Hi All,
In Dec 2023 I had my annual boiler service and asked the plumber to change 2 radiator valves as the radiator in the toilet downstairs was not working. He changed both valves and still the radiator was not working. He put some chemicals in and said it should break up anything that is blocking the flow and to leave it a few weeks.
I left it a few weeks and still not heat to that radiator. I got onto him and asked him what he suggested, he suggested turning all lock shield valves off apart from the one that isn't working and to open that fully. I did this and all it did was make my boiler temp display shoot up to 118C and then a message displayed saying E118 error code.
From doing this, I ended up with various rads being stone cold.
Lounge radiator - Cold
Toilet radiator - Cold
Bathroom radiator - Cold
Hallway radiator which I've forgot to put on the diagram but is opposite downstairs toilet is now - Cold
I messaged him again and told him what had happened, his response was, sound like you have sludge in the system, I can flush it for you, that'll be £580.
My point though, previous to me messing with them off the back of his suggestion, all radiators were working fine but one. I've given up asking him now as it just makes things worse. I did a bit of my own looking into it and took the hallway radiator and toilet radiator off, flushed them both out with a hosepipe from both ends until they run clear. There was a little bit of black mucky stuff but not a lot if I am honest.
Put them both back on, toilet radiator pipe got nice and warm and radiator started heating up.....result I thought. 5 Mins later it went cold again.
Hallway radiator I ended up snapping the lock shield valve and have not replaced it was I assume, that's a full system drain.
Following on from all the above I went about trying to balance the system. I think this may be the issue as I now have all radiators working, some roasting hot and pretty much impossible to keep your hand on it and some luke warm at best and some just above cold but you can feel some warmth.
Upstairs Bed 3 - Radiator is red hot and impossible too keep hand on it.
Upstairs Ensuite - Similar to above but not as hot.
Upstairs Bathroom - Just above cold, some minor warmth to it.
Upstairs Bed 2 - Nice and toasty
Upstairs Bed 1 - Nice and toasty
Downstairs Lounge - Luke warm, little hotter near the top.
Downstairs Toilet - Warm
Downstairs Kitchen - Nice and warm
Downstairs Hallway - Stone cold (broken lock shield valve so might be off)
Can anyone advise if this does sound like a balance issue given where we started and what's been done??
I don't want to pay hundreds of pounds to flush a system when it might not even be that and as i said, all working fine bar 1 before following plumbers suggestions.
Boiler is a Baxi 830 and is just over 2 years old with a mag filter.
Any advice will be greatly appreciated.
Thank You!
In Dec 2023 I had my annual boiler service and asked the plumber to change 2 radiator valves as the radiator in the toilet downstairs was not working. He changed both valves and still the radiator was not working. He put some chemicals in and said it should break up anything that is blocking the flow and to leave it a few weeks.
I left it a few weeks and still not heat to that radiator. I got onto him and asked him what he suggested, he suggested turning all lock shield valves off apart from the one that isn't working and to open that fully. I did this and all it did was make my boiler temp display shoot up to 118C and then a message displayed saying E118 error code.
From doing this, I ended up with various rads being stone cold.
Lounge radiator - Cold
Toilet radiator - Cold
Bathroom radiator - Cold
Hallway radiator which I've forgot to put on the diagram but is opposite downstairs toilet is now - Cold
I messaged him again and told him what had happened, his response was, sound like you have sludge in the system, I can flush it for you, that'll be £580.
My point though, previous to me messing with them off the back of his suggestion, all radiators were working fine but one. I've given up asking him now as it just makes things worse. I did a bit of my own looking into it and took the hallway radiator and toilet radiator off, flushed them both out with a hosepipe from both ends until they run clear. There was a little bit of black mucky stuff but not a lot if I am honest.
Put them both back on, toilet radiator pipe got nice and warm and radiator started heating up.....result I thought. 5 Mins later it went cold again.
Hallway radiator I ended up snapping the lock shield valve and have not replaced it was I assume, that's a full system drain.
Following on from all the above I went about trying to balance the system. I think this may be the issue as I now have all radiators working, some roasting hot and pretty much impossible to keep your hand on it and some luke warm at best and some just above cold but you can feel some warmth.
Upstairs Bed 3 - Radiator is red hot and impossible too keep hand on it.
Upstairs Ensuite - Similar to above but not as hot.
Upstairs Bathroom - Just above cold, some minor warmth to it.
Upstairs Bed 2 - Nice and toasty
Upstairs Bed 1 - Nice and toasty
Downstairs Lounge - Luke warm, little hotter near the top.
Downstairs Toilet - Warm
Downstairs Kitchen - Nice and warm
Downstairs Hallway - Stone cold (broken lock shield valve so might be off)
Can anyone advise if this does sound like a balance issue given where we started and what's been done??
I don't want to pay hundreds of pounds to flush a system when it might not even be that and as i said, all working fine bar 1 before following plumbers suggestions.
Boiler is a Baxi 830 and is just over 2 years old with a mag filter.
Any advice will be greatly appreciated.
Thank You!
