Nightmare with a plumber

[missplumb]

since when did we have to inform building control of changing a bathroom suite - definately a money making scheme to get plumbers yet again to shell out some of their hard earned cash. No doubt the thinktank who came up with this is made up of HETAS, NICEIC, NAPIT, GAS SAFE, etc.

 

[bert large]

Poor balancing won't stop heating working. It makes it less good, sometimes. Do we KNOW hot water is working well? If so, then the problem wil be air or blockage, either crud or partially open valve. IMO

Poor balancing can definitely stop some radiators working.The problem will likely be that or an air lock.

 

[firemant]

Poor balancing can definitely stop some radiators working.The problem will likely be that or an air lock.

Poor balancing will not stop EVERY rad from working. The system has no working rads at all now.
AFAIA we still do not know if the HW is working. The OP has not posted since the day after his first post, so it is possible that he still had previously heated hot water, therefore not realisng the HW is out of action

 

[bert large]

Part of the original post.

only 50% of rads now get hot

If I'm reading it right the heating failed completely after someone left the turned the Magna-clean valve off, & miraculously returned to it's previous partial working state after someone else turned the Magna-clean valve back on.

I do love a good plumbing mystery to see me through the holidays :sleep1:

 

[Unregistered]

Mystery solved: After a lot of pushing, the plumber changed the 'spaghetti junction' of pipe work (which - for the record had worked for the last 51 years according to the previous owner) and alas we now have properly functioning heating. The plumber summised that as he had added bigger rads all round the house (well, 9 of 11...not that we ever asked for bigger rads) that the system couldn't handle it in its current state and as a result he changed all the pipe work under the floorboards free of charge (on the basis that it worked when he came in, but didn't after said 'upgrade'). I think he realised quite early on the consequence of putting in bigger rads but was reluctant to admit it as it meant him changing the pipe work to get it working again. Tried blaming it on the boiler size, to bg's installation to the system...just stopped short of blaming it on a poltergeist. Anyway it's fixed now after a wholly stressful 3 week plumbing bonanza.

 

[Unregistered]

And for any plumbers reading who might not already do this, I'd highly recommend evaluating a system before installing bigger rads in order to reduce the risk of a load of areas for the homeowner and a lot of cost in terms of time and materials to yourself. Thanks all for your feedback throughout this plumbing nightmare!

 

[Unregistered]

*stress (not areas) I meant to say

 

[PlumbBobBob]

glad to hear it's sorted and working properly at last

 

[lame plumber]

old dogs new tricks springs to mind......................

 

[Phil]

Well, that's the end of that then.

That plumber will be thinking "thank god that's over", you were probably getting right on each others split ends.

Why he specified bigger rads? did you say the rooms were cold?

 

[SimonG]

Hindsight is a wonderful thing. Only so much you can see without ripping someones house to bits at the estimate stage.

Glad you are sorted.

 

[Best]

Plumber should have initially looked over your old system and either informed you it was a mess and your problem if you add bigger rads, or he should have just priced for an overhaul.
But not all work is visible on a survey of a job. Can't lift floorboards, remove ceilings or pipe casings just to see what pipe work is suitable or not.
Plenty of plumbing that is a complete inadequate mess out there and too many customers assume it can be put on the shoulders of the first poor sucker that comes to do any work.

 

[newcastle phill]

Im pleased that is the end of this

 

[JCSPLUMBING]

I almost feel bad for the plumber. Poor sod probably thought he'd do you a favour with warmer rooms. 9 out of 10 times its not an issue and works fine.

 

[Unregistered]

Yeah he came good in the end. Sadly he'd lost my confidence at the beginning of the job by sending in labourers who he'd not used before (and who'd only worked on commercial building sites and who trashed the place), and then by trying to cut the roof joists out. Anyway, he persisted, I persisted and we got there in the end. Plumbing's far from black and white it seems...good luck to you all!🙂 and cheers again for the recommendations and expertise you shared. Much appreciated.

 

[Unregistered]

And in response to Phil, nope never said anything about rooms been cold. He also forgot to quote for 3 rads initially which he 'forgot were there'. So you can see how when you put the catalogue of errors together it's easy for someone to lose faith. Anyway, point is it's sorted now, but it could have been a smoother ride had he been a bit more thoughtful about his labourers and the requirement and existing set-up before firing into the job.

 

[Phil]

So these house bashers he sent in immediately started sawing through load bearing roof beams?