Cold radiators and hot water! Help and information on all topics relating to your central heating, air conditioning and ventilation issues.

[PeteGreg]

Can anyone help.....please!

I have several problems with my central heating system but cant quite establish exactly what the causes are or if they are related. Any advice would be appreciated.

1. The hot water at the kitchen tap is too hot despite the hot water tank thermo being on the lowest setting.

2. Very very hot water regularly flows back into the loft c/h water tank.

3. The radiators are never all hot at the same time. Some remain cold. This cold radiator problem seems to move around the house. On bleeding the cold radiator, cold water and not air comes out.

4. Sometimes the bottom 2/3 of some radiators remain cold. Not just in the middle bottom but across the entire radiator.

5. The boiler (Potterton 5 years old and in very good condition says BG) fires up then immediately switches off and the green lights flashes.

BG tell me a Powerflush will solve the problems and make the whole thing better.

Sorry about the tome but your help is appreciated.

[htg engineer]

have you tried balancing the heating system ? so that the hot water is evenly distributed to all the radiator.

Water at kitchen tap is too hot ? what about bath tap and wash basin ?

Remove a radiator and flush, if there's sludge building up - then yes a powerflush may help. If the water is clear or not too bad then a flush wont do anyhting.

If the central heating is pumping over then you need to look at the pipework and the position of the pump. Has the pump been changed or pump speed adjusted ? try turning pump speed down and see how it works.

[PeteGreg]

Thx for this reply.

I have not balanced system myself. Could this explain the lot?

When i have tried to bleed the rads the water generally looks clean so am unsure about the need to powerflush.

The water is only too hot in the kitchen tap, not the b'room etc.

It is a newish pump, fitted into a 10 years old system. Pump is on the third (highest) setting. Will turn it down to no 2 and see.

I have paid a fortune to several engineers but dont seem to be getting anywhere. I presume balancing the rad would solve the cold rad problem but would the hot water be linked.

Again, thanks for your help.