Hi all,
The rad in my parents kitchen gets lukewarm at best. I've had it off the wall and confirmed it's clean and not blocked inside. I've fitted new valves. The flow pipe does get hot, but even 6 inches away from the flow pipe the rad has a massive drop in temperature.
My best guess is that there is a blockage in either the flow or return to that rad, allowing just enough water to pass to heat the pipe and make the radiator lukewarm. My plan to fix this is as follows, and I'm hoping someone can tell me if this will work (I'm no plumber, just reasonably handy).
First, diagnosis.
1. Drain the system
2. Open up the lockshield, stick a flexible hose on it and start to refill the system. If the blockage is on the return then flow will be negligable. If flow is good, onto step 3
3. Repeat step 2 but for the flow pipe. I'll assume flow will be crap if it was good for the return pipe.
Cure - Option 1 (I hope)
See if there is an obvious way to unblock the pipe. I doubt it, tiled floor and I can't see how to get access
Cure - Option 2 (and where I need help)
The rad is mounted on a partition wall that is shared with the utility room. The utility room has a small rad that works perfectly. Once I figure out whether it's the flow or return, can I just chop the appropriate pipe from the working rad in two, stick in a T, then plumb that into the right part of the non working rad. It would effectively mean two radiators sharing either a flow or return, but the working rad in the utility room can be switched off at all times.
I think that works, but hoping someone cal tell me what I'm missing.
Cheers
The rad in my parents kitchen gets lukewarm at best. I've had it off the wall and confirmed it's clean and not blocked inside. I've fitted new valves. The flow pipe does get hot, but even 6 inches away from the flow pipe the rad has a massive drop in temperature.
My best guess is that there is a blockage in either the flow or return to that rad, allowing just enough water to pass to heat the pipe and make the radiator lukewarm. My plan to fix this is as follows, and I'm hoping someone can tell me if this will work (I'm no plumber, just reasonably handy).
First, diagnosis.
1. Drain the system
2. Open up the lockshield, stick a flexible hose on it and start to refill the system. If the blockage is on the return then flow will be negligable. If flow is good, onto step 3
3. Repeat step 2 but for the flow pipe. I'll assume flow will be crap if it was good for the return pipe.
Cure - Option 1 (I hope)
See if there is an obvious way to unblock the pipe. I doubt it, tiled floor and I can't see how to get access
Cure - Option 2 (and where I need help)
The rad is mounted on a partition wall that is shared with the utility room. The utility room has a small rad that works perfectly. Once I figure out whether it's the flow or return, can I just chop the appropriate pipe from the working rad in two, stick in a T, then plumb that into the right part of the non working rad. It would effectively mean two radiators sharing either a flow or return, but the working rad in the utility room can be switched off at all times.
I think that works, but hoping someone cal tell me what I'm missing.
Cheers
