Radiator Balancing/Central Heating Advice

wizzer

Our central heating system has never been brilliant. The house is 45 years old and most of the system is original. Downstairs, CH pipes are buried in concrete floor.

We had a new boiler installed 4-5 years ago and that improved things a lot but not perfect. Radiators upstairs get piping hot but always seemed to struggle to get enough heat downstairs in living room etc.

Had problems with pump failing etc and British Gas (we have service contract) say it needs a powerflush. However recent visit by private plumber (see below) seems to think not.

We have recently had living room redecorated and had two new radiators fitted with TRV's. They work very well on the whole, I have tried to balance the system and they certainly seem to get hot first and to a reasonable temperature although not really piping hot.

Trouble is, after a while they seem to switch off even when the room thermostat (which is in the hall) hasn't clicked off whilst the other radiators (most of which don't have TRV's) just get hotter and hotter.

The fitter has said that the system either needs more rebalancing or alternatively I should have TRV's fitted to all the rads.

I've tried rebalancing the other rads and on most of these I've closed the lockshield valves down to no more than a quarter of a turn but they still get incredibly hot. To my mind the boiler must be working really well producing very hot water if it can raise the temp of the rad (eventually) with the valve open so little.

So the boiler and system seems to be working quite well - I just can't get the heat to where I really want it most of the time.

Any suggestions please?

Thanks

keystone

wizzer wrote: »

Had problems with pump failing etc and British Gas (we have service contract) say it needs a powerflush.

:rotfl:Of course they did. Its the standard approach whether it does or not.

We have recently had living room redecorated and had two new radiators fitted with TRV's. They work very well on the whole, I have tried to balance the system and they certainly seem to get hot first and to a reasonable temperature although not really piping hot.

They don't have to be "jumping off the wall" hot to heat your room to a comfortable level.

Trouble is, after a while they seem to switch off even when the room thermostat (which is in the hall) hasn't clicked off whilst the other radiators (most of which don't have TRV's) just get hotter and hotter.

They will because the TRV shts down when it reaches temperature.

The fitter has said that the system either needs more rebalancing or alternatively I should have TRV's fitted to all the rads.

He's probably correct.

I've tried rebalancing the other rads and on most of these I've closed the lockshield valves down to no more than a quarter of a turn but they still get incredibly hot

What method are you using to balance the system. You can't balanace a radiator individually. They all have to be donbe together.

To my mind the boiler must be working really well producing very hot water if it can raise the temp of the rad (eventually) with the valve open so little.

and to cap it all you are using far too much gas if you are running it at max chat all the time.

Any suggestions please?

A couple of hours by your bloke to balance the whole system properly would be a good start.

Cheers