Any heating engineers on here?

[LiberalFox]

46 minutes ago, String fellow said:

Yet the main stop-cock in my house is marked as a 1/2" fitting, but the house was built in 1985, more than 10 years after UK pipework changed from Imperial to Metric. Furthermore, yesterday from Wickes, I bought two blank capnuts, one marked 1/2" and the other marked 15mm, for a physical comparison. Their dimensions and threads appear to be identical. Therefore, I think that 1/2" and 15mm may indeed be interchangeable in some, if not all, situations.    

1/2" is 12.7mm

[String fellow]

25 minutes ago, LiberalFox said:

1/2" is 12.7mm

I think that the confusion lies in the fact that 1/2" tube is the inner diameter and 15mm is almost exactly the outer diameter of the same Imperial-sized tube. I've not seen 12.7mm mentioned anywhere as a plumbing dimension.

Edited 8 November 2021 by String fellow

[LiberalFox]

28 minutes ago, String fellow said:

I think that the confusion lies in the fact that 1/2" tube is the inner diameter and 15mm is almost exactly the outer diameter of the same Imperial-sized tube. I've not seen 12.7mm mentioned anywhere as a plumbing dimension.

Yeah that seems to be the case. 

[NAKC20]

Generally speaking 15mm is the size of copper pipe and fittings nowadays. If a fitting is soldered, compression (with a nut and olive that you tighten using spanners) or pushfit they should be labelled as 15mm. If they are marked up as 1/2 inch they will quite likely have a thread at one end or even both. 1/2 inch male have a thread on the outside and 1/2 inch female have the thread on the inside therefore a 1/2 inch male will screw in to a 1/2 inch female The next size up is 22mm and 3/4 inch but the same as previously mentioned. 

In houses built 1960's or earlier the original pipework is probably the old imperial sizes (1/2 inch and 3/4 inch) Generally 15mm fittings (compression are best) will fit the original 1/2 inch pipe but the old size 3/4 inch is slightly smaller than 22mm so you have to use a 22mm x 3/4 adaptor. Then you also get fittings specifically designed for a certain job like tap connectors, wingback elbows and washing machine valves etc..

[Raj]

Hijacking this thread I've got ONE cold radiator  in the house where all others are piping hot(Its luke warm at top and stone cold at the bottom)

I've done the below:-

1) bled the radiator to make sure there is no air trapped.

2) opened and sut the lock valve numerous times.

3) made sure the TRV valve isnt stuck- it moves up and down

4) checked the pipes going in and out( one is hot the other is cold so I presume the hot water IS going into the rad)

5) balanced the rads to make sure sufficient water reaches this one rad which is in the downstairs lounge.

 

I'm thinking its sludged?? 

 

[NAKC20]

15 minutes ago, Raj said:

Hijacking this thread I've got ONE cold radiator  in the house where all others are piping hot(Its luke warm at top and stone cold at the bottom)

I've done the below:-

1) bled the radiator to make sure there is no air trapped.

2) opened and sut the lock valve numerous times.

3) made sure the TRV valve isnt stuck- it moves up and down

4) checked the pipes going in and out( one is hot the other is cold so I presume the hot water IS going into the rad)

5) balanced the rads to make sure sufficient water reaches this one rad which is in the downstairs lounge.

 

I'm thinking its sludged?? 

 

Have you tried switching all the other radiators off and waiting for 15-20 minutes? Also leave the TRV head completely off of that radiator (if this is covered by a curtain or behind furniture it could shut down if there is no air circulation around it). Failing that it could well be the actual rad that's blocked. You can either remove just that 1 radiator and physically flush it out with a hose pipe or buy some Central Heating sludge remover (not inhibitor) and put that into the system, 

[Raj]

7 minutes ago, NAKC20 said:

Have you tried switching all the other radiators off and waiting for 15-20 minutes? Also leave the TRV head completely off of that radiator (if this is covered by a curtain or behind furniture it could shut down if there is no air circulation around it). Failing that it could well be the actual rad that's blocked. You can either remove just that 1 radiator and physically flush it out with a hose pipe or buy some Central Heating sludge remover (not inhibitor) and put that into the system, 

Tried this too mate and still no good.

