radiator warm at bottom

[dwalsh1]

My 2 radiators in the front room are hot at the top and barely warm at the bottom. Would it be because they are full off crap at the bottom or something else? A few years ago I noticed this and hosed the radiator but didn't see no sludge come out. One is a 6ft double and the other a 5ft double. I have a combi boiler supplying them by the way. It's freezing in my front room every winter so should I just replace them? Anyone................cheers

 

[Ric2013]

Most likely cause is lack of flow to the radiators. Your system probably needs to be balanced, or the pipes serving the radiator are sludged.

Try turning off every other radiator and then turning on the heating. If the radiators now get hot through, it's almost certainly a balance issue.

 

[Harvest Fields]

Evening.
A good place to start would be to run your heating on high, then close both ends of each radiator and then open them both up fully to see if that works. If not then close one valve on all the other radiators in the house apart from one of the ones not working and leave running for a few hours. If this rad gets hot, do the same with the other rad that is not working. Then open the other rads back up one at a time slowly until the heat starts coming through before moving to the next rad. If this doesn't work it may be sludge in the system or a slow pump maybe.

 

[Harvest Fields]

Most likely cause is lack of flow to the radiators. Your system probably needs to be balanced, or the pipes serving the radiator are sludged.

Try turning off every other radiator and then turning on the heating. If the radiators now get hot through, it's almost certainly a balance issue.

Sorry mate. We must have been typing at the same time.

 

[Ric2013]

That's okay. We said much the same thing in different ways, but it might make it easier for the OP to understand.

I'm assuming the OP closed the valves when s/he hosed out the radiator and opened them up again when s/he put it back, but I shouldn't really assume...

 

[dwalsh1]

Thanks for the replies chaps. Ric2013 being I'm a thicko sparks I'm not quite understanding when you mention about closing the valves when I hosed out the rads. There are no valves to close on a rad off the wall. I'm puzzled. Anyway does British gas cover this on their homecare cover? thanks

 

[Ric2013]

Yes, not when it's off the wall, but the valves you left behind attached to the pipe?

Either you drained the whole system to remove the radiators, or you turned the valves off and just drained the radiator to remove it was my line of thought...

No idea what British Gas Homecare covers, but it's worth a try. Warning: from what I've heard they'll probably try to sell you a powerflush which may not be essential.

 

[Ric2013]

Please see my edited reply above. My previous one was based on a misreading of your comment, and probably sounded sarcastic.

 

[dwalsh1]

ok Ric not a problem mate. Yes I closed the valves when I removed the rads so didn't drain down. Called British gas and they are coming round next Friday. Power flush is a no go so see what they come up with. Probably 5uck all. cheers

 

[Ric2013]

Please let us know what the outcome is, and good luck.

 

[Chuck]

If the radiators are hot up the inlet side and long the top and down the outlet then a build up of sludge is quite possible. This piles up in the bottom of the radiator blocking the vertical channels so their is no flow through them.

If only the inlet side and top are warm then the problem is more likely a lack of flow to the radiator, e.g. weak pump, partially blocked pipework, poorly balanced system.

 

[Ric2013]

Chuck, I agree, and that's good advice (assuming the rad is plumbed bottom bottom, opposite ends). But Harvest and I have both made suggestions that would help the OP diagnose the fault and the OP, instead, has called out BG which would imply s/he doesn't really want to investigate the fault. So we'll wait to see what BG has to say.

 

[Chuck]

Harvest and I have both made suggestions that would help the OP diagnose the fault and the OP, instead, has called out BG which would imply s/he doesn't really want to investigate the fault. So we'll wait to see what BG has to say.

I assumed that threatening to call BG was just a cry for help from a desperate person pleading for assistance.

Of course, if you think they were serious and have made 'the call' it's too late and there is nothing we can do. By now they will have been powerflushed and probably sold a new boiler.

 

[dwalsh1]

I assumed that threatening to call BG was just a cry for help from a desperate person pleading for assistance.

Of course, if you think they were serious and have made 'the call' it's too late and there is nothing we can do. By now they will have been powerflushed and probably sold a new boiler.

I assumed that threatening to call BG was just a cry for help from a desperate person pleading for assistance.

Of course, if you think they were serious and have made 'the call' it's too late and there is nothing we can do. By now they will have been powerflushed and probably sold a new boiler.

@Chuck. I'm certainly not crying or even desperate and pleading for help as you point out. I have a BG contract which includes central heating and boiler maintenance. Why not call them as I'm paying for it and no I've no intentions off having a power flush or even being mugged off buying a boiler from them. Happy. On a positive not I've a week before Mr BG arrives and will fully investigate the diagnostics given. Thanks gents.

 

[dwalsh1]

Update. I've balanced the system best I can before BG arrives. He's servicing the boiler as part of his call out which will take all of 10 minutes haha. The rads are not as hot at the bottom as the top still. I've left a note on what I've done cause I'll be on a scummy building site in Fenchurch Street EC1 sparking while he's at my house so I anticipate a phone call. I've also said a power flush is out of the question.

 

[Harvest Fields]

I would write on the note for him to call you before he leaves. Otherwise he will not.

 

[Harvest Fields]

It could be a pump issue but BG will only change it once then you will not get any water parts until they have flushed it.

 

[dwalsh1]

got a letter from the british gas recommending a 22mm Magnetic system filter sealed system £320 fitted. Just looked online and you can buy one for £100. Are they easy to fit?

 

[Harvest Fields]

Depends on your system setup. Call a local heating engineer and get a comparison price. Is the BG Engineer saying that fitting an omega TF1 filter will fix the problem with the 2 rads that are cold at the bottom?