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How do we re-balance our central heating system?

8 replies

wigwam33 · 02/01/2013 19:41

We have just moved into a new place that is heated via a combi boiler. Some of the radiators are red hot and others -partcularly those upstairs and furthest from the boiler - are barely warm. Have done the obvious bleeding the radiators and adjusting thermostats, but hasn't made much difference.

The boiler is only 2 years old and it is a Glo-worm Flexicom 30cx. There is a digital display showing 1.0. bar.

Haven't got the manual just now as we're still surrounded by boxes, but wondered if anyone had any suggestions? I'm wondering if we need to adjust the pressure or rebalance the system by adjusting individual valves? If so, any ideas how? Help much appreciated!

OP posts:
bureni · 02/01/2013 22:19

You need to adjust the individual vales on each radiator, not the valves you can turn manually by hand (wheelheads) but the valves that require a spanner to turn with a pull off blanking cover ( lockshield), this will preset your heating system by reducing or increasing the flow of hot water to each individual radiator. To do this use a thremometer in each room after they have warmed for around half an hour, reduce(colder) the flow by turning the valve clockwise and increase (warmer)by turning anticlockwise. Generally speaking bedrooms should be at around 19 c peak with commonly used rooms at around 21-23 c peak.

PigletJohn · 03/01/2013 00:25

you probably haven't got a pipe thermometer, but the flow of water is meant to be slowed enough to give a 20 degree C temperature drop through each rad (otherwise all the hot water will rush through the easiest ones leaving the others cold) but a good rough guide is the flow (input) pipe should be "too hot to hold" and the return (output) pipe should be "too hot to hold for long"

Turn off the heating for an hour so all the rads are cold before you start.

Almost all the adjustment in a lockshield is in its first turn from shut, so screw them all down tight, then open the first one just half a turn and turn on the heating. Wait five minutes and see if it has warmed up. If so, leave it, and do the next. Don't adjust it by more than a quarter of a turn at a time.

If you haven't got time to do them all, turn down the hottest rads, and this will force water to flow through the coolest ones. But as I say, you have to turn the lockshield until it's almost closed to make any adjustment.

The rad in the room with the wall thermostat should be adjusted to heat up slowest.

If one of the rooms is relatively large, with a relatively small radiator, you can let it get a bit hotter than a large rasdiator in a small room.

If any of the valves starts to weep water round the spindle while you are working, screw it quickly either all the way shut, or all the way open, to stop the leak, and see about getting it replaced.

Have you got thermostatic radiator valves? If not, you will have to make further tiny adjustments as Bureni describes, to avoid underheating/overheating individual rooms.

wigwam33 · 06/01/2013 19:53

bureni and PigletJohn - thanks for your replies, very helpful. And sorry for lack of reply. We went away to rural area with no mobile and no internet!

I'll try the suggestion of adjusting the lockshields on each radiator tomorrow after the heating has been off for an hour. It's too cold to turn it off now.

PigletJohn- yes we have thermostatic radiator valves (we don't have a pipe thermometer). I'll bear in mind the advice re potential leaking valve too.

Do heated towel rails have essentially the same set up as normal radiators? We have two - one in downstairs loo where boiler is which is boiling hot and one upstairs in bathroom.

OP posts:
PigletJohn · 06/01/2013 20:35

yes, a heated towel rail is just a (rather inefficient) form of radiator. If it has been recently fitted it might have been left with the lockshield wide open, some people don't understand how they work.

Turn room stat and the TRVs to max while you are balancing, then turn them down afterwards to a level that is comfortable for each particular room, usually about half way.

If you have a room with no TRV you have to spend even longer on the balancing to get it right.

wigwam33 · 06/01/2013 21:19

Thanks Piglet John. The downstairs one has been recently fitted, so I'll almost-close that lockshield valve.

OP posts:
wigwam33 · 08/01/2013 21:02

I tried these things and it worked! Now the system is so much more efficient I can have it on for less time. Result. Thank you so much.

OP posts:
PigletJohn · 08/01/2013 21:29
brainonastick · 09/01/2013 12:07

Fantastic - I really need to know this. We have two new radiators that have occasionally come warm, but are cold 99% of the time.

I love MN Smile

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