Upstairs radiators not working: 5 Steps to Take When Your Radiators Won’t Heat Up

Why is My Radiator Cold? | Common Problems

If your radiators feel cold or they’re not heating up sufficiently, you’ll want to understand why. While cold radiators could be a result of a more serious problem with your central heating system or boiler, there are a number of smaller faults that should be ruled out first.

Diagnosing your radiator problems

It can be frustrating when you can feel cold spots on radiators, particularly when you’re trying to get a room nice and toasty. There are a few factors that can cause cold patches in radiators. Here’s a list of common causes to review when you first discover a cold patch:

Thermostat is set too low
Timer isn’t working
Radiator valve is closed
Air pockets in the system
Blockages within the system
Circulation fault

Discover what to do if you boiler works but your radiators stay cold.

Why are some of my radiators not working?

If none of your radiators are heating up properly then there could be a problem with your central heating system or boiler. However, if some of your radiators are heating up while others aren’t, this could be one of a number of issues. Run through our quick fix checklist below to find out more.

Cold radiators in some parts of the home

If a radiator in your home isn’t getting hot, it may be due to a problem with one of the zones in your central heating system.

Central heating systems work by pumping a continuous flow of hot-water from the boiler to the radiators, then back to the boiler to pick up more heat. Within this system, you could create ‘zones.’ This means that you can control the temperature in separate areas of your home, depending on your heating requirements in each room. If you find that radiators are cold in one area, it could indicate that there is a problem with a particular zone.

One radiator not working

If you find that one radiator within your home stays cold, ensure that the valves located on the sides of the radiator are open. If the valves are open but the radiator is still cold, it’s possible that the valves are blocked. A suitable system cleanse conducted by a Gas Safe Registered engineer will usually do the trick.

Cold radiators upstairs

If the upstairs radiators in your home are cold, it’s an indication that the feed and expansion tank in your loft has run dry. This usually points to a larger problem. However, it’s also possible that the ball valve in the tank isn’t working correctly; it may be blocked or jammed.

Try the following:

The cistern is usually found in the loft
Clear any obstructions to the ball valve
Refill the cistern, making sure there is enough room for the water to expand when the system heats up
Refill the cistern so that there is just enough water to float the ballcock
When the system is cold there should be just enough water to make the ball float and switch off the water coming in

It’s highly recommended that you seek the skills of a Gas Safe registered engineer when you have major heating or boiler problems. Remember that all boilers and heating systems should be regularly checked and serviced by a competent engineer.

With a full cistern, the upstairs radiators should start heating, but it’s a good idea to get a professional plumber in to work out why the cistern ran dry in the first place.

Cold radiators downstairs

If your downstairs radiators are failing to heat up, there could be a problem with your pump. If this is the case, it won’t be producing enough power to push the water around the heating system.

Pumps can get warm, but if it is hot or making a grating sound, then it might be about to break down, in which case it will need replacing. One of HomeServe’s Gas Safe registered engineers can provide help and advice to rectify this issue.

Why is the top of the radiator cold?

If the top of your radiator is cold, it’s possible that air is trapped within the system. Bleeding the radiator will release any trapped air, vastly improving the efficiency of your entire heating system.

Why is the middle of the radiator cold?

If the middle of your radiator is cold, there may be a build-up of debris or sludge which is obstructing parts of the bottom of the radiator. You’ll need to clean it out and remove all unwanted substances that are blocking the bottom length of the radiator.

If you have an open-vent system:

Buy a heating system sludge remover at your local DIY store and use as per the manufacturer’s instructions
Add the liquid to the feed and expansion tank
After a few days you will need to empty and refill the system.

If you have a pressurised system:

You’ll need a plumber or heating engineer to help you
They will remove the radiator and flush it out to clean it
In some cases, your radiator will need replacing

Why is the bottom of the radiator cold?

If your radiator is hot at the top but cold at the bottom, there may be a build-up of scale, rust, or sludge which is obstructing the flow of water.

As with the middle of the radiator, if you have an open-vent system which is unpressurised and tank fed, you’ll be able to use a sludge remover to flush your radiator. However, if you have a pressurised system, you’ll need the assistance of a Gas Safe registered engineer.

Next steps

If you’ve managed to diagnose the problem with your cold radiator(s), the next step is to fix cold radiators in your home.

However, if you’re still stumped as to why your radiators aren’t working, our expert repairs team will get things working again in no time.

Tags: Boiler switch onRadiators and Heating Help

upstairs radiator not working – all others are ok – valve on one end Therm controller on other – took a spanner to valve and ensured open – still will not come on – what could the problem be?

9 Answers from MyBuilder Plumbers

Best Answer

photofinish contracts

Calne • Member since 6 Oct 2011 •

57
jobs,
98% positive
feedback

Hi,

On the thermostatic valve undo the ring which holds it onto the radiator, either by undoing the little screw or by unscrewing the retaining ring itself. Pull the valve off

and you will reveal a little silver plunger like a pencil lead about 1cm in size. Push this

plunger into the valve a few times to free it. The plunger getting stuck is often the problem. Then put the valve back together again. You should be able to feel the warm water coming into the rad as you waggle the plunger in.

Regards,

Guy.

2011-12-08T09:30:02+00:00

Answered 8th Dec 2011

PAT THE PLUMBER

Boston • Member since 4 Nov 2008 •

4
jobs,
100% positive
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hi,there,s one way of finding out the problem,have central heating on and turn all working radiators off . .just leave the offending radiator on..failing that the trv valve is stuck in the off position,usually if you can remove the thermostatic top,no water will leak out..and just tap the spindle in the centre of the valve and off it goes..put the top back on..

2011-12-08T09:30:02+00:00

Answered 8th Dec 2011

Diamond

Rainham • Member since 3 Nov 2010 •

155
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99% positive
feedback

Try taking the thermostatic head off and tapping the pin underneath. It is a very common problem that these pins stick. Have the heating on and keep tapping it firmly, but not too hard and you should find the rad getting hot.

Hope this helps.

Fred.

2011-12-08T09:30:01+00:00

Answered 8th Dec 2011

PAUL CATON GAS & OIL SERVICES

Chesterfield Mansfield • Member since 23 Mar 2010 •

581
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Pin stuck on thermostatic valve?

2011-12-08T09:30:01+00:00

Answered 8th Dec 2011

RD Services Ltd

Milton Keynes • Member since 29 Nov 2010 •

4
jobs,
100% positive
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you could have an air lock. Turn all other rads off and this should shift air lock.

2011-12-08T09:30:02+00:00

Answered 8th Dec 2011

crest installations and maintenance services

Boston • Member since 25 Oct 2011 •

100
jobs,
100% positive
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hi

get a bleed valve key and open the bleed nipple at the top of the rad at one end,and let the air out .

2011-12-08T09:30:02+00:00

Answered 8th Dec 2011

Concept building services

Sittingbourne • Member since 1 Jan 2008 •

25
jobs,
100% positive
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Is the radiator old? been in the property for years? could be a build up of sludge in heating circuit or a balancing issue turn the flow into other rads down a bit to allow circulation to extend up to the problem rad.

I would first try to bleed top problem rad,

Then i would shut a couple of rads off down stairs for the time being and check the problem rad to see if it improves regarding heat performance.

Allow a few hours to see if the heated water gets through to the upstairs rad.

I have seen this many times and it is just a patience thing in getting the heating system balanced.

If not get the system power flushed.

Try shutting off 2 lower floor rads first as this will allow distribution to by pass the bottom rads and deliver to rest of circuit reaching top rad.

