DIYER Lost all radiators but 2

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Jim20

Hi, I am probably your worst knightmare, I DIYER with little knowlege, trying to do things himself.

The problem that I have is that I none of my radiators to the downstairs are working.

I have been fitting out a new bathroom, repositioned bath, sink and toilet, all successfully.
The weekend just gone, I partially drained the cental heating system, and T-ed into the hot and cold rad feed for my towel warmer and under floor heating. The underfloor heating is not in yet.

As I am a bit tight and had not long cleaned and added Inhubator to the sytem, I had collected the water, and poured it back into the expansion tank. Bleed the radiators, but found that the downstairs radiators were still cold. The towel warmer was working fine.

I have since tried turning off the working radiators to force the cold ones into life - no luck
I have checked the pump, athough a little noisey currently, was spinning freely, and I jabbed my screwdriver in, and was able to stop it on the slow setting. I assume fine.
I have now fully drained the system, (collected) and refilled (poured back into the expansion tank), bleed radiators, starting at the ground floor, furthest away, only to find that I have now lost one of the upstairs radiators, and the towel warmer, which is up high on the wall.

I am thinking blockage, or there is a very very very slim chance, something that has been playing on my mind, that I may have connected the hot feed to the cold feed when adding the new connections !

The system is a 1980's construction, vented with expansion tank in the loft, hot water cylinder in the airing cupboard, and 1980's baxi gas boiler. Oh yes original skirting board radiators to the living and dining room. - Thy are a bit poor, and as far as I am aware I cannot bleed them. - next job on the list fit 2 large vert rads in living room - Its North facing, huge window and never seems to get warm enough.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, before I throw away my plumbers hat, and call in a professional.

Jim20
 
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Hi Tap Dancer
I read somewhere else that if you removed the Bleed Screw in the front of the pump, Firstly you can check if it is turning, and try and free it if not, and secondly if you insert a small screwdriver into the center of the propeller you can check the force that it is generating. You apparently should just be able to stop it

Jim
 
Hi Redshaw,

Can you expand a little on your diffinitive assesment too increase my knowledge. and 5/11 ?

Many thanks - this was my initial thought, but dont want to spend out if its not the case
 
Funny that, I went to something very similar to this yesterday. Had no heating or hot water since Sunday. Had changed a rad themselves on Saturday. Cost them £80 to fix it.
 
Hi Simon,

You are in complete agreement with Redshaw ? £80 to fix, new pump and Labour shorlly not ?
Is there a reason that us DIYERS have the pumps fail when changing a rediator ? or is just chance ?
 
Didn't say it was the pump, and it would be a damn site more than £80 to change a pump.
 
So not the pump.
Then it must be either a blockage, or an Airlock ?
 
Difficult to tell without seeing it. You may have to bite the bullet and get somebody in to it.
 
must have been hard work getting the water back up to the tank to save £8. atleast you admit your tight LOL

welcome to the forum.
 
As it has been clarified that I am tight. Does anybody have any sugestions before I call in a professional ?
 
pahahahha you collected the heating water and poured in back in? first time ive heard that
 
Ok. Very good. Any suggestions that may help circulate hot water around ny rads ?
 
Try putting new dihydrogen monoxide in the system but be careful, when used carelessly it can cause a major amount of damage.
 
b&q? go to screwfix or a plumbers merchant. b&q are rip off merchants
 
it is a serious false economy re-using heating system water. any carp that is in the system which would usually be flushed down the drain is being put back into the system causing untold damage to said system. imho.
 
Seriously though, I think you've now reached the stage where more self intervention will prove costly and harmful. Please get a professional in to solve this.
 
Ok guys point made. Bad idea with the re-use of water. I may look into draining the system and flushing it out. If no luck then I will call a Plumber.
 
pumps do fail if they are pumping air for the night.
i would look at an airlock, then call in a pro.
 
migoplumber said:
pumps do fail if they are pumping air for the night.
i would look at an airlock, then call in a pro.
Click to expand...

Water did come out of the pump when I loosened the bleed screw. but I assume an airlock further along would restrict water to the pump. Thanks
 
Pumps can be faulty whether water comes out of them or not - especially if you impale them with screwdrivers ...
 
i once got impaled in the hand with a scissors then a few weeks later a steak knife bloody hurt and all and was a bit messy claret everywhere,anyway you should not impale pumps the standard worked fine for years design is being outlawed in jan as being to red or something stupid like that
 
Well I suppose if the pump is fine then you could try changing the zone valve.
 
This is just HILARIOUS!! Never heard someone pouring old CH water back in :D

Pure comedy :)
 
If you've let the water run through to flush the system out, refill and start up, and let the heating run for a while. If it's an air lock it might clear itself after running for a while.
 
The weekend plan is to give it a flush, try and clear any airlocks, and if still no luck look for a plumber.
Thanks for the odd bit of advice, between the mickey taking and laughter !
I
 
You state that you saved the water and refilled the system and all downstairs radiators stopped working, then you repeat this and you lose an upstairs rad...are you sure you are putting all the water back in..have you spilt some whilst transporting it...also if ur ball valves stuck it wont release any water to top ur system up...could be something simple..fill your system properly stop being a tight ar*e or u could end up paying more in the end !!
 
No goldfish, so right tank.
FE Tank is full and Ball valve working fine.
Just checked the Zone valves,and they seemed fine.
I have checked the joints that I did the work, pipes are hot. (one hot, one warm, flow and return I assume)
But I connected 2 flexis off my T's from the main radiator loop to bend round into the airing cupboard to connect to my Towel Warmer which hangs on the back of this wall, and these seem cold, and a little soft. Which hints to me that this may be part of the blockage.


Going to empty system one last time, new fresh clean water,going to let it flush through the system for a bit.
If still no joy, then it's time for the professionals.
 
Where did you get the flexi's from? Probably not rated for central heating.
 
Jim20, if you provide pictures its easier for us to comment and we will be able to assess the situation more efficiently. We could solve your problems if you send us some pictures
 
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