Central Heating problem

[paddyg12002]

anyone got any guesses on why heating on first floor works fine but the downstairs doesnt, ive tried bleeding the rads, balancing the valves, praying etc. British gas are telling me that the only thing that will fix it is a power flush, sounds like a sales ploy to me as if the rads upstairs are turned off (thermostatic valves) the heating downstairs works fine.

Main pump occasionally sounds like a banshee too..

Any help would be greatly appreciated

[Flurfl]

Sounds like maybe the system is poorly designed allowing the hot water to bypass the downstairs section. I'd try restricting flow to the upstair rads (not all the way off) and see if you can get some flow through the downstairs ones at the same time. Banshee pump may or may not be related, air? not sure.

[ann_h]

We are pretty sure it's the water pressure and an air bubble.

Sorry if any of this is obvious..

Increase the pressure a bit, (mine runs at just under 2-bar), then bleed again starting with the furthest end rad as I expect you know. You may find a switch on the pump with 1,2,3 that you can turn up as well.

 

Or do your own "power flush" by fixing a hose to the end rad out of the window and running through until the flow stops (air!) then continuing until the water comes out again and rads all full.

I just LOVE that rotten fishy smell of old rad water, don't you??

 

Best of luck