Draining the heating system
Discussion
First of all - I know I am a Surveyor - but that does not mean I am practical, and might sometimes prefer to call an expert in. I might be wrong here, but I think that I can avoid this in this instance.
Daughter has radiator in her room that does not work. I beat and bashed the TRV last year and got it working sort of. So far nothing of this order has worked. I replaced the head last year - it looks like it needs the body as well.
The plumbing is all over the place here, and as a rented house I don't want to piss about with it (I know that I could just call the landlord, but I prefer not to do that for this). My cunning plan is to turn the water off at the mains, crack off the pipe on a radiator in the utility room, and use a funnel and hose to decant down the drain outside, until water stops.
Then allowing me to change said valve. It's an old system, so I am expecting a header tank for the boiler - but at the worst case will then need to find the filling loop (I suppose I should check this first! - there is no sign of a Pressure Vessel unless it's inside the casing).
Does all of this sound sensible?
Daughter has radiator in her room that does not work. I beat and bashed the TRV last year and got it working sort of. So far nothing of this order has worked. I replaced the head last year - it looks like it needs the body as well.
The plumbing is all over the place here, and as a rented house I don't want to piss about with it (I know that I could just call the landlord, but I prefer not to do that for this). My cunning plan is to turn the water off at the mains, crack off the pipe on a radiator in the utility room, and use a funnel and hose to decant down the drain outside, until water stops.
Then allowing me to change said valve. It's an old system, so I am expecting a header tank for the boiler - but at the worst case will then need to find the filling loop (I suppose I should check this first! - there is no sign of a Pressure Vessel unless it's inside the casing).
Does all of this sound sensible?
Because I prefer to on this occasion. Part of the deal is minimal hassle. If it breaks down I'll call him, if it's general maintenance I'll do it.
Plus I'll have to remind him for several weeks, then he'll send one if his mates who with all well intentions will sort it - or more likely bodge it.
If I'm really unlucky he'll have a go himself...
Plus I'll have to remind him for several weeks, then he'll send one if his mates who with all well intentions will sort it - or more likely bodge it.
If I'm really unlucky he'll have a go himself...
sounds ok, except there must be a drain cock you can find rather than buggering about with the utility radiator.
use the draincock with a length of hose draining it away somewhere safe / onto the front path.
Rest of it sounds like a good un.
Although, not only am I not a plumber, i'm notoriously s
t at it.
use the draincock with a length of hose draining it away somewhere safe / onto the front path.
Rest of it sounds like a good un.
Although, not only am I not a plumber, i'm notoriously s
t at it.In which case locate drain off. Should be one downstairs. Turn water off and attach hose and open valve. Keep an eye on it, the water will probably be filthy and if its warm it can cause the hose to expand and pop off making a right old mess.
Open a bleed valve upstairs to speed things up.
Once drained remove TRV and fit new one.
Water back on. Bleed the system, check for leaks and you're done.
Open a bleed valve upstairs to speed things up.
Once drained remove TRV and fit new one.
Water back on. Bleed the system, check for leaks and you're done.
Dont go meesing around with any actual radiators. The value in the picture looks like the drain off point. It should be at the lowest point of the whole system. is it?
The rads not working may just be sludge in the bottom. Once drained, take the rads off the wall and take them outside, open both ends and run a hose through until the water comes out clean. See if that helps. Pain in the arse but can make a world of difference.
The rads not working may just be sludge in the bottom. Once drained, take the rads off the wall and take them outside, open both ends and run a hose through until the water comes out clean. See if that helps. Pain in the arse but can make a world of difference.
surveyor said:
Not that many pipes visible.
There is a pipe within the boiler casing - I need to try and find out if it's what it looks like.
I'll not mess with it otherwise.
Ideal Mexico 2 Floor Standing.
Stick a hose pipe on that drain off valve in the picture (if it works!), place a bowl under it too, water will most likely run down the hose. When the flow from the hose starts to slow down, open the bleeds on the upstairs rads (all of them, not just one) and wait until the water stops flowing through the hose.There is a pipe within the boiler casing - I need to try and find out if it's what it looks like.
I'll not mess with it otherwise.
Ideal Mexico 2 Floor Standing.
Change TRV (put plenty of towels around the rad, no matter how well you drain a system, you'll always get a splash of dirty black water escape!), close drain off and vents and switch water back on (don't forget to add inhibitor to the F+E tank.) and bleed rads and any bleed points in the airing cupboard.
Rickyy said:
Stick a hose pipe on that drain off valve in the picture (if it works!), place a bowl under it too, water will most likely run down the hose. When the flow from the hose starts to slow down, open the bleeds on the upstairs rads (all of them, not just one) and wait until the water stops flowing through the hose.
Change TRV (put plenty of towels around the rad, no matter how well you drain a system, you'll always get a splash of dirty black water escape!), close drain off and vents and switch water back on (don't forget to add inhibitor to the F+E tank.) and bleed rads and any bleed points in the airing cupboard.
thankyou!Change TRV (put plenty of towels around the rad, no matter how well you drain a system, you'll always get a splash of dirty black water escape!), close drain off and vents and switch water back on (don't forget to add inhibitor to the F+E tank.) and bleed rads and any bleed points in the airing cupboard.
fking house.
System drained down once I found a drain down valve that was not seized, and valve changed.
System will not refill.
Found the tank in the loft - ball cock hanging down like a limp wrist, but no water.
I'm not comfortable changing that valve, given that it's in our ceiling and mistakes could be expensive.
Plumber time. bks.
king house.System drained down once I found a drain down valve that was not seized, and valve changed.
System will not refill.
Found the tank in the loft - ball cock hanging down like a limp wrist, but no water.
I'm not comfortable changing that valve, given that it's in our ceiling and mistakes could be expensive.
Plumber time. b
ks.surveyor said:
fking house.
System drained down once I found a drain down valve that was not seized, and valve changed.
System will not refill.
Found the tank in the loft - ball cock hanging down like a limp wrist, but no water.
I'm not comfortable changing that valve, given that it's in our ceiling and mistakes could be expensive.
Plumber time. bks.
There'll be a little sticky out thing that when the ball rises it pushes back in. It's stuck in at the moment. A good prod and removing some scale will usually free it up and give you time to get it changed at your leisure.king house.System drained down once I found a drain down valve that was not seized, and valve changed.
System will not refill.
Found the tank in the loft - ball cock hanging down like a limp wrist, but no water.
I'm not comfortable changing that valve, given that it's in our ceiling and mistakes could be expensive.
Plumber time. b
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