All pipework replaced - still little to no heating downstairs

[knightime]

Give me a mo jonny and I'll check...

 

[knightime]

Jonny, they're 10mm fed pipes with 'T's going off to the rads, but not manifolds...

 

[Tonycane]

Was the existing pipeWork plastic or copper?

 

[knightime]

It was all copper Tony - basically the pipes that run from the boiler and under the bath were cut just in from of the sink and replaced with plastic. The only new pipes the replaced made of copper are the flow/return pipes going from the landing upstairs and down into the kitchen. They used both 22mm and 10mm plastic to replace all the other old copper. The more I read the more I believe it's nothing to do with pipework but with the pump itself - perhaps when they originally took it off to flush through the system it wasn't put back on properly, or it was faulty to begin with. Either way everyone is saying that for heat upstairs/no heat downstairs (which is such a common issue), the pump should have been the first thing to check.

 

[knightime]

Sorry - typing on phone - hope that made sense!

 

[Tonycane]

Get the pump changed to rule it out.

 

[SimonG]

Jonny, they're 10mm fed pipes with 'T's going off to the rads, but not manifolds...

There's tees on 10mm pipe?

 

[SmokeyJ]

Hi knight just read your thread. I had a similar issue with a Potterton Performa 24 boiler. All rads downstairs but 1 cold upstairs were ok, it turned out to be a clogged filter in the boiler return valve. I'm sure your boiler still uses the same return valve as the Performa. If so there is a gauze filter inside the return valve under the boiler. It is inside the valve body behind the blanking cap/filling loop connection and sure it is not mentioned in the manual. It would be worth getting another engineer in for a second opinion and check if the filter is blocked.

 

[knightime]

@simon - yep, 22mm main feed, T off to 10mm to the rads.

 

[SimonG]

But they didn't tee off 10mm to other rads?

 

[knightime]

@smokey - my wife and I were just having that discussion - yes, we're going to cancel him tomorrow and start looking for another plumber for that 2nd opinion - whoever we get I'll pass on you message re the filter!

 

[knightime]

Simon - I now wish I'd taken pictures when the boards were up. The main feeds from/to the boiler were all 22mm. Where they then T off to the rads they used 10mm pipes, and they T off, also 10mm, to all rads.

 

[SimonG]

So just to confirm that there is 10mm pipe that has been teed into to feed other rads?

 

[knightime]

UPDATE: the plumber came round, he checked the pump which he said was working fine. His opinion is we need a new boiler (ours is only 4 years old!). So we're now looking to get second/ third opinions, but any more advice is extremely appreciated!

SimonG sorry for not replying to your last post sooner. There is one 10mm pipe that has been teed into to feed another rad from one upstairs bedroom to another - they copied the flow of the old pipework when they replaced it with the new pipework.

 

[Best]

How did he check the pump? I have never been able to say for certain a pump that appears otherwise in perfect working condition is faulty or not, without replacing it.