Thanks

Concept building services

2011-12-08T09:30:02+00:00

Answered 8th Dec 2011

sovereign plumbing and heating

Walsall • Member since 23 Nov 2011 •

51
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100% positive
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Someties thermostatic valves jam shut call someone to free it off

2011-12-08T09:30:01+00:00

Answered 8th Dec 2011

Kodygas

England • Member since 22 May 2019 •

193
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Please check under boiler ,flow or return valve someone messed partially open (not fully open) or (diverter valve faulty not fully open for heating, ) weak pump ,blockage on magnetic filter etc

2021-01-28T23:00:03+00:00

Answered 28th Jan 2021

Why is my radiator cold – common problems and how to fix them

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Specialist Heating Advice, Tips & Tricks
Why is my radiator cold – common problems and how to fix them

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It’s lovely when you wake up on a cold, crisp morning in a warm and cosy house, but if your radiators aren’t heating up as efficiently as they should be, you may wake up feeling a little bit chilly. There are a number of reasons why this can happen, from debris or air in the system to faulty valves. Below, you can find three of the most common cold radiator problems and how to fix them.

Why is my radiator cold at the bottom?

When your radiator is cold at the bottom, it’s likely that there’s a debris blockage that’s restricting the flow of hot water to the whole radiator. Usually, the culprit of this particular problem is sludge, debris, rust and other bits of dirt. Over time, the metal that the pipes are made of can begin to disintegrate because they’re constantly subjected to oxygen and water. This combination causes the metal to rust and as this rust breaks off, it is carried around your radiators and pipework. If you live in a hard-water area, limescale can also build up in the system. All of these things together can cause a blockage. A small blockage can very quickly turn into a large one.

Generally, a radiator that is warm at the top but cold at the bottom suggests that the hot water is able to flow into the radiator but is getting stuck somewhere in the middle.

If it seems to be just one radiator that’s causing a problem, you can remove it and clean it thoroughly. Do this using a garden hose to remove as much dirt as you can, then refit it to the wall. If you think the problem stretches further than just one radiator, you can have the whole system power flushed. A power flush uses pressure to push water and other cleaning chemicals through the system, removing all the dirt and flushing it down an outside drain. This process is worth doing every now and then to ensure the system is running as efficiently as possible.

Why is one radiator cold when the heating is on?

One cold radiator usually indicates that either there is air in the system or there is a stuck valve within that radiator.

The thermostatic radiator valve (TRV), like the one pictured below, controls the flow of hot water to the radiator. From time to time, it can seize and get stuck, meaning that it cannot open to allow the hot water in when the heating is on. This is particularly the case in an old radiator.

To check if the valve is stuck, you can remove the rotatable head on the TRV to reveal a raised pin beneath it. You should be able to depress the pin with your finger. When you release the pressure, the pin should rise back up again. If the pin is already depressed or doesn’t move very easily, then this is more than likely your problem.

You can try to free the pin yourself using some pliers and grease until you can move it in and out with ease. However, you shouldn’t apply excessive force as this may damage the pin. If you are not sure about doing this or are not able to get the pin moving, then it is advised that you seek help from a professional.

If you’ve checked the TRV and it seems to be fine, there could be some air in the system that’s causing one radiator to remain cold. Air in the system tends to gather at higher points and prevents the correct distribution of heating water. Luckily, this particular problem is usually quite simple and straightforward to resolve with the following steps:

Fully open all radiator thermostats and run the heating at full temperature for 10 to 15 minutes with all radiators on
Turn the circulation pump off and wait until radiators are cool (around half an hour to an hour)
Bleed the radiator nearest the boiler using a bleed key or screwdriver until water comes out
Repeat this for each radiator
Turn on the boiler and check the water pressure.

If you are unsure about bleeding the system or encounter difficulties at any point, it is advisable to contact a professional at the earliest instance.

Why are my downstairs radiators cold?

Cold radiators downstairs can demonstrate a balancing issue. Hot water tends to rise upwards in a system, so you’ll know you have a balancing problem if your downstairs radiators are cold and the upstairs ones are hot.

If this is your issue, go to the radiators upstairs and close the lockshield (the smaller valve at the opposite end to the thermostat) then open it a quarter turn. This should not cause any reduction in the effectiveness of the upstairs radiators, but will encourage more heat to flow to those downstairs.

If this doesn’t make enough of a difference, you may need to balance the entire system. To do this, you can follow our radiator balancing guide.

Other things to check

If you’ve tried to do any number of the above, but you’re still experiencing cold radiators, here are some other things you can check.

Check your boiler or heat pump

If your radiators are cold when you’re expecting them to be warm, you should check that your boiler or heat pump is working properly.

If you have a boiler, you should check that it’s on the right setting and working properly. For a combi boiler, check that it is set for both hot water and heating, is not in summer mode and that there is no fault code displaying. While some fault codes can be rectified by the user, others may require the help of a Gas Safe registered heating engineer. Always follow the user instructions and do not attempt to do anything yourself if you are unsure.

If you have a heat pump, you should check that it’s working as it should and that the outdoor unit isn’t clogged with leaves and other debris. You should also make sure that it’s not making any strange or unusual noises.

Looking to replace your gas boiler?

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Check the water pressure

If your boiler or heat pump appear to be working correctly, the next thing to check is your water pressure. This is shown on a small display known as a manometer, usually located directly where the water supply is connected to your boiler.

For a residential gas boiler, the correct water pressure is usually around 1.0 bar, often indicated on the gauge by coloured markings. If the pressure is lower than this, we recommend following our guide to increase the boiler pressure.

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Radiators cold at the bottom? How to fix them according to experts

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If your radiators are cold at the bottom and hot on top, you’ll want to fix the problem as soon as possible. Not only are radiators that are unevenly hot not doing a proper job of keeping your home warm during cold weather, but radiators cold at bottom also waste energy, making your boiler work harder and your energy bills higher.

To fix the problem of half-cold radiators, you’ll likely need to learn how to bleed a radiator, and you may well also need your garden hose. At any rate, don’t ignore this problem – learn how to fix it before it gets worse.

Depending on what the problem is, you may be able to fix the problem yourself whether they’re upstairs or downstairs radiators cold at bottom. Fortunately, there aren’t that many variables where it comes to unevenly heating radiators.

Jimmy Jackson, strategic HVAC Advisor at Texas-based YouthfulHome.com and a master technician with over 25 years of experience, explains that ‘if one or two of your radiators are cold at the bottom, one of two things is the culprit.’

The first case scenario, according to Jimmy, is that ‘you may have air trapped in the radiator.’ To find out, ‘bleed the radiator. Locate the bleed valve. It should be on one side at the top. Place something under the radiator to catch any water that runs out.

‘Turn off your heat so that water isn’t being pumped through the radiator as you bleed it.

‘Slowly open the bleed valve. Trapped air will escape with a hissing sound. When the hissing stops, water will come out of the valve. Shut the bleed valve and you’re done. While you’re at it, you should bleed all the radiators.’

Air trapped in a radiator has an easy DIY fix. However, ‘if the problem isn’t fixed, you probably have accumulated dirt and rust (sludge) in the pipes. This will take power flushing by a professional. ‘

(Image credit: The Radiator Company)

If you feel confident in your DIY abilities and know a bit about the different types of heating, you can flush out the sludge from your radiators yourself. Chris Harvey, a central heating expert at radiator manufacturer Stelrad , believes that ‘although a slightly messy job, this is something you can do yourself.’ Just remember to wear old clothes while you’re doing it.

Chris recommends starting by ‘isolating the radiator by turning down the thermostatic valve. This should be turned down to Zero and make sure that you have locked the lockshield, this will isolate it from the system.’

The next step is the draining of the radiator. You’ll need to ‘place an old bowl on a towel under the radiator to ensure that all the water and the sludge are caught when it is released.’

A top tip from Chris when you are draining the water – ‘it is important to make sure that you turn the nuts on the radiator, this will help to make sure that all the water is fully drained. ‘

Open the bleeding valve and bleed the radiator. Once all the water is gone, you can take the radiator off and take it outside. ‘You can then attach a hose to one end and flush out the radiator until clear water comes out the other side.’

After flushing, ‘you can dry the radiator off and you can then bring the radiator back inside and re-attach the pipes and nuts and bolts and wait for the radiator to fill, you should then bleed the radiator of any air to ensure that it is filled properly.’

(Image credit: The Radiator Company)

Whether you do the flushing yourself or hire a professional, this is a job that must be done if your radiators are cold at the bottom and you’ve established it’s not just air trapped in there. Even the best radiators will get clogged over time, but you are especially likely to experience this problem if you live in an older home.

