Back Boiler to Combi - should we replace the pipes?

Bendy_House

Another wee tip - if you find the valve-rad joint is spraying water in an awkward fashion - eg sideways rather than trickling downwards - then drape a strip of cloth loosely around it to catch the spray, and drop the cloth end into your container - the flow should end up where you want.

FreeBear

Bendy_House said: FB, is yours - and could Holly's - be gravity hot water? Or do you have a 2 or 3-way motorised valve?

My system is gravity hot water, no valves. It is on the cards to fit a zone valve or two which will cut gas consumption fractionally. I would imagine Holly's system is the same.

Holly_BC34 said: Yes we do have gravity hot water so I'm guessing it's the pump - I'm going to try and get someone out asap to have a look as if its that I'll be saving a whole heap of money and stress. 

If I take the radiator off to do a sludge check do I just need to turn off the water - is it an easy job or should i ask the plumber/gas guy to have a look.

There should be a drain down point somewhere close to the boiler. I have a sneaking suspicion that the pipes run up inside the chimney breast, so access is going to be <ahem> difficult. Quite possible that the gas fire front will need to be removed to gain access to any drain down point, although, there should be others... Crack open a drain valve and catch the water in a small tub. Any sludge will be immediately visible, so no need to go removing radiators. The drain point behind the gas fire is best left to a Gas Safe engineer as a gas pipe needs to be unscrewed.

Up in the loft, identify which is the header tank for the central heating (it should be the smallest of the two). Pour a bottle of corrosion inhibitor in - It probably hasn't had any inhibitor added in yonks.