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Sounds like the person who first fixed the pipe work is inexperienced or under qualified. If this is a med to large house builder ask for a copy of the mechanical drawings. Should have pipe work routes and design.

Don't let them fit single checks, they will fail at some point.
 
Hi,
I'm looking for a little help. I bought a new build and have heating issues since we moved in. The builder wants the installer to resolve the issues, but hes been back now about 5 times and still the issue persists. I was hoping for a little advice. We have 2 circuits 1 upstairs and 1 downstairs. When the downstairs is on the rads upstairs start getting hot one by one via the return. Whats the best way to get to identify whats causing the issue. Is this issue generally caused by the way the pipes have been run i.e. 22mm to microbore or is it generally the pipework around the boiler. I'm reluctant to pay someone to resolve it, as its the builders responsibility but the plumber the builder keeps sending (the installer) is not fixings the problem and seems to not be able to identify the issue either. Any help or direction would be greatly appreciated.
Any developments on this? I'm sure I'm not the only one interested!
 
  • Agree
Reactions: johnduffell
Hi all,

Sorry for the delay in responding. The plumber has now run a second return so the upstairs and downstairs returns now have there own returns and these then combine together to go back to the boiler. However the problem persists with the upstairs still heating up via returns when downstairs heating is on. I’m not sure if he had a clue what the issue is. He’s also altered the pipe work around the boiler, bit to no avail.
 
Hi all,

Sorry for the delay in responding. The plumber has now run a second return so the upstairs and downstairs returns now have there own returns and these then combine together to go back to the boiler. However the problem persists with the upstairs still heating up via returns when downstairs heating is on. I’m not sure if he had a clue what the issue is. He’s also altered the pipe work around the boiler, bit to no avail.
I still think we need a schematic of the complete system, to check that it isn't piped (wrongly) as my #36. But that might not be easy to do, if the pipes and connection points are mostly out of sight. I suppose the house is complete and habitable, floorboards down etc? It would be good if installers did as-built drawings, but I don't suppose most of them do.
 
  • Agree
Reactions: johnduffell
Does everyone think the pipes follow the 3 t rule? He moved where some of the pipes joined.

thumb_IMG_8983_1024.jpg
 
  • Disagree
Reactions: AJL Plumbing
Sorry I meant to say he moved the pipe under boiler its the last t on the return now. I think its the Bypass but not sure.
 
Does everyone think the pipes follow the 3 t rule? He moved where some of the pipes joined.

View attachment 33925
Excuse my ignorance, but what is the 3 t rule?
He moved where some of the pipes joined.
It depends where they were moved from and to. As I said before, the problem might be remote from the boiler and cylinder. The system might be piped as in my sketch in #36.
 
should there not be a non return valve on the return as the return from cylinder where it tees in could go either way. just a thought
 
Sorry I meant to say he moved the pipe under boiler its the last t on the return now. I think its the Bypass but not sure.
The more common problem, rads getting on when HW called, due to rads returns not all being commoned before the cylinder return joins, has been avoided.
But you could still have the problem you describe if it's piped as my #36. If the zone valve feeding the top rads is closed, the other one open, the top rads will get warm, I showed the flow path. It only happens because you have zone valves. If just one auto valve fed all the rads, with TRVs to control temperature in different areas, it wouldn't happen.
 
Just had my first look at the photo of the updated pipework. I can't see anything major now wrong with the heating system pipes.
The cylinder tee in last on return, as you would expect.
(There can be some heat gravitating on a return where it keeps rising, like in the photo, if it has a path)
Only thing I can think of is there are more than one main tee off to a zone causing a loop going to the On zone.
But I need to think on it sometime I get time
 

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