Why won't my radiators bleed?

truescot

Maybe a simple one to answer.

2 of my upstairs radiators (one is a towel rail) are not heating up all the way up. Simple problem I thought - just bleed them. However, they won't bleed. Turn the key and other than a very short weak hiss on the towel rail, nothing, no leakage, no gradual heating up. All the other radiators in the house are fine.

Simple solution, or a plumber?

Paul_the_Painter

Sounds like it is a sealed system and there is not enough water in it. Check the pressure gauge on the boiler, you can add water to a sealed system, quite straightforwardly, but if you don't know how, it is probably time for a plumber. If it has got to that stage it is probably in need of a service anyway.

ormus

could be blocked up with gunge. remove the whole thing and clean it up.
(bleed screw and the plug insert).

http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-bleed-a-radiator-6

1984ReturnsForReal_2

Paul_the_Painter wrote: »

Sounds like it is a sealed system and there is not enough water in it. Check the pressure gauge on the boiler, you can add water to a sealed system, quite straightforwardly, but if you don't know how, it is probably time for a plumber. If it has got to that stage it is probably in need of a service anyway.

Why does it sound like a sealed system?

Towel rails are sometimes higher than other rads & a faulty ball valve on the F&E tank in the loft on a normal system would have the same effect. Evaporation.

gas4you

Very common problem if it is a conventional system with header tank.

The cold feed will be blocked at the point where it tees into the system pipe work.

Needs cutting out and replacing.

mikey72

Are you bleeding with the pump on?
Try it with it off if you are.

truescot

Sealed sytem. Combi boiler.

gas4you

Forget my previous reply then.

As said above, top up system pressure to about 1.5 Bar then try bleeding rads again.

macman

What pressure is showing on the gauge at present?