Central Heating Servicing and Repair Warminster
R5 Bathrooms & Plumbing based in Warminster are able to service or repair your central heating system. I can provide you with a free quote for serving or repairing your central heating system.
Please call me today on 07786066445 to arrange a visit.
Listed below are some simple tips to help you solve a number of common central heating problems.
Common Central Heating Problems – and how to fix them!
Most central heating problems are seasonal, especially in the autumn when the system has been “asleep” all summer and cooler weather prompts us to turn on our heating. Ideally you should have had your heating on at regular intervals during the summer so the system continues to work efficiently. Before winter sets in, you should ensure your heating system is working correctly.
Bleeding a radiator is the most common and effective way to restart your system. This simple process is a useful one to learn, but before you bleed the radiators make sure to turn off the heating or it will just move the air to another part of the system.
Here are some more of the common things that can go wrong.
Radiator getting hot at the bottom not the top.
This is perhaps the simplest and most common problem to fix. It just means that there is air trapped in your radiator, which stops the hot water from circulating around the radiator effectively. In order to get that air out you have to bleed the radiator.
Turn off the heating, so you don’t end up pushing more air into the system.
At the top right or top left corner of the radiator you should find a square brass nut. This can only be turned using a radiator key, which you may have in the house or which can be bought inexpensively from a DIY/hardware shop.
Put a rag/tissue paper under the bleed hole of the radiator you’re working on. Take the key and turn it about 45-90 degrees anti-clockwise, or until you hear the air hissing out. Let it hiss away until water begins to come out. The water maybe dirty so be ready with the key and rag. Also tie back curtain and put an old sheet under the radiator to project the carpet.
Tightly close the valve, and check it later to ensure there is no leakage.
Radiator is cold at the bottom and warm at the top
If the radiator is cold at the bottom and warm at the top and this problem persists then there may be some sludge at the bottom of the radiator and it may need flushing out. For this the radiator will need to be taken off the wall, flushed out with water and refitted. This can be done by you if you follow the correct instructions and have a basic understanding of how your heating system works, but if you have not done it before or are unsure of the procedure – call me.
If several of your radiators have this problem and it is not solved by flushing the radiator out then the problem may be more serious. This could be caused by a fault with the circulating pump, blocked pipes, radiators or a badly designed system. Give me a call and I will come out to have look as it may require the whole system to be flushed through or repairs to be carried out.
Finally, If your radiators are working correctly, but are not hot enough or are too hot then you can alter the temperature by either adjusting the controls on your boiler or for more modern radiators with their own temperature controls, simply turn up or down accordingly.
One radiator in the system not getting hot.
This could be cause by the Thermostatic valve getting stuck or trapped air.
On the thermostatic valve undo the top ring which holds it onto the radiator valve, either by undoing the little screw or by unscrewing the retaining ring itself. Pull the top of 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. (Be careful they can come out!)
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.
If this doesn’t solve the problem then turn the rest of the thermostatic valves off on all the radiator. This will remove any trapped air in the system.
Then switch off the heating open the valves and bleed the radiators. It should now be good to go.
One radiator taking a long time to get hot or stays lukewarm when others are red hot.
To ensure an even distribution of the hot water to the radiators in a system you’ll need to do what’s known as balancing the system. Because the water is pumped via a pipe and branches to feed each radiator the ones at the beginning of the ‘run’ tend to get more than their fair share.
Balancing radiators is achieved by using the lock shield valve on each to regulate the flow of water to the radiator. By partially closing of these valves the radiators nearest the pump can be restricted more than those further away.
The best way to work this out is to balance the system from cold. Fire up the system and go around all the radiators and see which ones get hot first and turn those lock shields down first. It does take time but it works.
No hot water or central heating
The worst case scenario is that nothing is working. Don’t despair though; check the following things to see if what you thought was a broken boiler, turns out to be a simple error:
- First check that the programmer is set to ‘on’. This may seem really obvious, but it can turn off by mistake.
- Check the temperature is set higher than the current temperature of the house. If it is lower, it will switch off.
- Take a look to see whether the heating pressure is set to the correct setting. If you’re not sure, check the manufacturer’s instructions and set it to the recommended pressure setting.
- Check to see whether the electricity is working and the fuse to the boiler has not blown. There may be loose wirings in the connection in which case you’ll need an Electrician.
- Another common problem is a fault with the gas supply, or lack of oil in the tank. If you use oil, then check the oil level in the tank. With gas, you can check if there is a supply problem by seeing if the boiler light will ignite. You can also check this by seeing whether any gas flows through the stopcock. If not, you have a gas supply problem and will have to contact your gas provider.
- If your boiler has a motorised valve, you’ll need to check whether it’s working properly, as this could help you diagnose the problem. You can check whether the valve is opening by sliding the manual leaver. If there is any resistance, the valve is not opening automatically you will need some help so give me a call.
Central heating, but no hot water.
This can be a frustrating situation as one works, but the other does not. Similar to other household problems, the solution can really be quite simple and easily solved in a few minutes. On the other hand, you may have a problem which requires the skills of a trained engineer. Here’s how to find out:
- Check that the thermostat is set to 60°C.
- If you have a motorised valve, check that it is open. If it won’t open, you’ll have to call a heating engineer.
- If you have an air release valve by your hot water cylinder, it may need bleeding. You should find the valve on the pipe, which enters the heating coil.
- If the boiler only works when the heating is on, I’ll need to take a look.
Partial heating.
Sometimes there can be a situation where some radiators in the house are steaming hot, while others remain icy cold.
Firstly, check all the radiators to see which work and which don’t. Try bleeding any radiators that seem partially heated or cold.
If the radiators upstairs don’t work, then the expansion tank in your loft could be empty. You’ll need to give me a call.
If the problem is with your downstairs radiator, this could mean that your pump is faulty and again, this is another problem which needs to be tackled by a professional like me.
Condensing boiler stops working in winter.
A condensing pipe carries condensation from your boiler to your outside drain. During extremely cold weather the condensation in this pipe may freeze and cause a blockage causing the condensate to ‘back up’ into the boiler and cause a shutdown.
Signs that the condensing pipe may have frozen include your boiler’s display showing a ‘fault code’ or warning light as well as gurgling or bubbling sounds coming from the boiler or the condensate pipe.
Confirm the condensing pipe is frozen
Depending on the make of your boiler, a frozen condensing pipe may be indicated by a ‘fault code’ or warning light on the boiler’s display. Gurgling or bubbling sounds coming from the boiler or the condensing pipe are another sign that the condensing pipe has frozen.
If the pipe is freezing up outside it should be increased from 3/4″ to 11/4″ diameter to stop it freezing up or lagged.
Locate the blockage
The pipe is probably frozen at its most exposed point. This may be the open end of the pipe, or at a bend or elbow. Running your hands over the pipe until you find a section that feels colder than the rest should help you identify the blockage quickly.
Thaw the pipe
Using a jug or watering can, pour warm water along the length of the pipe, repeating the process until the pipe has thawed (don’t use boiling water as this can crack or damage the pipe). Alternatively, you can use a hot water bottle or a heat pack to slowly defrost the pipe.
Restart your boiler
Once the frozen section has been melted and cleared, check your boiler manual for instructions on how to reset the boiler correctly. Your boiler should now restart correctly. If you boiler doesn’t restart you will need to call out a qualified boiler engineer.
If you suspect that your boiler condensing pipe has frozen, following steps should help you get things back to normal quickly. Remember, if you don’t feel competent to follow this guidance then you should contact an expert boiler engineer for help.
For a free quote on central heating servicing or repair call me on me today on 07786066445 to arrange a visit.