Radiator - cold at the bottom but hot at the top

swebb
swebb Posts: 1,042 Forumite
in In my home (includes DIY) MoneySaving
A radiator in one room in my house is as described... I have bled it and as expected, water came out straight away. The room is colder than the others - noticabley so.

I guessing the best way to solve this is to turn the other rads off, get this one hot and then turn the others on? Or is there something else?

Thanks.
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Comments

  • designermatt_2
    designermatt_2 Posts: 63 Forumite
    sounds to me that the rad may be silted up wiith rusty sludge atthe bottom and your system could do with a full rad flush and inhibitor process afterwards.
  • swebb
    swebb Posts: 1,042 Forumite
    I should have mentioned... just over 12 months ago the whole system was completely drained and flushed out. The liquid (don't know what it's called) was put into the system and so it shouldn't be clogged up... should it?
  • malamute
    malamute Posts: 710 Forumite
    You don't say how long the system has been running is it a bog standard system ?or where the radiator is located.
    My first thought is to isolate it and remove it could be full of black sludge (take care prepare for spillage) take it outside and flush it out with a hose pipe keep doing it in both directions until the water runs clear.
    Refit and bleed normal service restored?.
  • Canucklehead
    Canucklehead Posts: 6,254 Forumite
    Hi

    Is there a valve at both ends or are the two pipes at one end with one valve?

    Corgi Guy.
    Ask to see CIPHE (Chartered Institute of Plumbing & Heating Engineering)
  • swebb
    swebb Posts: 1,042 Forumite
    There are pipes at both ends. One end has a thermostat. It's an old rad, a double as well. Does that answer your question?!

    I've just turned off two other downstairs rads. This rad has quite quickly gone very hot at the top, but remains quite cool at the bottom.
  • Canucklehead
    Canucklehead Posts: 6,254 Forumite
    Hi

    I had a theory , but it's not right!

    I would follow malamute's advice, and make sure the TRV is opening fully as well.

    Corgi Guy.
    Ask to see CIPHE (Chartered Institute of Plumbing & Heating Engineering)
  • swebb
    swebb Posts: 1,042 Forumite
    Sorry - TRV?
  • Canucklehead
    Canucklehead Posts: 6,254 Forumite
    swebb wrote: »
    Sorry - TRV?

    Thermostatic radiator valve.

    Corgi Guy.
    Ask to see CIPHE (Chartered Institute of Plumbing & Heating Engineering)
  • sexysam
    sexysam Posts: 58 Forumite
    Hot at bottom and cold at top only means you have got some air in the radiator which is preventing the top bit getting hot.Use a key to slightly open the valves and let the air out ( hissing noise). When water starts to come out, close valve and the whole of the readitor should get hot
  • MoJo
    MoJo Posts: 542 Forumite
    First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    I had a similar problem (hot top, cold bottom) that was solved by having the rads balanced - which sounded complicated but looked simple (make sense?) but apparently there's more than one way of doing it.
    It involves making sure the temp outflow of each rad is lower than the temp of the inflow working round the system. Sorry I can't be more specific but I didn't pay that much attention at the time.
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