No heat in airing cupboard

[shaggy]

Hi, we've just moved into a new property which has a sealed high pressure hot water/heating system. The airing cupboard has no water tank in it, but does have a pipe running up from the floor, with a flexivalve at the top, and a pipe T'ed off it coming back down to the floor. There is a red tap at the bottom of one pipe. When the central heating is on I would expect the airing cupboard to get hot (or at least the pipe to get hot), but although all the radiators warm up as they should there is no heat at all in this pipe. Does anyone have any ideas about what really obvious thing (yes, I've turned the tap on) I've missed?

Thanks in advance

Simon

 

[shaggy]

One more thing - I loosened the flexivalve and pressured water came out of it.....

Simon

 

[SimonJohns]

Picture?

 

[Gray0689]

Sounds like that's the fill loop for your heating

 

[dontknowitall]

Is there a red expansion vessel in there with a gauge on it?

 

[AWheating]

if its a brand new property then ask the builder to get the heating installer to explain the system and controls to you, you can then ask any questions you have.

 

[shaggy]

Thanks for all the quick replies. I'll get a picture up as soon as I can. The red expansion vessel is downstairs next to the boiler and the hot water tank, the other side of the house and a flight of stairs away! It's not a brand new property, but I believe the boiler was recently replaced - I'll see if I can find who did that. I don't believe that it's the filling loop, as that is down by the boiler as well. The flexvalve is a brass thing with a red cap that would appear to self bleed the system, and the tap at the bottom is only to stop flow in the pipe, it does not have any external fittings.

Simon

 

[Best]

Sounds like someone has brought heating pipes up into the cupboard & put an auto vent on them. These may do a radiator, if you wanted, in the cupboard. I am guessing though.

 

[shaggy]

Hi Best, from what we were told by the previous owner the pipes are designed to carry hot water and heat the cupboard as they are - there is 4 or 5 metres of copper pipe attached to the wall in what is a small cupboard, but there is no heat going through the pipes at all, even though the water that I can release from the valve seems to be under pressure - it is I think the highest point in the heating circuit, which I suppose is a natural place to have a self bleeding valve.

 

[Gray0689]

Post a picture easier to see what your looking at

 

[Best]

It does still sound like a couple pipes off the flow & return. Maybe the valve you mentioned ( not the thing that is probably an auto vent ) is not on? If that is the case, then just turn it very slightly on as no need of full flow as could upset the balancing of system a bit.

 

[Gray0689]

It does still sound like a couple pipes off the flow & return. Maybe the valve you mentioned ( not the thing that is probably an auto vent ) is not on? If that is the case, then just turn it very slightly on as no need of full flow as could upset the balancing of system a bit.

I agree but the flexi vent sounds dodgy

 

[shaggy]

Ok, here are some pictures - top, middle and bottom!

 

[shaggy]

I agree, it should be a simple couple of pipes off the flow and return, but the bottom valve is fully open and there is still no heat going through.

Simon

 

[Best]

Maybe valve is broken? Does the red head keep turning, when you turn it on? Just guessing, but it's something I would check first myself, as gate in gate valves tend to break. If that is a pipe circuit intended to heat much, I think it's poor. Would be better with tiny rad.

 

[Alex Pelton]

could be the old feed and expansion pipes from the old tank that was in the loft so will never get that hot

 

[Best]

could be the old feed and expansion pipes from the old tank that was in the loft so will never get that hot

That makes sense, but if they are, then they probably are off the flow & return, so should heat well unless blocked maybe.

 

[Alex Pelton]

if it is the feed and expansion pipes then they should of originally be both tee'd into the flow before the pump if done correctly if it had been a wall mounted boiler so wont hardly get warm or like you say into flow and return if a floor mounted one and would get nice and hot. the red gate valve is suggesting that pipe was the feed.

 

[AWheating]

have fitted loads of heat links(bypass) in A/C's in the past. Its done to save the cost of a radiator and valves, but hardly worth it as a small rad and set of valves will only cost £30-£40.

I woulds say its either got an air lock(unlikely due to aav), blockage, faulty gate valve or is piped up incorrectly. I would suggest getting a engineer in and while he/she is there you may aswell have a small radiator fitted.

 

[GasmanxxxR1]

Turn off as many rads as you can, fully open that red valve, then run the central heating, might force the heat through

 

[fuzzy]

have you opened the valve anti clockwise and does it stop turning?

 

[shaggy]

Hi all, thanks for the many replies. I think it's time to get an engineer in (and a small rad fitted) as I have done all the things suggested here and none have made any difference. If I get a good answer I'll post it here.

Cheers

Simon

 

[barrelboy]

We have a similar story. There is an airing cupboard next to the boiler. The plumber, who fitted the boiler, says that he could run a pipe from the hot water circuit through the cupboard to make it easier to dry clothes.

I wondered if anyone had seen something designed to do this - that is a small raidiator to put on the hot water circuit.

Thanks (and happy xmas!)

 

[PlumbBobBob]

no it wont be on the hot water circuit it will be on the feed and return to the boiler that carries the central heating. putting it on the hot water circuit will mean that the radiator will corrode as you cannot put inhibitor through it.

 

[jtsplumbing]

Its the gate valve that is faulty happens all the time !!