Trying to get my head around the cause of three cold radiators.

Hi all.

I have three radiators in my house that are not warming up at all, the other radiators are hot. All the valves (they aren't thermostatic) are open on the three cold rads, and each have in-pipes that are hot to the touch, but the radiators themselves are uniformly cold. Bleeding the radiators gives clear water.

A British Gas engineer, who recently came out to repair a broken pump and boiler fuse, balanced the system, and suggested a powerflush. However, the more I think about it, the odder it seems. When he drained the system to change the pump, I watched the end of the hosepipe, and the water was visibly clear then, also.

Any thoughts?

 

Were they working before bg came out

 

The draining water often looks completely clear even though rads and pipes are full of magnetite.
If it was working prior to the gas engineer work, then maybe an airlock. Just turn other rads off and run heating to see if those rads work.
But if it is dirt, get one of the rads that are not heating removed and flushed with a garden hose, plus have the both valves flushed through to see if that works.

 

British Gas always seem to suggest a powerflush for just about anything. I think they must get commission for doing them. Firstly if your incoming pipes are warm I expect that the system is not properly balanced. I would try as Best has suggested above by turning off the other radiators etc. There is a lot of information on how to balance your heating system if you search on the net.

Are you on a two pipe or single pipe system?

 

Two pipe I believe.