just a few little problems!

[obseen16]

hi guys.

just a few little problems that i would like a second oppinion on.

1) went to an office block today and they had 1 rad that was piping hot and the couldnt turn it off with the TRV and the other rad was the opposite and couldnt be turned on with the TRV.

would i be right to think the TRV is at fault on both rads?
i looked at the CH system which is a gravity fed system. the pump is working and the other rads in the building were ok.

2) went to see someone who has a nasty smell coming into their upstairs bathroom. i know this customer fairly well and i know she spends alot of time away from home (like a week at a time). the heating was piping hot when i went over. i have a suspicion that she is leaving the heating on when she is away and that this heat is evaporating the water from the bath or basin trap. i ran the taps for a moment on the bath and basin and the smell was gone, could it be anything else? she has an AAV in the bathroom as its an internal soil stack but there was no indication of that valve failing as its less than a year old. and as there are traps on the appliances and no leaks on the waste pipes i couldnt see it being anything else obvious.

any thoughts guys?

cheers J

 

[pnhsolutions]

I would think both trv's are faulty!
Check the pins onb the valves!
A tap on the valve bodies can free them up sometimes!

 

[johnmcginty]

The lady may very well be getting induced siphonage so the water is getting sucked out of the traps! Anti vacuum traps are available to correct this.

 

[tomplumb]

change both TRVs in the office and as said above anti vac traps

good luck!

tom

 

[PLUMB111]

Durgo`s can become faulty, stick etc.
Ive had to change alot over the years.
Check pins on TRVs are they reverse flow type...?

 

[migoplumber]

heads off the trv's. wd40 on the pins, pushing pin with pliers let it get springy. lovely job

are they properly balanced?

dont bother with aav's unless design calls for it

like you say if the water in traps evaporate smells will pass.

good luck
shaun

 

[obseen16]

cheers fellas, when the office finally get back to me about going in to replace trv's i might try and loosen them up using the advice, if it works itll save them money and free up my saturday as they cant allow me to do work in the week due to meeting rooms in use etc, its all good lol.

as for the traps, i am seeing if turning the heating down in the bathroom does anything before i resort to replacing traps.

cheers guys.

 

[justlead1]

Hi. Check if heating F & R are in same void under bath. If flooring has been cut out to allow for trap, trap contents may be affected by heat and accelerating the evaporating process. Good luck

 

[migoplumber]

i like that justlead1, something to watch for in future, learnt something from you. ta.
shaun