Presume it needs flushing then, I'm not doing that, as it will end in tears!

I've got a plumber over next Monday so hoping he can flush the sh1t out.

Thank you 

[NAKC20]

Back to the original post on this thread I fitted a new combi boiler for a customer about 6-7 years ago and fitted a wireless programmable room stat. All worked fine for the first 4-6 weeks but then they contacted me to say the bungalow was absolutely roasting and the stat wasn't shutting the boiler off. I went back and reset the stat and all was fine for a couple of days but then the same thing happened. I reset it again but the same thing happened. I then arranged to meet an electrician at the property to see if he could work out the problem. We stood talking to the customer and the sparky asked if anyone else on the road had had any work done. 'there was a couple of vans 3 doors away a few weeks ago' was the reply. With that the sparky said follow me. We went and knocked on the door where the vans had been and asked if they had had a new boiler fitted recently. Yes we have but it doesn't seem to be getting very hot even though the thermostat is set to 28 degrees'

It turned out that the neighbours new wireless stat was on the same frequency as the one I had installed a few weeks before and that was controlling the wrong boiler!!!! Luckily it was a quick fix as  you can change the frequency on them to prevent this happening. Apparently it used to be quite common on wireless doorbells as well 

[FoxesDeb]

On 05/11/2021 at 19:53, Milo said:

Very possibly sorted - thanks for your help, and especially @FoxesDeb who suggested the problem may lie with the thermostat unit. I took the batteries out and let the back up battery drain and then replaced everything. Set the desired temperature to 25.5 and it's currently at 23 degrees and rising...the first time it's been over 20 degrees since we've had it!

 

I'm currently sitting here in my Speedo's basking in the sweltering tropical zone that is my lounge

 

  

 

 

 

How's it getting on now? 

[Milo]

2 hours ago, FoxesDeb said:

How's it getting on now? 

Thanks for asking - it appears to have reverted to type, unfortunately.

 

This is today...the blue dotted line is supposed to track the solid black line...so way off. 

 

Desired temperature set to 25 degrees - boiler is telling me that actually 19 degrees is warm enough. We've nicknamed the thermostat Greta. 

 

 

 

 

I've contacted Vaillant again via their website. I was on the phone to them on Friday but hung up after half an hour of being on hold. 

 

Probably wouldn't recommend the Vaillant/VSmart system, tbh 

Edited 8 November 2021 by Milo

[Steven]

10 hours ago, RobHawk said:

Another plumbing problem,

 

The water in my house continues to work absolutely fine BUT the tap on the kitchen sink has gone from slow to a pathetic trickle and the hot water is temperamental too. 

 

I've checked under the sink and all seems fine so I'm thinking Its probably time for a new tap. Thoughts?

Try descaling the tap.

[Raj]

Plumber came to try and sort out my cold radiator but reckons it needs a power flush as everything he did didnt work.

However a mate on the streef reckons the small bore pipework will give further issues if power flushed...😟

[NAKC20]

If your heating system is all microbore pipework (8mm or 10mm pipes to the radiators) there is a good chance they are connected into a manifold, this is usually situated somewhere in the middle of the house, most likely under the floorboards and its where all the radiator pipework joins the pipework from the boiler. If this is the case there is a good chance that if there is a blockage in the pipework it will be there. Years ago you didn't add chemicals and inhibitors to heating systems and they very quickly clog up. 

Like your mate said personally I wouldn't recommend power flushing. I had a customer a couple of years ago that had the Gas Board flush out their heating system that was no more than 20 years old and it fractured the welded joints on the chrome towel radiators in the bathroom and en-suite. I ended up swapping them as in the small print it stated that they couldn't be held responsible for any damage caused.