Chris cautions against turning up your thermostat ‘to compensate for the cold patches. This won’t solve the issues and will instead increase your heating bill every month. ‘ This isn’t a boiler problem or thermostat problem, so you won’t solve it this way.

What is the quickest way to balance your radiators?

If you’re noticing that some of your radiators are a lot hotter than others, it may be necessary to balance them to ensure an even distribution of heat. However, Kimmy cautions that ‘there really isn’t a quick way to balance radiators. Radiators closer to the boiler heat faster. To balance them you adjust the valves on each radiator until they give a consistent temperature reading throughout the house.’

Realistically, this is a job for two or more people – according to Jimmy, ‘the fastest way to balance radiators is to have several helpers do it with you.’

(Image credit: The Radiator Company)

Can you bleed a radiator with the heating on?

The answer to this one is a straightforward ‘no.’ Gerald Carpenter, a professional plumber in the third generation and consultant on Sanitary Review , explains that
‘Before you start bleeding a radiator, you have to turn the heating off and
let the radiators cool down. Otherwise, the water will be too hot and spray
under pressure when you turn the valves. That’s something you definitely
don’t want to happen!’

So, heating off, old clothes on, garden hosepipe ready. Or, if none of this sounds like something you want to do, just call the plumber.

Anna is Content Editor at Real Homes. She moved to the world of interiors from academic research in the field of English Literature and photography. She is the author of London Writing of the 1930s and has a passion for contemporary home decor and gardening. At Real Homes, she covers a range of topics, from practical advice to interior and garden design.

Radiator Not Heating Up? Our Quick FIx Guide is Here to Help

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(Image credit: Getty)

A radiator not heating up is a fairly common problem faced by homeowners — but it is a nuisance nonetheless, particularly if it is impacting more than one radiator in your home. Usually, there is a simple explanation and putting the problem right should not be too difficult.

So if you have found your radiators are cold and are puzzling over the cause we are here to help, with a list of the most frequent causes and their solutions. Some radiator problems will need to be fixed by a professional, while others are simple to put right on a DIY basis.

Why Are My Radiators Cold?

There are several probable reasons why your radiators are not not getting hot, including:

Debris in the pipework or filter
Circulation pump not working or has air in it
Air in the system
Thermostatic radiator valve (TRV) is stuck
Lockshield has been fully opened or closed
Boiler or heat pump not working properly
Central heating has turned off
Fuel source has run out

Here, we take a look at the possible reasons individually to help you identify which one is causing your cold radiators and explain what you can do to get them toasty again.

If you find a radiator not heating up, first check your central heating is on the right setting — it sounds obvious but it is a surprisingly common cause. (Image credit: The Radiator Company)

1. The Radiator is Blocked

“If the system has not been serviced then there could be a build up of debris in the pipework or the filter,” explains David Hilton, Director at Heat and Energy Ltd . The simple solution is to get the system serviced by a professional.

Blocked radiators can be caused by a build up of limescale, sludge, rust or debris flowing through the system. This restricts the flow of water meaning blockages that start of fairly small can quite quickly become big blockages.

Blocked radiators are usually cold at the bottom and warm at the top.

If the problem is only affecting one radiator, it can be possible to remove it and flush it out with a garden hose, before replacing it. However, if you have several radiators not heating up then it may be necessary to have them power flushed by a professional.

A power flush uses pressure to shoot water and chemicals through the system, removing dirt and flushing it away down an outside drain.

2. The Circulation Pump is Not Working

If a few, or all, of your radiators are not heating up, the circulation pump could be to blame.

Circulating pumps move hot water around a heating system, taking it from the boiler through the pipes to your radiators and hot water cylinder in some cases — before taking it back to the boiler.

Sometimes, blockages or airlocks in the system will occur. Good indicators that this may have happened, other than radiators not heating up, include a water leak from the pump, unusual noises coming from the pump, casing that is hot to touch and no hot water.

You will need to call in a plumber to fix the problem.

3. Air in Heating System

A very common cause of radiators not heating up is an airlock in the central heating system.

“There could be air in the system which would mean that the radiator may only heat a little bit at the bottom, or not at all if there is a lot of air,” explains David Hilton. “You will need to bleed the radiator to get the air out.

“As you let air out of the system you need to allow more water in. A gravity fed central heating circuit should fill automatically but a high pressure system will have a valve (or two) to let the water in. Don’t leave this valve open. Pressurise the system a bit and then bleed the radiator. It is usually best if two people do this but if in doubt call in a professional.”

Sometimes it will be necessary to bleed your radiator to get rid of an airlock. (Image credit: Getty)

If it is just one radiator not heating up, then a stuck thermostatic radiator valve could be the culprit.

A thermostatic radiator valve (TRV) controls the flow of hot water to a radiator and occasionally these can get stuck, meaning they can’t open to allow the hot water in.

“The TRV pushes a pin in and out and sometimes this pin corrodes and will not move,” says David Hilton. “By unclipping the TRV you may be able to free it up, but be careful as it may be badly corroded and pop out or leak. “

Try to free the pin using pliers and grease but don’t use excessive force as you might damage the pin. If you can’t free the pin then we would advise you call a professional.

5. The Lockshield is in Wrong Position

“On the opposite side of the radiator to the TRV is a lockshield,” says David Hilton. “This looks like a small valve with a cap on it and it is used to balance radiators. What can often happen is that this is closed when a radiator is moved (for example, to paint behind a radiator) but then fully opened again when the radiator is replaced, rather than returning it to its previous position — which is often only a quarter turn open.

“This means that the boiler water will now circulate more through the closed radiators and hardly ever get heat to furthest away radiators.”

A good signal that this is your problem will be if the radiators upstairs (or those nearest to the boiler) are getting hot but the downstairs radiators are cold. The system will need to be rebalanced.

If you find that your radiators upstairs are hot but are cold downstairs, your lockshield may be in the wrong position. (Image credit: The Radiator Company)

6. The Boiler or Heat Pump is Not Working

An obvious reason for radiators not working is a faulty boiler or heat pump. Check your boiler is on the right setting and appears to be working — a fault code will usually alert you to a problem. You may find you can put it right easily, but in some cases a Gas Safe registered heating engineer will need to be called out.

If you use a heat pump to heat your radiators, check it is working as normal and that it hasn’t become clogged with any debris.

In some instances, you may need a new boiler. For a free boiler quote, visit boilerguide.co.uk.

7. The Water Pressure Has Dropped

If you have a combi boiler, or a high-pressure central heating system, the problem could lie with a drop in pressure, causing the boiler to cut out.

Take a look at the pressure dial — it should be in the range specified in the instruction manual. If not, you will need to top-up the water (check your manual for instructions) to repressurise the boiler.

Check the pressure on your boiler has not dropped — this is a common cause of radiators not heating up properly. (Image credit: Getty)

7. The Central Heating is Off

Yes it sounds obvious, but before you do any of the above, you really should check that your central heating hasn’t been switched off or set to summer mode, or to heat the water only, by accident — you really don’t want to go calling out a plumber only to discover this was the cause.

8. Running on Empty

Another embarrassing cause of radiators not heating up (a bit like running out of petrol).

If you use LPG or heating oil to power your heating system, could it be that you have forgotten to check your fuel levels and run out?

One issue here is that running out oil can result in debris in the tank entering the heating system. Your system might need power flushing by a professional as a result. (So the bottom line is, regularly check the bottom line on your oil tank to ensure you don’t run out!)

Natasha is Homebuilding & Renovating’s Associate Editor and has been a member of the team for over two decades. An experienced journalist and renovation expert, she has written for a number of homes titles. She has renovated a terrace and is at the end of the DIY renovation and extension of her Edwardian cottage. She is now looking for her next project.

