Radiator hot but heating switched off?!
Discussion
Yesterday I noticed that the radiator in our bathroom was hot, even though the heating is switched off. None of the other radiators in the house were on.
I did google it but frankly I'm a DIY dunce and most of the answers were too technical for me!
Can anyone give me a simple answer?!
I did google it but frankly I'm a DIY dunce and most of the answers were too technical for me!
Can anyone give me a simple answer?!
Possibly your 3 way valve has gone kaput, especially if you've not noticed it before, probably find it in the airing cupboard.
Looks like this:
http://www.wickes.co.uk/3-way-mid-position-valve/i...
Looks like this:
http://www.wickes.co.uk/3-way-mid-position-valve/i...
Edited by Dennis99 on Friday 3rd June 14:38
my fridge is apparently the solution!
Seriously though, I did have exactly the same symptoms, was my 3-way or "mid position" valve that was broken.
was about £200 for a plumber to do it for me as I couldnt be arsed, had a new hot water tank at the time too so cant remember exactly what the cost was..
ETA thinking back, is it only hot when you've got the hot water turned on? that's the sure fire test, it's your hot water... erm.. water going to the rad rather than the coil in your hotwater tank. you may find a little lever on it to manually open and close the vale too for a temporary fix, but once the heating kicks in again and the valve opens it'll likely stay open.
Good luck.
Seriously though, I did have exactly the same symptoms, was my 3-way or "mid position" valve that was broken.
was about £200 for a plumber to do it for me as I couldnt be arsed, had a new hot water tank at the time too so cant remember exactly what the cost was..
ETA thinking back, is it only hot when you've got the hot water turned on? that's the sure fire test, it's your hot water... erm.. water going to the rad rather than the coil in your hotwater tank. you may find a little lever on it to manually open and close the vale too for a temporary fix, but once the heating kicks in again and the valve opens it'll likely stay open.
Good luck.
Edited by davido140 on Friday 3rd June 14:47
davido140 said:
my fridge is apparently the solution!
Seriously though, I did have exactly the same symptoms, was my 3-way or "mid position" valve that was broken.
was about £200 for a plumber to do it for me as I couldnt be arsed, had a new hot water tank at the time too so cant remember exactly what the cost was..
ETA thinking back, is it only hot when you've got the hot water turned on? that's the sure fire test, it's your hot water... erm.. water going to the rad rather than the coil in your hotwater tank. you may find a little lever on it to manually open and close the vale too for a temporary fix, but once the heating kicks in again and the valve opens it'll likely stay open.
Good luck.
Yeah, see I didn't understand any of that last bit.Seriously though, I did have exactly the same symptoms, was my 3-way or "mid position" valve that was broken.
was about £200 for a plumber to do it for me as I couldnt be arsed, had a new hot water tank at the time too so cant remember exactly what the cost was..
ETA thinking back, is it only hot when you've got the hot water turned on? that's the sure fire test, it's your hot water... erm.. water going to the rad rather than the coil in your hotwater tank. you may find a little lever on it to manually open and close the vale too for a temporary fix, but once the heating kicks in again and the valve opens it'll likely stay open.
Good luck.
Edited by davido140 on Friday 3rd June 14:47
I'm going to ignore it and hope it goes away.
Like the broken shower pump.
haha I'll try in terms the GF might understand!
Boiler makes hot water
Hot water go to two place, radiators to make house warm, tank to make bath water warm
3-way valve choses which of these places hot water go to
3-way valve called 3 way 'cos water can go one of three ways
way 1 = hot water for bath
way 2 = hot water for bath and radiator
way 3 = hot water for radiator
if valve stuck in way 2 or 3 hot water go to radiator whether you want it or not!
having said all that, I'm probably wrong about how a 3-way works and also it's probably not your 3-way.
Take out a british gas service contract for £25-ish a month, they'll do a full service and health check and quote to put right any bits that are bust.
or ignore it!
Boiler makes hot water
Hot water go to two place, radiators to make house warm, tank to make bath water warm
3-way valve choses which of these places hot water go to
3-way valve called 3 way 'cos water can go one of three ways
way 1 = hot water for bath
way 2 = hot water for bath and radiator
way 3 = hot water for radiator
if valve stuck in way 2 or 3 hot water go to radiator whether you want it or not!
having said all that, I'm probably wrong about how a 3-way works and also it's probably not your 3-way.
Take out a british gas service contract for £25-ish a month, they'll do a full service and health check and quote to put right any bits that are bust.
or ignore it!
davido140 said:
haha I'll try in terms the GF might understand!
Boiler makes hot water
Hot water go to two place, radiators to make house warm, tank to make bath water warm
3-way valve choses which of these places hot water go to
3-way valve called 3 way 'cos water can go one of three ways
way 1 = hot water for bath
way 2 = hot water for bath and radiator
way 3 = hot water for radiator
if valve stuck in way 2 or 3 hot water go to radiator whether you want it or not!
having said all that, I'm probably wrong about how a 3-way works and also it's probably not your 3-way.
Take out a british gas service contract for £25-ish a month, they'll do a full service and health check and quote to put right any bits that are bust.
or ignore it!
If this were the case wouldn't all radiators be hot not just the bathroom one ?Boiler makes hot water
Hot water go to two place, radiators to make house warm, tank to make bath water warm
3-way valve choses which of these places hot water go to
3-way valve called 3 way 'cos water can go one of three ways
way 1 = hot water for bath
way 2 = hot water for bath and radiator
way 3 = hot water for radiator
if valve stuck in way 2 or 3 hot water go to radiator whether you want it or not!
having said all that, I'm probably wrong about how a 3-way works and also it's probably not your 3-way.
Take out a british gas service contract for £25-ish a month, they'll do a full service and health check and quote to put right any bits that are bust.
or ignore it!
Lippitt said:
It's definitely pre-1975. You ought to see the boiler.
You probably have a gravity feed hot water and pumped central heating system which can also lead to the upstairs radiators getting warm when the CH pump is off. You should have an isolation valve somewhere, either manual or electric. Mine is a gate valve which I switch off the supply to the CH in the summer. You can also turn one of the rad valves off if they arent corroded up.What make and type of boiler is it?
Edited by jagracer on Friday 3rd June 18:39
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