Finding a blockage in heating pipework

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Finding a blockage in heating pipework

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jaydebruyne

jaydebruyne

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I did a powerflush a few weeks back and when I was dumping the water the flow dropped immediately. So I rang tech support (Anton) for my pump and he said it's because there's a blockage in the pipework - I tested the pump itself which was fine.

It's a flat with ground and first floor. All rads get hot upstairs but not down. Pipework from the boiler run straight to ceiling/1st floor void and tees somewhere to feed the ground floor.

Based on upstairs rads getting hot I know the blockage isn't there.

So.. how do I go about pinpointing the blockage? I'm thinking taking up some flooring and running across the pipework with a FLIR .. any other suggestions?
 
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This is the pipe material.. all soldered joints . Some copper rad tails have been soldered onto the steel

IMG_1783.JPG
 
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Yea looks like it's been brazed
 
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Ok.. have just cut it out and it's completely clear lol buggar! Suggestions please?
 
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So the branch left (to rad) was hot up to the tee, the branch top (to boiler) wasn't as hot but was still quite warm, the oth 2 branches were cold.

Logic told me the blockage was in the tee. My logic was mistaken!

Any help would be grand!

UPDATE: the branch bottom I believe is the old cold feed as it appears to be capped (not entirely sure but the pipe is loose so I can only presume and it goes in same direction as the flow to old cylinder.

IMG_1784.JPG
 
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any chance this could been an air lock? Doubt it as flush woulda cleared it but just putting it out there lol
 
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That pipe looks from the photo like Truweld, (brand name ), it was used during the copper shortage in the 60's and most of the stuff I've seen is steel pipe, thin walled which had been tinned so it could be soldered like copper.

My advice to you, if the customer is willing is to get shut.
 
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You have two options

1 you know the blockage is on the main run, so start one end and cut and splice until you find it

2 re pipe
 
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Last Plumber said:
That pipe looks from the photo like Truweld, (brand name ), it was used during the copper shortage in the 60's and most of the stuff I've seen is steel pipe, thin walled which had been tinned so it could be soldered like copper.

My advice to you, if the customer is willing is to get shut.
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It's def not that tee. but still not getting any return flow past first two rads
 
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If I were you I'd just talk to the customer regarding replacing heating pipes. You spent so much time and work on trying to solve it. Now, it's time to make him realise you will need to replace big sections of pipework to make things working. The best way would be replacing the heating system completely. But that's just my opinion
 
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Matchless.plumb said:
If I were you I'd just talk to the customer regarding replacing heating pipes. You spent so much time and work on trying to solve it. Now, it's time to make him realise you will need to replace big sections of pipework to make things working. The best way would be replacing the heating system completely. But that's just my opinion
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Hi Matchless, I'm in there next week to repipe the system so all is good :)
 
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