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2 Upstairs Radiators Not Working…. 🙁 sooooo cold!!!!

hagglelad

8 Dec 2007

Hi everyone,

Since I moved in there has always been 1 radiator in a spare room upstairs that has never worked. Its competely stone cold and the pipes are cold too. I’ve lived with that since its only a spare room but now another radiator in the main bedroom has started to do exactly the same thing. It never heats up and both pipes are cold. The rest of the radiators in the house work perfectly. Is it more likely to be an air lock that is causing the problem or a sludge blockage???

So far to rectify the problem I have (in order)…

– Bled all the radiators

– Tried switching off all the working radiators to increase pressure to the non working radiators and hopefully flush through blockage/air lock??

– Added some Sentinel X400 Sludge Remover into the F&E tank in the loft

– Drained off some water from the central heating to ensure that the X400 has entered the heating circuit

– Again switched off all the working radiators to increase pressure and flow of X400 to the non working radiators

– Finally the last thing I’ve tried is bleeding the circulating pump, this has a bolt right in the middle which I’ve loosen but nothing seemed to come out (air or water). I switched off the heating before I did this so the pump wasn’t on.

I had high hopes for the X400, its been in the system for over 3 days now but hasn’t shifted the blockage. Any sugestions on what I can do next would be grately appreciated + whats going on with my pump???

Thank you in advance. PS: I’m not that brave in the DIY department, especially when waters involved!!!!

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Breesey

8 Dec 2007

When you bled the cold radiator did you get water out?

Are you sure that the valves are functioning properly on the two cold rads when you shut all the others down? Are they quite old?

What sort of system do you have?

hagglelad

8 Dec 2007

Hi Breesey, I really appreciate your prompt reply. ..

When I bled the radiators (and I have just done them all again now) water does come out of all of them.

I don’t know if the valves are working since I haven’t adjusted them at all. How can I work out if they are working? The radiator in the main bedroom was working before but has all of a sudden stopped working.

The house was built in the 80’s so they’re not really old or anything but there are a couple of radiators they have obviously been replaced coz they’re of a more modern looking design. The rad in the main bedroom is an old one, the rad in the spare room (which has never worked) is however one of the newer radiators.

Thanks again.

PS: I just read one suggestion saying switch off both valves on the non-working radiators and then open the bleed valve to remove all the pressure and then open the valves up again to see if any water enters. Is this worth a try?

Breesey

8 Dec 2007

Do you have TRVs?

I assume you have an open vented system (F&E cistern in loft)?

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hagglelad

8 Dec 2007

Whats a TRV, some type of valve I assume?

EDIT: Worked out its a Thermostatic Radiator Valve. No I don’t have these, all radiators are just manual handwheel and lockshied valve.

Yes its an open vented system.

Thanks

bengasman

8 Dec 2007

Cleaner can take up to a month to work. compare the valve-BODIES on both sides of the rad. If they look the same, you should be able to turn them the same amount. Open and close both valves same amount of turns. Do not force if stuck, but replace

hagglelad

8 Dec 2007

The valves at either end of all the radiators are exactly the same (I’ve never known which one is in and out!)

I assume you say “turn the same amount” to ensure the radiator stays balanced?

I keep reading about “balance” but when I switched off the radiators before I just turned one of the valves all the way off and to open it again I just turned it all the way open, could I have messed them up?

hagglelad

8 Dec 2007

Hang on I lied. .. some of the raditors have a hand wheel (a drayton TRV 4) so the valves aren’t the same at either end. The radiator in the bedroom has one of these.

Breesey

8 Dec 2007

hagglelad said:

I assume you say “turn the same amount” to ensure the radiator stays balanced?

Click to expand…

No, don’t worry about balancing at the moment. If the valve has had it then it is likely to get stuck after, say, half a turn. Compare the valves on the cold rads with ones on a hot one.

As bengasman says, if the valves are stuck replace them.

How many rads have you got all together? It would probably be worth while to have them replaced with TRVs (except the one in the room with the room stat) and get the system cleaned out at the same time. Then you know where you stand.

Breesey

8 Dec 2007

hagglelad said:

Hang on I lied… some of the raditors have a hand wheel (a drayton TRV 4) so the valves aren’t the same at either end. The radiator in the bedroom has one of these.

Click to expand…

maybe the TRV pin is stuck so no amount of turning will affect it. New one required!

hagglelad

8 Dec 2007

But I haven’t adjusted the valves on the non-working radiators so presumably if they’d seized they would have seized open??

Breesey

8 Dec 2007

What happens (or doesn’t happen) when all working rads are shut down?

hagglelad

8 Dec 2007

This TRV 4 problem (which from searching on the web appears to be quite common) sounds like the culprit. Both the non-working radiators have a TRV 4.

Apparently the pin gets stuck inside over the summer when not in use which is exactly what happened to the radiator in the main bedroom.

I’ll have a go at tapping the pin to see if I can release it as a few others have suggested otherwise I’ll just have to replace the whole valve. Argh scary!

hagglelad

8 Dec 2007

Breesey said:

What happens (or doesn’t happen) when all working rads are shut down?

Click to expand. ..

Nothing there’s no flow to the non-working radiators at all and the pipes remain cold.

bengasman

8 Dec 2007

Take the head of the trv 4 by undoing the big chrome ring right beneath the plastic head. Try if you can push the pin in by holding a coin on top of it and push down firmly. Coin is only because pushing pin directly hurts. Is safer than using pliers.

Pin should move freely in and out. Just tried it on the ones I got here and guess no more than a couple of pounds pressure moves them in and out.

That leaves the valve on the other side. You should be able to turn at least 2 full turns. Can not say which way as I don’t know if it is open or shut. Leave open.

Close all other rads and see what happens

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Why and why heating radiators do not heat up and how to fix it

Contents

What are the reasons for incomplete heating of radiators

How to eliminate uneven heat transfer

Does the coolant affect the quality of heating

9001 There may be several reasons why heating radiators do not heat up, so it is necessary to understand the situation in each individual case. You may need qualified assistance to fix the problem. You can achieve uniform heating of the radiators yourself.

What are the reasons why radiators do not warm up completely

There are several common causes of uneven heating of radiators. To fix the problem, you need to understand what exactly led to the existing violations.

The last radiator in the heating system does not heat up – the reason is the insufficient power of the circulation pump, non-observance of angles and inclinations during the installation of the pipeline.

The lower part of the radiator does not warm up completely – this is usually a problem with aluminum radiators. In some cases, the reason is the incorrectly set mode of the thermostat installed on the coolant supply to the battery.

Half of the radiator does not give off heat – a cold top indicates the presence of an air lock. If the end sections are cold, this indicates an identical problem.

The lower corner of the heating radiator is cold – errors made during installation. Bimetallic and aluminum batteries must be installed perfectly level. Distortions lead to uneven heating of sections.

Batteries heat up unevenly for three main reasons: incorrect calculation of the boiler power, heating radiators, circulation pump. Also, errors made during the installation of the pipeline, omissions during commissioning of heating.

How to fix uneven heat dissipation

Not all problems can be solved by yourself. Poor heat transfer of the radiator may be the result of non-observance of slopes, indicating gross violations of the installation of the heating system. In this case, you will have to invite a specialist in heating systems.

Some heating problems can be solved by yourself.

Air locks – air in the heating system is an inevitable consequence of filling pipes and radiators with coolant. A characteristic symptom of the problem is that the radiator is warm at the bottom and cold at the top.

If the section heats up unevenly, you can try to bleed air from the system using the Mayevsky tap. Some owners initially install an automatic air release valve.

Insufficient heating medium circulation. If the distant batteries in the heating are barely warm, this means that the heated coolant simply does not reach the last heating device. Typically, this problem is observed in systems with natural circulation.

It is possible to eliminate the situation when the last battery in the heating system does not warm up by installing a circulation pump. If the injection equipment is already installed, then you can add a circulation rate. Almost every pump has three operating speeds.

Battery clogged. If several sections of the battery are cold, then probably dirt has been brought to the junction of the “ribs”. Or, in the absence of regular annual flushing of radiators, the core is simply clogged.

Especially often, clogging occurs with heating appliances installed in the apartment. In this case, it will not work to independently eliminate the reason why the sections are not completely warmed up, it is better to refer the application to the house management.

