Thermostatic radiator valves (why I hate plumbing 2)

[FamilyWiggs]

Well, this thread has spurred me to act on our cold radiators.

We have a rather unusual radiator circuit in that it is not the traditional loop. It appears that it has been extended in a number of phases - with a couple of "spurs" added in to extend it when new parts of the house had radiators fitted. Each spur of 2 or 3 rads each is t-junctioned off the main circuit flow pipe and back onto the main return pipe (ie it is a 2-pipe system). One of the spurs comes off the main circuit before even the first rad!

I must confess at this point, one of the spurs was a quick fix by me when SWMBO declared, within 2 weeks of moving in, that divorce was imminent unless I got some heat into the kids' rooms PDQ That quick fix is still in place 6 years later :shock:

I now have a system where only a few of the rads get hot and many are cool, or cold at the bottom - ie it seems badly balanced. This may be contributed to by the unorthodox circuit design - which also has a variety of pipe sizes from 28mm to 10mm

Given the complexity of the circuit should I:

a) spend many hours trying to balance the rads and spurs to get good temps throughout?
b) if possible make the spurs part of the loop?
c) give up, buy brandy and warm jumpers?

Thanks

Robin

 

[biffvernon]

Citing a toaster manual is a weak argument in favour of house manuals. And for our older period properties they would probably be written in Norman French.

 

[JoceAndChris]

This house is so complicated I had to befriend the previous owner! He's comIng to see me in January. I still have so many questions. As well as that I've begun the process of befriending the previous previous owner, whose family were here from the 50s to the early 80s without electricity and with only a horse to get into town through the fields as the previous owner made the track. As well as that I've cleaned up the gravestone of the previous previous previous previous owner, whose family were here from 1850 to 1950 and who are buried within view. It's important for me to feel connected.

Joss - I'm sure we got our radiator thermostatic valves a lot cheaper than that - I'll ask Chris. Most of our radiators are set to 1 and off most of the time, which is better for us than the alternative of heating costing the sane as renting in Portugal November-March!

 

[FamilyWiggs]

which is better for us than the alternative of heating costing the same as renting in Portugal November-March!

Or in our case, the same as renting Portugal November to March! :shock:

 

[Lime]

I don't know where all that air came from, but it had probably been there since the summer. .

It isn't air, it is gas (usually hydrogen) formed as the internal metal work of your central heating system corrodes.
It indicates future failure unless you use adequate inhibitor in the radiator water.

 

[Penners]

he is threatening to turn off the boiler and bleed all the rads

Joss, unless you have a system that I don't understand (which is far from improbable) J doesn't need to turn off the boiler in order to bleed the rads - just the circulation pump. And you can do this simply by switching the central heating to 'off' at the timer/controller.

 

[Keithj]

It indicates future failure unless you use adequate inhibitor in the radiator water.

Alex the plumber assures me he added plenty of inhibitor to the system when he refilled it. If the gas returns (in that rad only), I'll have a word with Colin, the trusty village plumber.

 

[jocelyn plummer]

Thanks Penners, I have told him that is all he neds to do ---- I will either stay at home or risk it--- despite his surname he is not the most knowledgeable when it comes to plumbing.!

 

[jocelyn plummer]

Joce, do you have the cast iron rads then--- those are the valves I am after. Thermostatic valves for conventional rads are certainly mere pence compared with those for the cast iron ones, but I would be interested if you have found a good source. I checked the Old radiator Company.

 

[jocelyn plummer]

Well, I returned from my outing, all is well, OH was too busy sorting out all the traffic congestion in the Town to tamper with our heating system--- what I didn't tell him is that I have turned off one of the offending cast iron rads, result, cool room, and fingers x'd no dropped pressure on the boiler.

 

[middi]

I have never taken any chances on repairing " second hand" fixtures, fittings and installations.

Whenever I bought a house I made sure it was completely derelict, all the above had been nicked or was not there to begin with.

Middi

 

[Penners]

OH was too busy sorting out all the traffic congestion in the Town to tamper with our heating system

Good old Captain Povey.

"Hard a-port.... engines full reverse.... EVERYBODY DOWN!"


Yes, yes, I know that Sub-Lieutenant Phillips was normally to blame.