Should I add corrosion inhibitor (or similar)?

[wedge69]

I'm sure the plumbers I get to quote for will tell me, but I would like to get my facts straight in advance.

We hope to have a radiator replaced with a smaller one for aesthetic purposes (single to double so the heat ouput is not affected). As this will necessitate changing the pipework I am guessing our system will need to be drained down.

We have a combi boiler, and as such I think this is what's known as a sealed system - Valliant Turbomax combi, all rads with myson/honeywell TRVs.

So my question is this - when the system is refilled with water from the mains, what should we be looking at adding in terms of corrosion inhibitors etc, and how expensive is this?

Cheers

 

[namsag]

Inhibitor anything from seven quid to twenty five depending on what make or type. Sentinel x100 is a good one at around fifteen. He may not drain it there is a way to do it without draining even if pipes being altered an soldered

 

[2face]

i would add some .. possibly better if u add the same as was originally fitted so as not to mix ..
to do it right add a cleanser and run for 24 hrs then add inhibitor ...
i use fernox f1/f3

 

[Agile]

A careful person would turn off the rad valves on the remaining rads and the boiler isolating valves so it will still give DHW during the work. This will retain the majority of existing inhibitor ( if any ) and would not normally need to be added to.

Can I issue words of warning?

Whilst you have your own ideas of whats "aesthetic" and apparently its worth a considerable cost to you to change it, double panel rads are thicker and most people think less visually attractive.

Furthermore, the heat distribution is more concentrated and therefore less even that with a longer emitter surface.

Tony

 

[wedge69]

Thanks Tony,

Partly the reason for replacing the radiator is because it is in a bad state of repair - paint is flaking off and the pipework below one of the valves is rusted badly - I would imagine from a leak in the past.

We really do need a shorter radiator because the existing one is heating up the tv quite badly! I'll bear in mind what you said about a double one and see what the plumber suggests.

Would you mind explaining to me how shutting the other radiator valves off would stop the water rushing out of the one we removed? I would be interested to understand.

 

[Agile]

Would you mind explaining to me how shutting the other radiator valves off would stop the water rushing out of the one we removed? I would be interested to understand.

No, obviously you will have to drain the rad you want to replace! The water will be retained in all the other rads and the boiler though.

A careful person would turn off the rad valves on the remaining rads and the boiler isolating valves so it will still give DHW during the work. This will retain the majority of existing inhibitor ( if any ) and would not normally need to be added to.

Tony

 

[wedge69]

Ok thanks, I'm just being simple.