Incorrect operation of the heating system. It happens that the extreme sections are cold, due to the fact that the bypass is incorrectly adjusted. If the sections are not completely warmed up, it is necessary to make sure that the shut-off valves on the bypass are closed and block the possibility of natural circulation of the coolant.

In old heating systems, the Mayevsky tap was often not provided. If the cast iron radiators remain cold at the bottom after turning on the central heating, this indicates an air lock. Air can be removed by releasing the clamping sleeve slightly.

Does the coolant affect the quality of heating

Almost all manufacturers of heating devices unanimously recommend not to drain the coolant from the system, unless, only as a last resort. And there is an explanation for this.

Batteries may be cold due to air pockets. Each time the system is filled, voids filled with air are formed. The constant circulation of the coolant gradually removes air from the system, removing it through the expansion tank or relief valves.

Therefore, it is better to use old heat transfer medium for heating. As a result, even if at first the bottom was cold in the battery, the top was hot, and the sections differed in heating temperature, over time the situation can normalize due to the constant operation of the coolant without replacing it.

The best solution is to use a special heat transfer medium. It corrodes rust and eliminates clogging of pipes and radiators, which significantly affects heat transfer and uniformity of heating.

If independent efforts to achieve uniform heating of the radiator have not yielded results, then it is clearly not worth delaying inviting a qualified plumber.

No circulation, heating breakdown – why

Breakdown in the heating system, imperfections, flaws, everything leads to cold radiators. If there is no coolant circulation, then the cause must be determined. Most often, the answer to why the heating does not work is on the surface, it is obvious.

Let us examine in order the main causes of heating failures, why water does not circulate through the pipes, and what needs to be done first.

Let’s start with the simplest and most obvious reasons.

Clogged, clogged.

Every heating system must have a coarse filter. Not at all a large device with a fine mesh and a sump (installed down! As a last resort, to the side) saves equipment, pumps, and the boiler from contamination of the coolant that will be present in any system. Chips, scraps of threads, rust, sediment from the water . … everything is delayed by the mesh in the filter.

The sump must be periodically untwisted and the mesh cleaned.

If circulation is disturbed in the heating system of a private house, then the first thing to do is to check the filter, which must be installed on the return before the boiler.

Air in the system, venting

Airing can occur in any closed piping scheme where venting measures are not taken. Air is always present in the coolant, including in a dissolved state, it is released during pressure drops, and accumulates at the highest points. Including the boiler.

Automatic air vents are installed at the characteristic, highest points of the system, as well as on collectors and on special separators – the normal circuit is equipped with a special air trapping device in which air bubbles are released from the coolant.

In addition, Mayevsky taps (manual air vents) should be on each radiator, and possibly also in other elevated places.

Check venting, bleed air, install air vents – common if circulation stops and batteries are cold.

The circulation pump does not work

In private houses, the reason for the termination of the heating system is the breakdown of electrical equipment that controlled the movement of the coolant through the pipes.

If the heating suddenly stops working, then you need to check the operability of the circulation pump near the solid fuel boiler or the pump in the automated boiler. In addition, the same unit can be installed in each circuit, which should work properly.

Bad polypropylene pipes

Often the consumer (customer) believes that polypropylene pipes are absolutely reliable and cannot be the cause of problems with heating, cool batteries.

But polypropylene is much more insidious than old steel or metal-plastic pipelines. Each place of soldering (welding) is a potential increased resistance in the system or the reason for the termination of circulation (weakened movement of water through the batteries), due to buildup of material inside.

It is impossible to control the quality of connections from the outside, it remains only to cut pieces, solder, remake polypropylene pipes again.

Polypropylene system malfunction is a real problem for the home installer. Good professionals do not undertake this material at all.

Bad design

It is not uncommon for bad circulation where bad design is. Typically, the batteries are not switched on correctly, according to a certain sequential scheme, where the last battery in the scheme receives much less coolant.

Another bad project is single-pipe circuits, where it is also difficult to establish the necessary circulation of the coolant through each battery.

If the radiators do not heat up evenly, there is poor circulation of the coolant on individual heating devices, first of all, you need to consider how the connection corresponds to the classic schemes – shoulder, passing, radial. It is necessary to bring home heating to the usual design standards, and then expect good circulation from it and the same heating of the radiators.

Small diameter, overgrown pipes

Old steel pipes are overgrown with rust, deposits from the inside, their throughput capacity decreases significantly over time, and there is only one solution – they need to be replaced with modern ones.

But even during installation, for the sake of economy, mistakes can be made with the choice of pipeline diameter – on highways, on groups of heating devices, diameters of 16 or 20 mm can be set. As a result – noise in the pipes, excessive consumption of electricity, lack of coolant flow.
Which pipe diameters to choose

Complex system

A type of bad design is an incorrectly designed complex heating system, consisting of many heating circuits and several boilers. Here, entire circuits will already work incorrectly if the work of one affects the neighboring one.

As a rule, one boiler (reserve does not count) and three circuits – a boiler, radiators, underfloor heating with their pumps are coordinated normally, and there are no questions. But if you connect another working boiler plus a circuit (for example, heating a garage and a greenhouse), then the system will become complicated. It is difficult to say how the coolant will circulate in it without pressure equalization at the connection points.

In complex systems, a competent design is important, the installation of a hydraulic switch or an equal pressure ring, you can learn more about the hydraulic separator here

No balancing

Many home heating schemes involve balancing, they have balancing, regulating valves. For example, between floors, between shoulders, and for each radiator. Cranes cover the direction with less hydraulic resistance, respectively, more will go to other points of the coolant.

Children can play with cranes. Or initially the system is not balanced. Setting up, as a rule, is no problem, you just need to find this tap …. How to set up home heating

Neighbors do not provide heat

But complex schemes of heating projects are of little concern to residents of high-rise buildings, who have a separate riser for each radiator in the apartment. And if any radiator ceases to heat up normally, then there is no circulation through the riser, therefore …

You need to contact the heating network, the housing office (service organization) to adjust the power through the risers, and if this does not help, then with the requirement to check the neighbors.

Often, unauthorized connection, replacement of radiators, pipes in central heating systems leads to a redistribution of pressure, circulation through individual batteries decreases, disappears.

No circulation in a gravity system

In gravity systems, the pressure difference is low, they are especially sensitive to air pockets, pipe diameters, gaps in radiators.

In older circuits, gradual deposits occur in radiators and pipes, circulation may decrease over time, and the only treatment for this is to replace everything with a more modern one.

You also need to pay attention to the correctness of the scheme itself – the middle heating line is below the cooling line (the boiler heat exchanger is below the radiators), and also – the hot supply rises up to the highest point, and from there it goes down to the radiators . .. More about gravity flow schemes further

Various failures in heating systems

Closed, valves valves – check that everything is open to ensure circulation.

Leak in the system – there is little coolant, check the pressure, eliminate the leak.

Installation with flexible pipes – the pipe is kinked.

Breakdown of automatic equipment – thermal heads on mixing units, radiators, mixing units themselves – silting, failure, it is necessary to check the correct operation. It’s also electronics failure.

Incorrect balancing on the distribution manifold, – in beam schemes, complex systems, manifolds with balancing and tuning equipment can cause a lack of circulation anywhere, due to breakdowns and incorrect settings.

Low pressure, no air in the expansion tank – check the pressure in the pipes and the inflation of the tank, automated units will not work at all without the right pressure.

Circuit error, excess bypass – check that the installation is consistent with the project, the logic of the circuit, for jet shortings, parallel branches to radiators and circuits.

Search for the cause of poor circulation of the coolant in a two-pipe heating system

Dmitry Belkin

Author: Dmitry Belkin

Quite a lot of time has passed since the writing of the first article, and on the eve of the heating season 2011-2012, I decided to continue the cycle, especially since questions on the topic “I did the heating, but it does not work” continue to come.

