central heating advice: solid floors and old radiators

silvercar

The heating system was possibly built piecemeal.

Boiler works well and is grade C, so not the best, but not needing replacing at the moment. It serves the hot water tank and central heating radiators.

Upstairs radiators are fine. Downstairs radiators are older. Some of them appear to be connected in series rather than parallel (one pipe not two). So the heat goes through one radiator then on to the next. Also in some of the rooms the pipework disappears into the walls.

An added problem is that we have solid floors with original wood flooring.

The radiator in the main lounge is at the end of the line. It takes about an hour to heat up, never gets completely hot, is hotter at the top than the bottom and the pipe leading out of the radiator gets tepid at best.

I am happy to replace the radiators, but really think now would be the time to replace any pipework necessary to improve the system.

Particular problems:
1. wood floors
2. One room had a radiator that curves to fit in the bay, no-one makes these any more.
3. Can pipework through walls be replaced? Some of these are outside solid walls.

Any advice?

OldFartPlumber

You can still get shaped radiators - at a cost ! But if the room has double glazing you don`t necesarily need that curved rad under the window . Pipework can be pretty much run anywhere ( It`s what I used to do ) and it sounds like you will need to have drops from the 1st floor because of your wood ground floors . One thing you DON`T need is a Gas Safe plumber because that is only required when gas work on the boiler is done ! Also there are a lot of younger ( than me) plumbers that haven`t a clue how old heating systems were installed - yes they are Gas Safe and understand complex new boilers ( I don`t ). It`s a bit of a minefield unfortunately . Be prepared for people selling you complete new systems - I appreciate you don`t want that . As to the one pipe system downstairs , it`s likely you have the same upstairs , hidden under floors . You need someone to appraise the system first . Good Luck .

silvercar

Thanks OFP. What you say is so true.

Also there are a lot of younger ( than me) plumbers that haven`t a clue how old heating systems were installed ..

Thanks to a "young one" with have a couple of TRVs sitting on the one piped rads, that do nothing. We had only just moved in and his advice was that TRVs would stop certain rooms overheating at the expense of others. Except on a one pipe system, they don't work like that.

As to the one pipe system downstairs , it`s likely you have the same upstairs , hidden under floors .

I think upstairs is OK because the radiators look more modern and do turn off individually and the TRVs work. We also had a couple changed without any issues.

OldFartPlumber

You can get special TRV`s for one pipe systems - maybe that`s what`s on the upstairs . Or you could have what`s known in the trade as a !!!!!!!ised system of one and 2 pipe circuits . I`ll bet you`re not in E. Sussex where I could get to help you out . No one is in E. Sussex , it`s the Dead Centre of England

Mr_Ted

:eek: Any form of valve that shuts off the rads on the one pipe circuit will stop the whole circuit from working, special trv or not in this situation "Some of them appear to be connected in series rather than parallel (one pipe not two). So the heat goes through one radiator then on to the next." as obviously there is not a continuous one pipe circuit that the rad come off of, the rad are part of the circuit:(

You may get a better flow downstair by balancing to the minimum upstairs, but that would also benefit from a Lock Shield valve on the upstairs circuit to restrict the flow through that circuit also, but that is totally dependant on where the one pipe circuit runs, as if it is connected into the upstairs, it wont work:o

Repipe downstairs facework seem the logical option, and I would also suggest you change the controls:cool:

Do you actually need to change the rads?

There is one other big sting in the tail though, and that is, to conform to Part L of the building regs, if a system is modified it has to be the WHOLE of the system upgraded to conform to Part L, and be it a plumber or an RGI, that has to be conformed to and only an RGI can do that

silvercar

There is one other big sting in the tail though, and that is, to conform to Part L of the building regs, if a system is modified it has to be the WHOLE of the system upgraded to conform to Part L,

I'm assuming that it doesn't conform at the moment, and would only have needed to conform to the regulations that were in force at the time.

So if I needed to replace a radiator I could have that done, but if I needed to alter the pipework to that radiator, that suddenly means the whole system needs to meet the requirements of Part L? Is that right?

silvercar

Repipe downstairs facework seem the logical option, and I would also suggest you change the controls

Have a timer and separate temp controllor already.

Do you actually need to change the rads?

Two need to be changed for appearance, one needs to be repositioned.

silvercar

OldFartPlumber wrote: »

You can get special TRV`s for one pipe systems - maybe that`s what`s on the upstairs . Or you could have what`s known in the trade as a !!!!!!!ised system of one and 2 pipe circuits . I`ll bet you`re not in E. Sussex where I could get to help you out . No one is in E. Sussex , it`s the Dead Centre of England

No, S. Hertfordshire.

Funnily enough the last plumber I had came from MSE, since disappeared. Anyone remember EliteHeat?

Canucklehead

Hi

I would go with OFP post #2, you need someone to lift some boards and confirm the system.

Curved rads are all made to a template taken from the actual bay window. Not had to do one for years but priced per foot of rad IIRC double panel/ convectors much more than single.

Drayton do a TRV for one pipe. Stupid money at £47 for body only. I know as I had need of finding out.
The Honeywell VT117 has a much larger waterway/flow than most of the trvs out there.

Part L guidance here

EliteHeat! yes i do. Was he OK?

Corgiguy

Mr_Ted

Canucklehead wrote: »

Drayton do a TRV for one pipe. Stupid money at £47 for body only. I know as I had need of finding out.
The Honeywell VT117 has a much larger waterway/flow than most of the trvs out there.

Irrespective of who does what TRV CH ":eek: Any form of valve that shuts off the rads on the one pipe circuit will stop the whole circuit from working, special trv or not in this situation "Some of them appear to be connected in series rather than parallel (one pipe not two). So the heat goes through one radiator then on to the next." as obviously there is not a continuous one pipe circuit that the rad come off of, the rad are part of the circuit:( specifically in the scenaio as described here

southcoastrgi

<<<<<<<<<< sits back & watches, now this could get interesting