FOAK bleeding fecking radiators

Cold weather, knackered central heating system. First radiator in
chain was only warm at bottom, so spent an hour getting air out (if
its too cold to go to the garage to get a flat headed screwdriver a
chisel will do) result lovely warm radiator.

Radiator in hall completely cold, radiator key actually fits this one
result warmish radiator. Checked temperature setting on boiler,
turned up from minimum. Other radiator in main hall also cold at top,
radiator key didn't fit, socket set used.

Result, burny hot water with black hot spludge squirt over floor and
people. Towel mopping ensued. When it squirted flicked controls to
off. Stopped squirting by putting the bleed valve back in.

Turned controls back on. Boiler warmed up water. Pump whirring round
radiators no get hot. Help required. Why isn't it working? Anyone in
area at weekend feel free to poke it, bring your own towels and burn
kit.

 

Sounds like it's a pressurised system, rather than an open one, and due
to your little escapade it's now out of water. There will be a tap
somewhere that you need to open to let water back into the closed loop
the radiators are on..

Don't run it empty, you'll seriously **** the pump up.

If there's a pressure gague on the boiler check what it's reading,
compared to what's written on the operating pressure label inside the
boiler, or in it's manual....

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, Lady Nina

Die, bitch.

--
Nigel - Manufacturer of the "Champion-105" range of rearsets

WS* GHPOTHUF#24 APOSTLE#14 DLC#1 COFF#20 BOTAFOT#150 HYPO#0(KoTL) IbW#41
ZZR1100, Enfield 500 Curry House Racer "The Basmati Rice Burner",
Honda GL1000K2 (On its hols) Kawasaki ZN1300 Voyager "Oh, Oh, It's so big"

 

I was very gentle with it...

You're still pissed about platy rusticating you aren't you?

 

It's an open one.

If only it was that simple.

It's turned off.

There is no pressure gauge...

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, Lady Nina

Wouldn't you be? It's not like I even got any foreplay.

--
Nigel - Manufacturer of the "Champion-105" range of rearsets

WS* GHPOTHUF#24 APOSTLE#14 DLC#1 COFF#20 BOTAFOT#150 HYPO#0(KoTL) IbW#41
ZZR1100, Enfield 500 Curry House Racer "The Basmati Rice Burner",
Honda GL1000K2 (On its hols) Kawasaki ZN1300 Voyager "Oh, Oh, It's so big"

 

It was somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the

Let it cool down and fill it up methodically...

Make sure the header tank in loft is actually being fed with water...
it's common for the ballcock to stick shut. Jiggle it about a bit.

Check if there's any automatic bleed vents in the systema and open them
up.

Open both valves on rads fully. There's a good chance some crap in the
system is blocking the valves if they're mostly closed.

Open bleed valves on rads and let them bleed.

Open the bleed screw on top of pump. Shut it as soon as water appears.

Sit huddled round burning copy of 'Sociology Today' in grate as your
pump's impeller is busted and no plumber is available till Wednesday
week.

--

Dave

GS 850 x2 / SE 6a
SbS#6 DIAABTCOD#16 APOSTLE#6 FUB#3
FUB KotL OSOS#12? UKRMMA#19 COSOC#10

 

When the same thing happened to me last year, it was a blockage in the
pipe from the cold water tank in the loft that keeps the system topped
up. Bleeding the radiators drops the water level that's still in the
system below the level of the pump, hence no more heat. The only cure
was to cut out the blocked section of pipe & solder in a new piece.
Easily done for me as my neighbour's a plumber!

If you can trace the pipe down from the loft tank, you'll probably find
it's got a 90 degree bend where it goes into the main pipe. Chances are
that's where the blockage is. You could try bashing it with a hammer to
shake the shit loose, but you'll probably end up having to get a man in.

 

Always, always ask the FOAK first.

 

This happens on ours. The boiler also stops working if there is no water
going through it.
Cost me £40 for that piece of advise!!!!!

 

Grimly Curmudgeon says...

That's what I was looking at as you posted.

The ballcock wasn't stuck, the header tank had been installed by a
cock eyed monkey. Set up so that it was closed with about half an
inch of water above the outlet. FFS.

Anyway, it's been adjusted to a more suitable level and all is well.
For now...

 

Nigel Eaton says...

I did tell her. Even worse when you consider that the screwdriver
was next to the chisel.

Still, can't expect wimmen to know the difference, bless em.

 

As I shouted this up the stairs cries of derision were floating down
it.

None.

Warm radiators ta, will do the bleeding stuff tomorrow.

How about the latest Joseph Rowntree Foundation 'findings'.

Still we found out if you heat lemon jelly cubes in a ladle over a
candle it turns into weird lemony toffee stuff.

Beer tokens owed if you get over for BOSM.

 

That was one of the first things done, just for the fun of it.

 

<snip DIY tale of woe>

My personal experience with heating systems was greatly enhanced by a
colleague explaining that what I needed to do before worrying about bleeding
the rads was to ensure that the 'balancing' (for want of a better word)
valves at the 'non-operational' end of the radiators were also opened
fully...[1]

Open up the valves on both sides on *all* rads.

Then bleed them one by one.

Then close off the 'non-operational' ends by about 50%

Then adjust at the normally adjustable ends.

Then it should at least be slightly better.

It may take a couple of rounds to get all the air out, but if you start
bleeding on the lowest floor it may help as air pockets should (but may not)
rise...

Or something.

Dave

[1] I found that a number of radiators in my house were effectively sealed
at one end, thus causing strange pumping problems and the like..

 

It was somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the

Feking Dickensian. Got any raggedy wooly fingerless gloves to complete
the picture?

Oh, ta.

--

Dave

GS 850 x2 / SE 6a
SbS#6 DIAABTCOD#16 APOSTLE#6 FUB#3
FUB KotL OSOS#12? UKRMMA#19 COSOC#10

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, WavyDavy

(Snip)

My last experience with heating systems was noticing one day at midday
that there was a problem with the hot water, and picking the phone up to
dial British Gas.

At 3pm a nice man arrived and sorted it all out.

BG service contract. YKIMS.

--
Nigel - Manufacturer of the "Champion-105" range of rearsets

WS* GHPOTHUF#24 APOSTLE#14 DLC#1 COFF#20 BOTAFOT#150 HYPO#0(KoTL) IbW#41
ZZR1100, Enfield 500 Curry House Racer "The Basmati Rice Burner",
Honda GL1000K2 (On its hols) Kawasaki ZN1300 Voyager "Oh, Oh, It's so big"

 

It's a miracle nobody's mentioned angle grinders really.

 

Move next door to a plumber & take out a beer service contract. YKIMS.

 

I can imagine ...

"Jer-jer-jer-JIGGLE IT, Granville!"