure is about right.

Make sure the filling loop has been disconnected so that fresh water is not getting in. Again, if he did not do this, he is a bit of a dummy.

If you have to add it to a sealed pressurised system it is a bit of a palaver, but you can get a tube of concentrated inhibitor that you squirt in through a bleed valve. It is much easier to add when you have the system open e.g. for flushing.

I am just a householder and have not had a sealed system.
 
I will call him and ask. I didn't watch him all the time, but I think he only added chemicals when he was flushing which was screwfix no nonsense brand.

Don't know if it makes a difference but the water that comes out after I bleed the air out, doesn't smell of any chemicals.

The filling loop is connected although it always has been as we have a valve to let water in on it. It looks like this filling loop here: http://www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk/TOPPING_UP_A_COMBI_BOILER.htm

I would buy concentrate as it looks the easiest to apply. Can you just apply it through the bleed valve? How does this work?

Thank you
 
Yoir link says "The filling loop must not be connected to the boiler permanently as it only used to top up the boiler if pressure has dropped.



...In reality these are permanently connected as people very rarely disconnect them."


I have not had to put inhibitor in through a rad vent myself But I understand that is how it is done on a sealed system.

It is not mentiuoned in no. 28 //www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=37170

Have a look at http://www.sentinel-solutions.net/en/heating/X100/concentrate there might be a how-to-do-it video on there.

I will not try to explain it as I have never actually done it myself. You might as well take advice from a Catholic priest on how to achieve marital harmony ;)
 
Thanks so much for your help. :D

I will wait a while to see if it gets any better, I will also give him a call to see if he added any inhibitor.
 
I add inhibitor via a rad: take out the top bung (like the air bleed screw but just a blank on other top corner). Insert one end of a 15mm iso valve and gently tighten. On other end of iso valve is small length of copper pipe connected to small length of garden hose and then funnel. Pour inhibitor into funnel which then flows thru hose and past iso valve into rad (make sure iso valve open lol). You may need to open opposite air bleed valve to allow air to escape as inhibitor enters. One can add inhibitor like this at any time - just drain down some water, add inhibitor to a upstairs rad, then refill.

You will have to use a rad that has been part drained :)




Whole article below if you are bored... copied from another post I wrote...







Sounds like you have a combi boiler and assuming it is... if post a little long I copied and pasted from old post I wrote for somebody. I'm not a CH expert but have fitted a few rads.

Turn boiler off (ideally at fused spur). Do not use boiler at all if no water in CH circuit.

If you can find a drain point: Fix hosepipe to a drain pipe on one of the downstairs rads (or might be a drain off point near boiler) and drain off an amount of water to outside drain or garden (you'll see combi boiler pressure drop from whatever it is, likely between 1 bar and 2 bar... eventually to zero). Keep draining until you have emptied the rads (you will need to open the rad air bleed screws - starting at the top of the house and gradually working down - to allow air in, which in turn allows water out the hosepipe - essentially you are getting rid of a vaccum that would otherwise prevent draining). Take care that you are not just draining a "drop down leg of pipework" - this is okay but don't then go and work somewhere else thinking everywhere is empty.

If no visible drain point then you'll just have to choose a low radiator and close both the TRV (switch it to off or lowest setting) and lock shield valve (this then means that the rad is cut off from the circuit). Then carefully drain the ONE rad only by loosening the connection between the rad and the lockshield valve and letting the water flow into a paint tray or something suitable (open bleed valve on rad to allow air in). Be ready to tighten connection as water fills paint tray as rads hold a lot. When rad is empty you can then think about rest of water in circuit (under pressure still!). Obviously if you now open the lock shield valve or the TRV then water will spurt out... what can you insert or attach to this? For example on the TRV next to my desk now I could insert 15mm pipe (inc. olive and nut from a 15mm iso valve or compression fitting) into the TRV, tighten it up and then attach hose to that with a jubilee clip... then switch on TRV and water will be off and away. If it’s a big thread then a wash machine hose will likely fit with other end connected to some plastic 15mm pipe (or tucked into some waste pipe and fed outside). It’s just about getting the water out and diverting to a drain or garden.

TOP TIP: If a rad is taken out but the flow and return still pressurised then be aware a TRV can open if the temperature in the room drops enough due to frost setting sort of thing..

When re-filling you do this using the combi boiler filling loop (boiler still off). Google some pics to see what one looks like but sounds like you found it already. Stop at 1 bar pressure and then bleed downstairs rads (so water filling from bottom of house upwards)... pressure will drop so top up to 1 bar and bleed again and continue this bleeding all rads inc. upstairs. When no air in all rads pressure up the system to what it should be (likely 1 bar to 2 bar - check your boiler manual). You should add some inhibitor (early in this process - add inhibitor whilst drained down, either via pipework at TRV or by taking bleed valve out and putting in top of rad)..

I add inhibitor via a rad: take out the top bung (like the air bleed screw but just a blank). Insert one end of a 15mm iso valve and gently tighten. On other end of iso valve is small length of copper pipe connected to small length of hose and then funnel. Pour inhibitor into funnel which then flows thru hose and past iso valve into rad (make sure iso valve open lol). You may need to open opposite air bleed valve to allow air to escape as inhibitor enters. One can add inhibitor like this at any time - just drain down some water, add inhibitor to a upstairs rad, then refill.

I am not a CH expert ... I'm sure somebody will chip in if I am wrong or have missed anything.
 
Thank you so much for that! I will give that a try :D

If the reason the radiator needs bleeding so often is a leak problem, would the leak be on that radiator?
 
no it could be anywhere. usually there is one rad in a house that tends to collect most of the gas. It is often the one closest to the pump.

your system is pressurised so I would have thought less likelty to be sucking in air at teh pump, more likely to be corrosion gas.

It is possible to light corrosion gas with a match as it hisses out, as it is mostly hydrogen, but remove all curtains and other flammable objects first :eek:
 
Could the inhibitor stop this problem of having to bleed as much?

I had a look and there are no labels anywhere saying he added inhibitor. I am trying to call him today to ask if he added any.
I guess he could say he did even though he didn't couldn't he?

Thank you so much, you have been a great help :D
 
no. you will be throwing your money away if the system is leaking/loosing pressure.

i assume pressure drops as air will not be drawn into a pressurised sealed system.

is there water dripping/running out the prv exit pipe ?
 
The pressure doesn't really drop even after I bleed that radiator. There is no dripping water or any signs of leaks.

Should I try an internal leak sealer?
 

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