Radiator Problem

[Si G]

Quick bit of background.

My house was built in 2000 and I moved in in Summer 2012. A large conservatory had been added to the house in 2005 and it had a 1600 x 600 Stelrad double radiator in to provide heating. The boiler had been tested fine, and the previous owner neglected to tell me of any issues.

Come my first winter and I start using the central heating, I found that all the radiators in the house were piping hot except for the conservatory one, it was hot at the top and sides, but from the middle down it was cold.

I got rid of my system boiler and replaced it with a Worcester Bosch 38Cdi, my shower pressure was rubbish, so wanted a combi-boiler to up the pressure (cant stand a rubbish shower), this did the trick and my shower now blasts me through the wall.

Hoped that changing the boiler would also sort the radiator but it didn't.

I've balanced the radiators, with all upstairs ones having the lock-shields open only a 1/4 turn.

I took the Stelrad off, beat it with a rubber mallet and washed it out with a hose, refitted it but there was no improvment in the way it heated up.

I replaced the Stelrad with a new radiator, still no improvement, however I did use the existing TRV and Lock-shield.

I have turned off every radiator in the house, and closed all the upstairs lock-shields completely to try and push all the heat into the conservatory, this didn't solve the problem

I'm looking for ideas as to what to do next, I've checked the TRV and the pin is all the way up, its a bulldog TRV, the lock-shield is all the way open. I don't know much about TRV's other than if the pin sticks in then your radiator won't work, I don't know if this could be the problem because of some other failure.

I don't know where the conservatory radiator is fed from, as all the pipes in the house are hidden in the walls/skirting borads.

Is it time to call out a plumber or is their anything I can do myself before getting someone out. I've searched through the internet, Youtube etc before resorting to asking on a forum, hope one of you ladies or gents can help.

Thanks for any help that anyone can offer.

 

[plumber0808]

There might be a blockage or a kink in the pipework.

 

[Chalked]

When you say the pipes are hidden inside the walls, they will be microbore on a house of this age. Most likely for the radiator not working is that they will have teed into the microbore instead of taking the pipework back to the mains ( larger pipes).
the only fix is to run the pipework to he correct place.

Sprry o be the bearer of bad news.

 

[mcniven]

Chalked he sais he closed every radiator and still not good heat so that rules that out

 

[mcniven]

There could be a choke in pipework to rad or in rad itself (faulty rad)

 

[mcniven]

Simular to this, except not sludge obviously

 

[Chalked]

I should read the full post!!!

i would still check where it's connected in, then take of the rad and see if water comes out of both valves.

 

[Si G]

Hi guys and thanks very much for the prompt responses.

Im guessing that this will boil down to getting out a plumber who knows what there doing, rather than a DIY fix, I like to do things for myself when I can, I like getting my hands dirty and solving problems, but I think this will be beyond my skill level.

McNivens picture is very similar to what is going on with the radiator, it does seem to heat from top to middle, and the sides, the area that is cold is about a 3rd to 2/5 of the radiators overall size.

I'll leave it a couple of days before I bite the bullet and phone a plumber, just in case someone else has an idea that I can try myself.

Thanks again.

 

[AWheating]

its likely to be it was pipe up very poorly. Seen it loads of times on conserv's, tee into micro bore/nearest pipework in the house and expect it to work, its prob got kinks in it too. This is why builders should not touch radiators.

you will prob have to repipe the rad.

 

[AMGasServices]

The plumber probably tied both pipes in to the return.

 

[townfanjon]

its likely to be it was pipe up very poorly. Seen it loads of times on conserv's, tee into micro bore/nearest pipework in the house and expect it to work, its prob got kinks in it too. This is why builders should not touch radiators.

you will prob have to repipe the rad.

could not agree more.

 

[Best]

Usually pipework is the cause with conservatories added on. Builders do it themselves or bring someone who is not a real heating guy to join to nearest pipes & usually with plastic & push fit.
Just to be sure there is flow, remove the rad & run each valve in turn into a hose. Get the both valves replaced if in doubt - not expensive. I have seen faulty lockshield rad valves that the brass washer part had disconnected & wouldn't let the returning water pass & letting water outwards through it would full you in thinking it was okay - but that is very rare.

 

[MrsDIYDigger]

I'd advise getting a plumber to look at it as it sounds like the problem may be in the pipework.