Central heating upgrade recommendations

[Keen_DIYer]

Hi,

I need some recommendations on how to improve the central heating in my house. We have a 35kw combi boiler which pushes out good hot water to the taps and manages to heat up all the downstairs radiators just fine. The ones on the middle and top floor are warm or luke warm at best though.

There are 7 radiators in total upstairs (4 of which are large), all fed from one pair of 15mm pipes coming off the 22mm branch from the boiler. See pics.

Would replacing the single pair of 15mm pipes with 2 pairs of 22mm (one set for each floor) improve the heat output? It would need about 20x3m lengths of pipe, which is probably why it wasn't done in the first place...

Thanks

 

[joni os]

35Kw on your boiler should be sufficient to heat house but your 15mm pipework needs replacing with 22mm, so rads off each run of 15mm are not being asked to emit more than 5Kw.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

As above also get rid and replace them manifolds as there prob half blocked

 

[Stoney Ground]

I'd take those gate valves out as well.

 

[Keen_DIYer]

Thanks for the advice! The rads fed by the manifold seem to be working for now so not looking to replace it and yeah I think the gate valves look terrible. Probably impeding the flow too. What kind of price am I looking at to get a pro in to replace all the 15mm pipe? It's pretty straightforward, I could replace it myself as it's all surface mounted but I'd end up using a million compression fittings instead of solder lol. Thanks.

 

[jonnyswamp]

I don't know without seeing it in the flesh
But, whoever you ring to quote for it, don't mention that it's an easy straight forward job
Doubtful you'll have anyone turn up to look at it
Just a bit of fiendly advice

 

[Keen_DIYer]

I don't know without seeing it in the flesh
But, whoever you ring to quote for it, don't mention that it's an easy straight forward job
Doubtful you'll have anyone turn up to look at it
Just a bit of fiendly advice

Thanks for the tip. I live in a largish house in a fairly low value area and just because it's a big house, I've found people think I must be loaded when they come to look at a job and inflate the price for no other reason. Sites like this and posting jobs on mybuilder.com have helped me get fair quotes. Thanks again.

 

[Keen_DIYer]

So, over Christmas I had 5 days off and since I don't celebrate it, thought I would use the time to upgrade the pipework and get some heat to the radiators upstairs. :santa3:

Previously, I've had some experience with compression fittings but never attempted to solder. It looks easy on Youtube videos but I bet in real life when you're in tight spots or up ladders, it can be pretty dangerous so decided against it. And the initial costs in buying a decent torch, gas, solder, flux and mat etc worked out more than buying a load of 22mm compression fittings (which as you know are not cheap either!).

The end product might not look as good as a pro but I don't think I've done too badly considering I've never done anything like this before and it actually works, the radiators finally get hot. I was really worried I'd have leaks all over the place but in the end only had a few drips in the basement where I didn't use any jointing compound. Need to go back and seal them properly, then add inhibitor. My mum accidentally left the fill loop open when I was busy bleeding the rads and pressurised the system to 3 bar for a few minutes mg_smile:. I crapped myself when I realised thinking it would burst something but luckily all the joints held.

Pics below.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Looks quiet good esp as you haven't done anything this big before

Well done

 

[joni os]

Working the way you feel comfortable is definitely the way to go. It's working and you're happy. Well done. Don't be shy of pipe clips and check again for leaks after 4 weeks with system cold.

 

[Riley]

Also. Lagging

 

[Keen_DIYer]

Also. Lagging

It's on the to do list, plus one of those in line filters. Thanks