Unfortunately, troubleshooting methods that do not lie on the surface are quite difficult to classify, and I decided to devote several small articles to the issue of heating system malfunctions. In this article, I would like to consider the problem of poor coolant circulation and uneven heating of radiators. I myself have never made mistakes like those described and, accordingly, here I will have to theorize a little.

Friends! Before troubleshooting your heating, please find the dirt filter and clean it! Perhaps after that there will be nothing to look for!

So, we have two-pipe heating. Let’s consider one branch of this heating system serving, let’s say conditionally, one floor. Here is her diagram. The water flow is shown by arrows.

The radiator closest to the start of the branch or the boiler is hot. This is the leftmost radiator. There can be significantly more radiators than shown in the diagram. For example, in my tiny house there are 3 branches. The longest has a length of about 25 meters and it has 5 radiators. The problem is that the radiators following the first are either completely cold or have a temperature much lower than that of the first. Moreover, the farther to the end of the branch, the colder and colder the radiators.

Our first radiator is hot (my hand can barely stand it). We feel the next ones and find that all the radiators are hot, but their temperature decreases as we move along the branch. The latter is no longer hot, but slightly warm. We return to the first radiator, but we feel its bottom. We feel the bottom of all the radiators along the branch and find that the bottom of the radiators is much colder than their top. Even the first one.

Output

We have water circulation in our heating branch. There is no air in the pipes. However, circulation is not fast enough. It is so weak that the water has time to cool down while moving from the radiator inlet to its outlet. Thus, the problem is diagnosed. We just have to find its cause and destroy it.

Do we have a circulation pump in the system?

If it is not there, then the problem of circulation acceleration is rather difficult to solve. It is necessary to put the boiler lower, it is necessary to increase the diameter of the riser, it is necessary to increase the diameter of the supply and return (horizontal lines), it is necessary to change the pipes to those whose inner surface is smoother, it is necessary to reduce the number of corners and make them obtuse, that is, 100 or 110 degrees. at least more than 90.

If there is a circulation pump, then … it is not at all easier to solve the problem.

First, let’s check if the pump is working. To do this in the general case is not as easy as it seems. A good circulation pump runs absolutely silently and without vibrations. You can only hear his work by putting your ear to him, and he is hot and you can get burned! I do not recommend you, dear friends, to risk your organs! Stock up on a medical stethoscope or just a large diameter tube (a piece of plastic pipe from the sewer with a diameter of 50 mm will do. Attach one end to the motor, and stick your ear into the other end. If you can hear the motor running, that’s good!

By the way, if your motor is noisy, it may have broken down and needs to be replaced so that it does not become painfully cold, but there is a much greater chance that air is seething in it. Maybe because of this, and the circulation is weak? In this case, turn off the motor and bleed the air. On any motor there is a means for this. And you can drain the water from the pump right while it is running, but this must be done very carefully so that it (the motor) does not break. As soon as it stops coming out of the engine
water with bubbles, the air release procedure must be stopped, that is, all holes must be screwed and added to the fresh water system, bringing the barometer pressure to the desired level.

Important note!

Re-reading my especially successful articles, and this article is undoubtedly quite successful, I noticed one inaccuracy. It concerns the descent of air on a running pump. The fact is that if your pump is especially powerful and creates a noticeable pressure, then the air bleed procedure can turn into airing the entire system. The point is that the pressure of the water is so great that air is sucked into the system, but the water does not pour out. It depends on the design and power of the pump. Possibly some other factors as well. In short, if bleeding is a problem in your system, be sure to turn off the circulator before bleeding. Extra caution won’t hurt!

Pump running? Excellent! Is it possible to increase the circulation speed on it? Wonderful! Let’s zoom in and see what happens. If all the radiators have become evenly hot, then we believe that we simply have a too long branch and we used too thin pipes. It is possible that the pipes are of poor quality or there are some obstacles to circulation in the form of a large number of corners, dents in the pipes, and so on. Then we make a promise to ourselves someday to redo everything and live in peace. Well, maybe we change the circulation pump to a more powerful one. At the same time, we put up with increased electricity costs. What did you think? Is it so easy to live in a big house? Everything has to be paid for.

Let’s assume that increasing the circulation speed on the motor did nothing.

We think it’s a miracle! Something had to change, or the motor is faulty, after all. At least on the first branch radiator, the bottom should get almost as hot as the top. Let’s assume there was no miracle! On the first radiator, both the top and bottom became hot, but further along the branch, the temperature still does not suit us.

I hope you have valves at least on the inlets of all radiators? We close the valve of the first radiator halfway and feel the rest. Did they get hotter? If yes, then we draw the following conclusion.

Conclusion

We got a heating system in which it is easier for water to pass through the radiator than to go through the entire branch. Why did it happen? Well, for example, because the diameter of the supply line (or return line, which is the same) is smaller than the diameter of the pipes for the inlet and outlet of the radiator. And it should be the other way around. The passage diameter of the lines must be greater than the diameter of the outlets to the radiators. If you use high-quality, for example, copper pipes, then pipes of no more than 15 mm inner diameter should be connected to the radiators. That’s enough! Verified by your obedient servant!

After reaching this remarkable conclusion, we think that we got off lightly and live by regulating the circulation in our branch with valves. This, of course, does not add comfort. We change the valves to automatic thermostatic ones and we get, I hope, quite normal heating, which regulates itself. After that, we live in peace.

Next option. Both lines are hot, but the radiators are cold. In this case, the valves on the radiators are fully open.

By and large, this is also a miracle. In this case, the radiators cannot be absolutely cold. But if water rushes along the highways at the speed of a racing car, but does not enter the radiators, then this means that the problem is either in the radiators in all at once), or in the node connecting the radiator to the highway, and not necessarily the upper node, the input, so to speak . If the problem is in the lower, output node, then the effect will be exactly the same. In other words, if we block the radiator outlet, it will be absolutely cold, as if we had blocked the entrance. Why are control valves placed on top? Just so that you don’t have to lean too low to adjust them, and you don’t accidentally touch your foot.

If we consider radiator malfunctions, then it is much more likely that the problem will be in only one of them, but not all at once. In this case, you need to deal with one. Most likely the valve is the problem. That’s where I think it’s worth starting.

And the last. If we have an air lock or blockage in the middle of the line, then what do we get? All radiators and the line will be hot before blockage, and the supply and return lines immediately after the working radiator will be cold.

NOTE!

If this happens, it does not mean at all that the problem is somewhere near a working radiator. The problem can be anywhere in the gap between the supply and return lines between a working radiator and the first non-working one. This is very important to understand! Understanding this crucial point can save you a lot of time and effort. Yes, and money too.

I’m not too lazy even to draw a diagram

That’s all. I hope this article has been useful to someone. As usual, I will be glad to comments and “accidents from life.”

Dmitry Belkin

Article created on 10/19/2011

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Jumper on the heating system. It is possible, it is impossible and what will be for it.

In heating systems of multi-storey buildings, often in front of the heating radiator you can see a jumper that connects the supply and discharge pipes of the coolant. It would seem, why complicate the design and additionally put a jumper connecting the pipes? This does not give any savings, does not reduce the cost of the project. But in practice, the bypass to the heating radiator is installed in strict accordance with the design of the heating system and at the same time in compliance with the technical conditions for such jumpers. So it’s worth looking into this issue thoroughly.

3

Contents

1 What is a battery jumper and why is it needed

2 What are the requirements for a jumper

3 How does the bypass work in normal conditions

4 What are the types of bypasses

5 installation diagram

What is a battery jumper and why is it needed

First of all, to determine why a bypass to a heating radiator is needed, it is worth saying that it is not installed on all heating systems. The fact is that in an apartment building equipped with a two-pipe heating system, such devices are not installed. The coolant in a two-pipe system enters the battery from the hot water supply pipe, and is discharged immediately into the return pipe, so if it is necessary to turn off the battery on one of the floors, nothing bad will happen to the system, the taps will simply be closed at one point, and the coolant will continue to circulate in system.

