C
chipmunkcheeks8
Hi All,
Ok just a homeowner and not an engineer/plumber and know very little about Central Heatings ( you might be able to tell by the way - I thought i understood the way my CH worked - Had different opinions from Engineers who i think simply don't have an idea either.Basically i have a new build 4 bedroom detached home over three floors ( 3 shower rooms and 15 radiators) which was bought off plan in 2007. I have a 24hxi Glow Worm Boiler in the integral garage which is never turned off ( which is next to the kitchen) with a control timer placed in the kitchen and a manual dial thermostat in the main hallway. I have a 250L Megaflow water cylinder in an airing cupboard in the bathroom with zoning valves and the water pump attached. I have a Danfoss digital thermostat placed in the smallest room on the first floor ( which controls the heating for the first floor and the 2nd floor bedroom). I tend to put my heating and water on a controlled timer rather than leave it on continuosly on a low temperature.The problem i have is that i have an odd pattern of hit or miss with the first floor radiators getting warm!!The digital thermostat on the first floor is all timed well and the reading is on at 21C however the radiators are cold ( however you may find that on another day the radiators are on as normal - no pattern). The thermostat seems to be in working order. I never had this problem in the first couple of years of using the CH when i bought the proprty. 4 years on and things seem to change - you know your heating system well especially when it is not functioning normally.I Had first noticed thsi problem over this summer when occcasionally we had the odd cold days i would switch the heating on and found the radiators would not warm up - was not sure if it was because the temperature upstairs was already at 21C ( the clicking noise of the Danfoss Thermostat was functional but if i increased it higher the radiators still would not get warm).
Ever since i noiced this problem i have been asking a few engineers but getting different theories.Had a number of theories;
1. Maybe i did not notice the previous winters as i left my heating on continuosly on a low temperature so radiators upstairs were always warm.( still debating whether this is the best cost effective energy efficient way of saving £) - going to leave my heating on a timer this winter for a change.
2. An Engineer said it could be the zoning valves being faulty or sticking? However the spring loaded effect seems to working ok ( have noticed sometimes the springloaded arms are not 'springing' back when using finger pressure and seem passive in movement - does not happen all the time and no difference whether the heating is on or not - are these springloaded arms suppose to be active when the water/heating is on or off?)
3. Another Engineer said that if the hot water is heating up at the same time as the radiators/CH switching on then the priority goes to the water cylinder tank, which delays the heating of the radiators upstairs - i.e once the cylinder hot water has reached its temperature then the radiators upstairs will start to warm up. I never noticed this pattern before but saying that i use to leave my CH/HW on continuosly over winter on a low temp and control this with the thermostats. Does this mean i should put my CH/HW at different times of the day, howevever this is not always practical when you want to wakeup with hot water and warm house in the short time you have before going to work ( and vice versa when you come home from work).
I simply do not know where to start with resolving this problem and have lost the heart to believe any engineer. Any suggestions where to start?Thanks People
Ok just a homeowner and not an engineer/plumber and know very little about Central Heatings ( you might be able to tell by the way - I thought i understood the way my CH worked - Had different opinions from Engineers who i think simply don't have an idea either.Basically i have a new build 4 bedroom detached home over three floors ( 3 shower rooms and 15 radiators) which was bought off plan in 2007. I have a 24hxi Glow Worm Boiler in the integral garage which is never turned off ( which is next to the kitchen) with a control timer placed in the kitchen and a manual dial thermostat in the main hallway. I have a 250L Megaflow water cylinder in an airing cupboard in the bathroom with zoning valves and the water pump attached. I have a Danfoss digital thermostat placed in the smallest room on the first floor ( which controls the heating for the first floor and the 2nd floor bedroom). I tend to put my heating and water on a controlled timer rather than leave it on continuosly on a low temperature.The problem i have is that i have an odd pattern of hit or miss with the first floor radiators getting warm!!The digital thermostat on the first floor is all timed well and the reading is on at 21C however the radiators are cold ( however you may find that on another day the radiators are on as normal - no pattern). The thermostat seems to be in working order. I never had this problem in the first couple of years of using the CH when i bought the proprty. 4 years on and things seem to change - you know your heating system well especially when it is not functioning normally.I Had first noticed thsi problem over this summer when occcasionally we had the odd cold days i would switch the heating on and found the radiators would not warm up - was not sure if it was because the temperature upstairs was already at 21C ( the clicking noise of the Danfoss Thermostat was functional but if i increased it higher the radiators still would not get warm).
Ever since i noiced this problem i have been asking a few engineers but getting different theories.Had a number of theories;
1. Maybe i did not notice the previous winters as i left my heating on continuosly on a low temperature so radiators upstairs were always warm.( still debating whether this is the best cost effective energy efficient way of saving £) - going to leave my heating on a timer this winter for a change.
2. An Engineer said it could be the zoning valves being faulty or sticking? However the spring loaded effect seems to working ok ( have noticed sometimes the springloaded arms are not 'springing' back when using finger pressure and seem passive in movement - does not happen all the time and no difference whether the heating is on or not - are these springloaded arms suppose to be active when the water/heating is on or off?)
3. Another Engineer said that if the hot water is heating up at the same time as the radiators/CH switching on then the priority goes to the water cylinder tank, which delays the heating of the radiators upstairs - i.e once the cylinder hot water has reached its temperature then the radiators upstairs will start to warm up. I never noticed this pattern before but saying that i use to leave my CH/HW on continuosly over winter on a low temp and control this with the thermostats. Does this mean i should put my CH/HW at different times of the day, howevever this is not always practical when you want to wakeup with hot water and warm house in the short time you have before going to work ( and vice versa when you come home from work).
I simply do not know where to start with resolving this problem and have lost the heart to believe any engineer. Any suggestions where to start?Thanks People