Radiator not heating properly!

[Doryhunky]

Radiator in loft room is not heating properly. Heating system is combi and less than two years old. Radiator is on same level as boiler. It is warm all over so I don’t think it needs bleeding but it is not getting hot enough to generate heat and much less hot than the radiators on the lower levels of the house. Google search reveals mysterious technique of “balancing the heating system” which seems to be something like turning the other radiators off. Or another thing called flushing the system but that seems really expensive. Do I need to get a plumber out for this???

Probably a stupid question but does it have a thermostat on it which has been turned down?

I would try bleeding it first anyway just in case that fixes it (don't forget to check the boiler pressure afterwards)

If that doesn't work it might be worth removing the thermostatic valve (the bit with the numbers on - they often come off in a similar way to child safety lids on calpol bottles) and checking that the pin isn't seized. Press it in and out a few times until it moves easily and then see if the radiator starts warming up.

Thanks. It has a thermostatic valve on it which is turned up but I will try bleeding it and the pin thing!

turn ALL the other radiators off. Does the cold one now warm up?

I will have a go at turning all the other ones off and report back

I second the pin thing, we usually have at least one stuck pin a year. Check out YouTube videos if you’re not sure how to do it

" It is warm all over"

therefore water is flowing through it. Therefore the valve is not seized shut. So the pin is not the problem.

Since it is warm all over, it is full of water at least to the tops of the channels and into the top rail. So it is not full of air. Bleed it if you want, but bleeding will not cure it.

It is warm all over, so water is flowing through it, but the water is not hot enough, which is probably because it is flowing too slowly.

It will be interesting to see what happens when all the other radiators are closed.

A friend came round and basically just fiddled with both the thermostatic rad valve head and body and opened and closed the lock shield valve and that seemed to work!