Another thing is when the building is equipped with a one-pipe heating system. Here the issue is more difficult to solve – the coolant flows through the pipes to the highest point, where the wiring is done through the risers. The riser pipe is supplied to the battery, the coolant, passing through the radiator registers at the outlet, enters another section of the pipe, which descends to the floor below. Then the scheme repeats, and so on to the basement. It would seem that everything is simple – fewer pipes, it is easier for the coolant to move through the system. But, as you know, there are no perfect systems, there are flaws in this, at first glance, simple scheme. First of all, this is the cooling rate of the coolant – it turns out with each battery, it becomes colder and colder. The second point is that in the event of a breakdown of one battery, the entire riser will have to be shut off, because by turning off the valve for supplying and draining water from the radiator, the entire chain is interrupted and the riser stops working. A way out of this situation was found – a jumper on the radiator. Simple and rational.

What are the requirements for the jumper

The side jumper to the heating radiator, as already mentioned, is installed in one-pipe heating systems. According to the requirements for the installation of heating systems, such devices should be installed closer to the battery. The second requirement is that the bypass be made from the same material as the main main pipe. If steel pipes are used in the building, then the lintel is also made of a steel pipe. If metal-plastic pipes or polypropylene are connected from the main pipe to the battery, then the jumper is made of this material.

The third requirement for the installation of jumpers in front of the battery is that such a device is installed taking into account the dimensions of the pipes of the main pipeline. The jumper is always installed with a smaller diameter than the inlet and outlet pipes. Most often the difference is taken in 1 size. For example, if the main pipe is ¾ inch in diameter, then the bypass should be ½ inch.

How does the bypass work under normal conditions? From the top floor, the coolant is supplied through the supply pipe to the bypass installation point. As is known from the course of physics, both electric current and liquid always move in the direction of least resistance. Getting from a pipe with a diameter of 3/4 inch into a segment leading to a battery, water will more easily penetrate into a pipe of a larger diameter. Therefore, only a small part of the coolant enters the bypass with a diameter of ½ inch, the rest of the pressure moves into the battery through a pipe with a diameter of ¾ inch, then it passes through the taps and the thermostat and goes into the battery registers.

After passing through and partially cooling down, the water through the ¾ inch pipe again enters the main, and passing through the shut-off valve, it connects with the flow from the bypass, and moves further in the general flow.

With normal pressure and high temperature, the temperature loss in this area will be insignificant, unless the owner of the apartment has installed an additional three-meter air-cooled battery.

In the event of an emergency, for example, depressurization of the radiator for repair work, an emergency shutdown of the branch to the battery is made – the taps on the supply and discharge pipes are closed. This is where the bypass comes into play. The coolant, coming from the upper floor, moves along the only possible route – through the jumper and further along the pipe to the lower floor. Thus, the jumper allows you not to disconnect the entire riser from the coolant supply, which allows you to correct the situation with the least losses and in the shortest possible time.

Types of bypasses

Heating engineering offers three types of bypasses installed in single-pipe heating systems. Each of the types is used depending on the purpose of the system and the equipment with additional equipment. So, the following types of jumpers are distinguished:

Simple unregulated;

Manual jumpers;

Bypasses with automatic flow control.

The first type is a simple piece of pipe connected in front of the battery to the heating supply and discharge pipes. This is the simplest and at the same time reliable type of bypass.

The manual flow control dam is a piece of pipe with a control valve installed in the middle. The installation of such a device in the heating systems of multi-storey buildings is still controversial. The fact is that the adjustment of the coolant flow is carried out manually, by turning the valve by a certain number of divisions, up to the complete blocking of the flow. In the normal state, this allows you to direct the entire flow of coolant through the battery, but in the event of an emergency, you can forget to open the tap and the riser will remain, at best, simply without heat, in the worst case, you will have to repair the entire riser and change broken batteries on all floors of the building.

Automatic bypass is an injector or valve type device installed in autonomous heating systems. The essence of this device is as follows – to increase the flow rate of the coolant in systems with natural circulation of the coolant, a pressure pump is often used. This device is usually installed on a piece of underfloor heating. When the electricity is turned off, the coolant moves around the pump impeller, through the jumper, thus ensuring the system’s operability. The big disadvantage of the automatic bypass is its dependence on the quality of the coolant. The water in the system must be as clean as possible, free of lime deposits, impurities and scale. That is why, when installing an automatic bypass, additional strainers are used.

Scheme for installing a jumper in the system

The correct option for installing a jumper in the system is the installation of a bypass in conjunction with shut-off valves at the inlet and outlet of the coolant from the battery. Practice shows that it is quite reasonable, in addition to taps, to install a temperature controller after the bypass. But here it is necessary to emphasize that it is reasonable to install such a regulator in new systems in which there is no need to call specialists to clean the batteries, and the heating season itself passes without complications and accidents.

Another thing is when the batteries heat poorly, the boiler room cannot cope with the supply of coolant. In such cases, it is tempting to install a valve on the bypass, making it adjustable, and simply by closing the jumper, direct the entire flow to the battery, making it 2-3 degrees hotter. For an experienced heating engineer, this is usually not a matter of great difficulty – in the summer the riser is usually turned off, water is drained and a tap crashes. But from now on, it must be remembered that already when the heat supply is turned on in the apartments on the lower floors, the difference in temperature will be felt much sharper. In this case, you must be prepared for the fact that during the first bypass, the utilities will find a tie-in tap and demand to remove it. The official reason for such a requirement will be a violation of the thermal balance of the building, even if the boiler house did not work well before, and the batteries were a little warm. But the law will be on the side of the utilities, so such an improvement will not only have to be dismantled, but, most likely, they will have to pay for the restoration of the building system.

As you can see, the correct installation of the bypass in the system of an apartment building is a very troublesome business. Of course, if you have experience with gas welding equipment and knowledge of the location of the heating valves throughout the house, then shutting off the riser and installing a battery can be commonplace, but even in this case, it is recommended to contact the professionals responsible for the home heating system.

7 reasons why batteries are cold?

The heating season has begun in Novosibirsk. So why are batteries still cold or slightly warm if the heating in your house has already been turned on according to the schedule? First of all, is worth calling the management company, because it has up-to-date information about the state of communications inside the house. In the article, we talk about 7 causes of low battery temperatures. And we figure out who is responsible for each of the reasons: SGC or management company at home?

Cause 1. Low water pressure in pipes

If you have slightly warm batteries, check with your neighbors first. During the renovation, they could increase the number of radiators or connect underfloor heating. And do not inform the management company (MC) about this. The CHP plant supplies water for heating at the same temperature in the required volume to each house. Innovations of neighbors can absorb a larger volume of coolant. This reduces the pressure in the batteries of other apartments.

Increased number of batteries and insulated floor. Source: Agrovodkom
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To understand the reasons for the low temperature of the batteries, you need to first contact management company (MC) . The UK specialists will check the temperature and pressure of the water at the inlet and outlet of the house. In case of deviation from the standards, the reason will be clarified. If necessary, they will call the thermal inspector of the SGC, who will fix the problem.

Cause 2. Clogged heating system

If the pipeline is not checked and cleaned in time, scale or deposits of slime and dirt can form inside. This will make it difficult for hot water to circulate inside the batteries and impair their heat dissipation.

Accumulation of dirt inside the battery
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The condition of the pipes inside the house – area of responsibility of the Criminal Code . You have the right to ask about the state of intra-house communications, how often and in what ways diagnostics and prevention are carried out.

Cause 3. Air lock in the house heating system

A plug will appear if the water in the heating system of the house is started abruptly or air is not released at the upper points of the heating system (on the top floor or attic). The more different turns and bends in the pipes inside the house, the slower you need to start the water.

Each house has a heating point (subscriber input). Being there, specialist of UK must determine whether the riser is airborne or not. When checking and detecting air locks, a specialist of the UK must adjust the indicators, bleed air and refill the system with coolant.

Reason 4. Repair of pipes inside the house

Despite the planned cleaning and replacement of pipeline sections, gusts are possible. The management company needs time to eliminate them. In such a situation, the supply of heat and / or hot water to the apartments may be interrupted.

