Any Heating Experts??

[Smowball]

My heating just went off hours ago even though thermostat is on. I'm freezing! I've just gone upstairs and all the radiators up there are on. So just downstairs ones are cold yet the pipes to all of them are hot. They can't all need bleeding or all have faulty valves so any bright ideas??

[Zacs-Master]

http://www.judgeelectrical.co.uk/central-heating/radiators/hot-radiators-upstairs-not-downstairs.html

http://community.screwfix.com/threads/cold-radiators-downstairs-and-hot-upstairs.126621/

Pump on way out, possibly.

[bhg481]

Pump sounds favourite. It's usually in the airing cupboard, near the hot water cylinder and, if it's working, you can hear it running. There is often a speed control on it (3 settings); try changing that if it's not running - it might just get it to run.

[Smowball]

It's a new pump- less than 12 months old.

[KARL]

Pumps are, unfortunately, rather more prone to failure than I feel is acceptable but at 12 months that should not be the problem. There should be a large screw head, possibly with a cap on it, smack in the middle of the "face" of the pump. Switch the heating off, undo the screw and ensure water comes out (i.e. "bleed" the pump) then, by hand or using something suitable, turn the screw a turn or two when engaged with the impeller. Often it is a case of pulling on the screw and you should feel that you are turning the impeller (see instructions for the pump which you should have from it being installed). Tighten the screw back in place and switch on - if you can't hear it running (they are often very silent) then place a finger or two on the body to sense the vibration (more likely to indicate running). If this does not work then try turning the impeller with the heating on - but beware of very hot water circulating and leaking out by the screw. The point is that sometimes sludge or other debris can get caught in the pump and cause it to seize. If this happens again soon (or repeatedly) then you should drain and flush the system to ensure the liquid is clean - introduce a good inhibitor into the system.

[CrapAtCryptics]

Have you bled the radiators recently - and does the individual radiators have their own thermostats - if they do you might need to crank them around a bit to get the flow moving.

[Smowball]

Each radiator has its own thermostat apart from one in the hallway which ironically is usually the hottest. This is the third pump in 5 years and the boiler is 4 years old. Bedroom and spare room radiators are never on.

[donny48]

Almost certainly the pump. The upstairs would get warm by gravity feed, warm water rises, it might just be the power to the pump.

[donny48]

Excellent links from Zacs.

[bhg481]

There is no way that you should have needed three (now four?) pumps in 5 years; we have had only one replacement pump in the 35 years we've lived in the house. The hallway radiator is the "safety valve" so must never be turned off and that is why it's always the hottest. If the thermostatic valves on all the other radiators turn them off and you turn off the hallway radiator, the pump will be pushing against a completely closed system and can suffer damage. I think you need to get an expert to look at the design of your system.

[ummmm]

Turn them all off at the radiator, then turn them back on one by one.

I used to work for a plumber and that was always his advice to start with.

[mikey4444]

Is the pump actually working ?

I had a similar problem about a year ago.

Try this.....turn the heating off. Then turn it on again...can you hear the pump springing into life ?

As has been said, the upstairs radiators will get warm by gravity alone. I have a friend who is a Plumber and when he came along to have a look, it was obvious to him ( but not to me ! ) that the pump wasn't starting up.

It could be something a simple as an airlock. He gave the pump a couple of sharp taps with his Stilson, and it sprang into life !

Lt us know how you get on !

[chrissa1]

Has the pressure dropped in the boiler? If it's gas, I open up the flap which shows the dialsetc and if the pressure has, dropped, I turn small handle attached to the piping going into the boiler, one quarter turn and you can hear the water going in to the system and the pressure rises to to the correct level on th dial.

This usually happens when I turn the heating in after the summer, so it might not be that. Hope you get it sorted, quickly.

[chrissa1]

Have you got an instruction book for the boiler. Have a look in there.

[donny48]

Chri

[donny48]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
wrong post

[Smowball]

Sorry just seen all your answers. It finally came on really late last night. Will check everything you've all suggested and see what I can suss. Thankyou x