You can get chemicals to add to the system that you just leave in for 3-4 weeks and it may break down the blockage without any undue pressure being added. 

Personally I think that is worth a try although obviously its not guaranteed to work.

[Raj]

8 minutes ago, NAKC20 said:

If your heating system is all microbore pipework (8mm or 10mm pipes to the radiators) there is a good chance they are connected into a manifold, this is usually situated somewhere in the middle of the house, most likely under the floorboards and its where all the radiator pipework joins the pipework from the boiler. If this is the case there is a good chance that if there is a blockage in the pipework it will be there. Years ago you didn't add chemicals and inhibitors to heating systems and they very quickly clog up. 

Like your mate said personally I wouldn't recommend power flushing. I had a customer a couple of years ago that had the Gas Board flush out their heating system that was no more than 20 years old and it fractured the welded joints on the chrome towel radiators in the bathroom and en-suite. I ended up swapping them as in the small print it stated that they couldn't be held responsible for any damage caused.

You can get chemicals to add to the system that you just leave in for 3-4 weeks and it may break down the blockage without any undue pressure being added. 

Personally I think that is worth a try although obviously its not guaranteed to work.

Cheers mate, great info 

Wouldn't mind that much but this rad is in the lounge and the kids are freezing!

Got a small.oil rad to keep them happy for now!

 

[Raj]

10 hours ago, NAKC20 said:

If your heating system is all microbore pipework (8mm or 10mm pipes to the radiators) there is a good chance they are connected into a manifold, this is usually situated somewhere in the middle of the house, most likely under the floorboards and its where all the radiator pipework joins the pipework from the boiler. If this is the case there is a good chance that if there is a blockage in the pipework it will be there. Years ago you didn't add chemicals and inhibitors to heating systems and they very quickly clog up. 

Like your mate said personally I wouldn't recommend power flushing. I had a customer a couple of years ago that had the Gas Board flush out their heating system that was no more than 20 years old and it fractured the welded joints on the chrome towel radiators in the bathroom and en-suite. I ended up swapping them as in the small print it stated that they couldn't be held responsible for any damage caused.

You can get chemicals to add to the system that you just leave in for 3-4 weeks and it may break down the blockage without any undue pressure being added. 

Personally I think that is worth a try although obviously its not guaranteed to work.

Which product would you reccomend please @NAKC20

[NAKC20]

17 minutes ago, Raj said:

Which product would you reccomend please @NAKC20

Try Sentinel X400. Its available from Screwfix priced £14.99

[yorkie1999]

17 hours ago, Raj said:

Plumber came to try and sort out my cold radiator but reckons it needs a power flush as everything he did didnt work.

However a mate on the streef reckons the small bore pipework will give further issues if power flushed...😟

I had this problem with one radiator and microbore pipe, had a plumber round etc, managed to sort of fix it for a couple of weeks but then it packed up again. So i turned the radiator off on both ends and undid the feed pipe, water came out which meant it was either radiator or the return pipe, took the return pipe out and no water came out, which meant the blockage was in the return pipe, gave it a good old syphon suck, mouthfull of black gunk later and it's been fine ever since. I did put a magnetic filter on the system afterwards though.

[Raj]

35 minutes ago, yorkie1999 said:

I had this problem with one radiator and microbore pipe, had a plumber round etc, managed to sort of fix it for a couple of weeks but then it packed up again. So i turned the radiator off on both ends and undid the feed pipe, water came out which meant it was either radiator or the return pipe, took the return pipe out and no water came out, which meant the blockage was in the return pipe, gave it a good old syphon suck, mouthfull of black gunk later and it's been fine ever since. I did put a magnetic filter on the system afterwards though.

A different plumbers gonna have a go so I'm hoping he does something  like this to sort it out. It's getting really annoying now!

Edited 16 November 2021 by Raj

[me_plus_one]

If I could get some advice please.