The process of replacing a pipeline section. Source: poliplastic.ua
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The management company 9 must inform the residents of the house about this reason 0194 . Turning off hot water or heating takes several hours in this case. Specialists will carry out scheduled repairs of pipes inside the house during working hours, when most residents are not at home. This will cause less inconvenience than repairs in the evening or weekends.

Cause 5. Gate valves closed

If there is a lack of hot water and heat in several entrances or the whole house, it is likely that the valves are closed. They regulate the supply of hot and cold water to the house. They are closed only in case of repair of the heating system or at the request of the management company. And they don’t always open on time.

SGC specialist checks the valves at the central heating station
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In this case, you need to make sure how many residents are sitting without heating (floor, entrance, house). Gate valves, as well as pipes inside the house, are in area of responsibility of UK .

If the valves are open, and there is no heating in the whole house, you need to call the control room of the heating network division of SGK in Novosibirsk by phone: 8 (383) 289-01-45 or 8 (383) 289-01-47.

The specialist will inform you about the condition of the pipeline that is connected to your home, possible accidents, the duration of the outage and further actions.

Reason 6. Emergency repair of the heating network

Emergency repair of heating networks = shutdowns for 1–20 hours. This is the amount of time it takes to fix a defect or rupture in a pipeline.

The control room of the heating network division receives a signal about the accident. SGK specialists evaluate its scale and decide on the date and duration of the outage.

They isolate the damaged area from both sides – they drain the water and close the valves of the thermal chambers. If the defect in the pipeline is serious and there is a danger of defrosting the heating system of the house, they feed the heating system of the house from the backup circuit or return pipeline. The next step is to carry out the repairs.

Elimination of the accident on Kotovskogo street

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Reason 7. Reversal of the heating system

First, the heat goes to gardens, schools, universities and hospitals. Then – to residential buildings. The heating system inside the house is filled gradually, that is, the temperature of the batteries in the whole house will reach the same temperature within 1-3 days from the moment the heat is supplied. It depends on the number of floors and apartments in the house, as well as on the distance from the CHP or boiler house.

In this case, it is worth observing the temperature in the batteries for a couple of hours. If it gradually grows, you should just wait until the system is completely filled.

If the temperature does not change, call management company . She will report on the state of communications inside the house and check them.

Battery Anatomy
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In most cases, residents themselves can determine the reason for the decrease in temperature in the apartment by the cooled part of the battery. But for its elimination, you need to contact management company . To do this, you must write a statement in which to give a detailed description of the problem with heating.

SGK thermal inspector takes readings from meters
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How can we help if the pipes inside the house are in order:

1. Check the condition of the equipment and pipes inside the CHP. After all, in the Central heating point there is a water cycle from the CHP to the house.

2. Check the mode of heat consumption according to metering devices, as well as the operation of the heating unit.

And issue an order to the management company. If it cannot fix the problems, specialists from the Novosibirsk heating network division of SGK are involved.

What does comfort heating mean?

Probably only in the last 10 years we began to live in more or less comfortable conditions. If you remember, not so long ago, the batteries in the apartments were often a little warm, in the private sector all the “amenities” were on the street and were an ordinary cesspool, and, by and large, to make it warmer or cooler, people used the windows, closing or opening the window as needed. The concept of “comfort” was extremely simple: you don’t need to run to the toilet outside, the batteries are hotter than the neighbor’s, and here it is happiness!

Our customers often ask what is good and what is bad. What to look for when buying heating equipment, materials and other elements of the plumbing system? It is very difficult to explain the subtleties of engineering systems to a non-specialist. So we give this example:

When you want to buy a car, you don’t go to the store to buy wheels, engine, suspension and dashboard, do you? Do you want to assemble or look for a specialist who will assemble a vehicle purchased for spare parts.

The heating system is the same machine that gives not only the necessary heat, but also a certain level of performance. You can put a BMW engine in Lada Kalina, but will the car become a German status foreign car after that? Hardly. It is the same with the heating system – you cannot install expensive equipment on rotten pipes. Considering the comfort of the heating system, we propose to determine the level of the system according to the following parameters:

Performance

Functionality

Durability

Aesthetics

System performance – whether it works in principle. The theoretical basis of any heating system are the laws of physics. If they are not taken into account in the process of creating heating, the system will not work or will not work correctly. That is, if you have a little heat, then the performance of the heating system is “a little bit”.

Case study . Along the wall of the house, the batteries are in one branch, connected by a pipe with a diameter of 20 mm. Such a serial connection assumes that the coolant leaving one radiator goes to another and so on and returns to the boiler through the ring. It would seem that everything is elementary. But in practice, it doesn’t work. Why? Because the first radiator heats up properly, because the coolant with the desired temperature enters it. By the time the second radiator passes, it is already cooling down and the heat transfer drops. The third or even more so the fourth radiators in the branch are slightly warm. Only a certain amount of water can flow through a pipe of a certain diameter per unit time, which contains a certain amount of heat. Therefore, with an incorrectly selected pipe diameter, there is simply not enough heat for subsequent radiators. “OK,” the more experienced installer will say, “we will put another pump and everything will fly.” Will not fly. If the pipe diameter is insufficient, the pressure in the system will only increase, but this will not affect the temperature of the last radiators in the branch.

The functionality of the determines how manageable and comfortable the system is for the owner. We believe that the perfect level of comfort is when you set the heating on the room thermostat to the temperature for each room in the house and it remains constant at all times. It doesn’t matter if it’s freezing at night or thaw from -15 to +0°C during the day.

Case study . The same 10 years ago, systems with the so-called “ top filling “, which made it possible to create an autonomous and non-volatile heating system without being tied to electricity. The water in the boiler was heated and rose up due to thermal expansion, in order to then drain into the radiators down and back into the boiler. This happened due to the natural properties of water and the system was called gravitational. System control is not provided in principle, therefore, if it is too hot, open the window. Agree, such a window solution is not very functional. If we draw an analogy with cars, it was the level of Kopek. Rides, of course, and, in principle, not bad for its time and budget. But on the first penny there were not even rear-view mirrors on the right and head restraints on the seats, not like power steering.

Gravity heating systems were modernized over time – they got the hang of installing a pump. With its help, it became possible to increase the flow rate of the coolant, as well as finally reduce the temperature, but not in the system (in gravitational it is impossible without a complete stop of work), but in the boiler. It would seem that the issue is settled, but this solution did not differ in functionality. Water was supplied through pipes to the second floor, then went down to the first floor – where was it always warm? That’s right, on the second floor, where the heating system gave off heat and then descended to the first floor with the cooled coolant. Until now, we are approached by clients who are comfortable downstairs, and in the rooms on the second floor – “Tashkent”. Is the system working? Of course it works well! Are residents comfortable? Is it functional for the whole house? Who cares…

Durability – determines how long your system will last without repair. And it’s not just about the reliability and long service life of boiler equipment. No less important is the material of manufacture of the entire heating system – pipes, fittings, manifolds, etc.

Case study . We have a client who regularly handles some minor repairs – something regularly leaks somewhere or starts to drip. Although in terms of performance and functionality, the heating system is very well done. What is the problem? And the thing is that during installation, the workers used the so-called collet fittings, which are simply screwed onto the pipe. During operation, due to temperature and pressure changes, a natural compression / expansion of the material of the plastic pipe and fitting occurs. As a result, it starts to leak and needs to be tightened up. But often collet fittings burst and heat the premises. If you add up the cost of all minor repairs, then quite a decent amount accumulates, which would be more reasonable to spend on replacing short-lived components.

Beautiful or practical? Both!

Aesthetics is a delicate moment at the discretion of each client, whoever wants it. Someone likes pipes under the ceiling, but someone does not like such an industrial design and wants to hide all piping systems in a screed. Modern solutions make it possible to permanently get rid of crooked polypropylene risers, which begin to “lead” under the influence of temperature and thermal elongation of the material, pipes sticking out of the floor crookedly when connected to a radiator. The depressing appearance of the heating system only testifies to the unprofessionalism of the performer. A master who knows his business knows how to do not only conscientiously, but also for every taste.