Zonal heating issues!!!

Shaunrobbo · Jan 30, 2018

Hi

I am having problems controlling my heating zones. I have a 3 storey townhouse with a thermostat on the ground floor and a thermostat on the top floor in the main bedroom! If I switch on the thermostat upstairs all the radiators throughout the house heat up. (top, middle and bottom floors)However, if I had upstairs turned off and turned on the downstairs thermostat the middle floor rad's heat up but the ones on the ground floor barely get luke warm. The boiler will fire up but the radiators downstairs just won't heat up like they should. Has anyone got any advice about what could be the potential issue or ways to solve this. The house is only 2 and a half years old. Is this an original installation fault? Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated

Vee · Jan 30, 2018

If its always been like that it could be a wiring fault coupled with an unbalanced system. If its been ok before sounds like it could be a faulty zone valve or pump, coupled with an unbalanced system. Assume you have at least three, i.e DHW, ground and first floor and top floor?

Shaunrobbo · Jan 30, 2018

Vee said:
If its always been like that it could be a wiring fault coupled with an unbalanced system. If its been ok before sounds like it could be a faulty zone valve or pump, coupled with an unbalanced system. Assume you have at least three, i.e DHW, ground and first floor and top floor?

Yes 3 DHW. It's always been like that I just stupidly never reported it to the builder as a fault as I didn't think it was a major issue. Its only now where its been really cold that we've had to turn the thermostat upstairs to 28 degrees to get it to heat up downstairs. I've had a couple of leaks which have now been repaired and it was that plumber that advised me that it could be that the pipework has been done incorrectly!

Vee · Jan 30, 2018

Yes incorrect piping could also be a cause. Sounds expensive. Provide they have at least correctly zone hot water and heating disregarding upper and lower floor there could be a work around with controls. Wirelessly move the upper zone thermostat to ground floor to form one heating zone (opening both valves in tandem). You could do a more sophistcated with Evohome. Otherwise it’s floors up and boxings off to trace and correct pipework, which could be a total mare considering chipboard construction these days. As the house is less than six years you would have a case in law for defect’s liability I think which you could pursue through small claims.

Shaunrobbo · Jan 31, 2018

Vee said:
Yes incorrect piping could also be a cause. Sounds expensive. Provide they have at least correctly zone hot water and heating disregarding upper and lower floor there could be a work around with controls. Wirelessly move the upper zone thermostat to ground floor to form one heating zone (opening both valves in tandem). You could do a more sophistcated with Evohome. Otherwise it’s floors up and boxings off to trace and correct pipework, which could be a total mare considering chipboard construction these days. As the house is less than six years you would have a case in law for defect’s liability I think which you could pursue through small claims.

Thanks for your help

I've spoken to the builders and they are not prepared to do anything so I now have to commission an independent report detailing the issues. I then have to provide the builder with a copy to see whether they wish to rectify the problems. If they refuse then it's off to court I go!