The rads at my parents are older than me and lots are corroding and not functioning correctly being cold at the bottom, I'm fairly sure it's because of "buildup" so if we get an engineer to change all the rads, will it be more cost effective for us the customer to acquire our own rads and trvs or for the engineer to supply? There may not be much difference but trying to weigh up as money is tight. 

Any examples of similar project costs welcome.

Edited 17 November 2021 by me_plus_one

[fuchsntf]

1 hour ago, me_plus_one said:

If I could get some advice please.

The rads at my parents are older than me and lots are corroding and not functioning correctly being cold at the bottom, I'm fairly sure it's because of "buildup" so if we get an engineer to change all the rads, will it be more cost effective for us the customer to acquire our own rads and trvs or for the engineer to supply? There may not be much difference but trying to weigh up as money is tight. 

Any examples of similar project costs welcome.

Are you confident in diy..or dependant on outside (no mates/aquaintances) work...??

How is the Heating-system as a whole, or Now are the pipes..??

 

Exchanging radiators isnt that difficult.

Plus individual radiator regulators are a far better techni Today with more individual or group control...

 

So a Full Check on your system, use internet & youtube,even if you bring in a New profi-trader...

Ask a Trader in to give you a no cost quote...you might learn more...

There are smaller cost effective Systems that might answer your Problem & prayers..

Then go from there...

 

 

 

 

[me_plus_one]

18 hours ago, fuchsntf said:

Are you confident in diy..or dependant on outside (no mates/aquaintances) work...??

How is the Heating-system as a whole, or Now are the pipes..??

 

Exchanging radiators isnt that difficult.

Plus individual radiator regulators are a far better techni Today with more individual or group control...

 

So a Full Check on your system, use internet & youtube,even if you bring in a New profi-trader...

Ask a Trader in to give you a no cost quote...you might learn more...

There are smaller cost effective Systems that might answer your Problem & prayers..

Then go from there...

 

 

 

 

Thanks, level of expertise is novice and looking likely to get a professional in as no friends or family but will look at YouTube videos so see how it's done.

[fuchsntf]

4 minutes ago, me_plus_one said:

Thanks, level of expertise is novice and looking likely to get a professional in as no friends or family but will look at YouTube videos so see how it's done.

Asses the size of the house..go on internet to see what various systems might fit your needs. See what Engineers/companies install those systems.

Ask 2-3 in for 1St visit cost free assesment and have your questions prepared...Also ask a reliable freelance-engineer, just to compare prices...

 

If its only radiators ,and you Dont have 2 Left hands...I always say try it yourself & make your own cock ups, instead of paying someone else...

[Raj]

Update on my radiator issue fir information.

Another plumber tried a few things but to no avail.

Eventually had to succumb  to a powerflush.

Company recommended  was 

https://www.powerflushuk.com/

 

Who specialise in microbore pipes.

Guy was there for about 6 hours BUT IT WORKED!!!!

We are now in a hot room, hot house and all is good.

The company were exceptional throughout.

@NAKC20 thanks for your advice, remember these incase any of your customers need one for microbore.

 

Just need a small magnetic filter fitted in the new year to prevent this happening  again!!!

[NAKC20]

1 hour ago, Raj said:

Update on my radiator issue fir information.

Another plumber tried a few things but to no avail.

Eventually had to succumb  to a powerflush.

Company recommended  was 

https://www.powerflushuk.com/

 

Who specialise in microbore pipes.

Guy was there for about 6 hours BUT IT WORKED!!!!

We are now in a hot room, hot house and all is good.

The company were exceptional throughout.

@NAKC20 thanks for your advice, remember these incase any of your customers need one for microbore.

 

Just need a small magnetic filter fitted in the new year to prevent this happening  again!!!

Glad its all sorted. I think you may be spending more time at home than you thought you would be doing over the next few weeks.

[LVFox]

Not a heating engineer question, but can anyone recommend a decent plumber? Hopefully relatively local to Anstey. Drop me a DM if you think you can help