Screeching Boiler!

[esk]

(and I don't mean the mother in law...)

Needed to bleed a radiator today. Released the air until water (thankfully clear) appeared.

Later this afternoon noticed that all radiators were cold. Turned the downstairs thermostat as I though that the system had reached proper temperature. But right after this I heard two or three screech type noises from the attic space. I immediately turned off the heating.

Bravely I looked in the loft and noticed that there was practically no pressure on the boiler meter (Vokey - not a combi). I have topped it up again and the the radiators appear to be getting hot again.

Was the screaching just the pump complaining? Did I cause the problem by bleeding the radiator? Could I have caused any damage?

I quite often have to fill the bolier and need to get someone to look at this too - its 7 years old - its also the same (and only) radiator that I have to bleed too.

Thanks.

 

[ChrisR]

Was the screaching just the pump complaining?

Most likely, yes.

This is a common problem with boilers in lofts, where there's no pressure switch on the boiler. Because of the auto air vent in the boiler, the boiler empties if water is lost. This can destroy the boiler - it happened to one I put in! The boiler turned off eventually because it got hot, but not before it had warped the main heat exchanger.

Your "air" collection is probably corrosion gases, so add inhibitor, but you really need to get a pressure switch added to the system so it switches it off (and puts a light on , say) if the pressure drops.
A boiler engineer will know exactly what to do , but a plumber may never have seen the bits you need, so get the right sort of oik.

It's also handy to have a pressure gauge fitted doon in the hoose somewhere so you can see it.

 

[Agile]

It's also handy to have a pressure gauge fitted doon in the hoose somewhere so you can see it.

Also a Mc Filling Loop beside it too!

Tony