Gas Heating - getting it working properly

  • Thread starter cullenswood
  • Start date
C

cullenswood

Guest
We have just moved into a new house which has Gas Heating. I have never had Gas Heating before and am trying to figure out how to use it properly. There is a thermostat thingy in the kitchen and in the master bedroom. It went fine for the first couple of weeks but now a lot of times when the heat comes on the radiators upstairs work fine, but all the rads downstairs stay stone cold. I have both the thermostats things set to 20 degrees.

Can anyone tell me what I am doing wrong as this is getting annoying. I dont like being cold downstairs when I am watching the box!
 
No I dont think its a matter of bleeding the radiators, as it works most of the time, but not always.
 
Might be worth try, I got a new gas heating system installed a few weeks ago and have encountered similar problems, bleeding all radiators resolved the issue. Not an expert but apparently new systems are prone to air locks for a while after installation.
 
There's an explanation by Alpha here which makes reference to balancing an oil central heating system/rads. It may well refer to both systems and might be worth a read.
 
adjusting

Suellen/Alpha could be right.There are usually 2 valves at each radiator-one in and one out.the warm water has to stay long enough in the radiator to cool down to the same temperature in all radiators.Lets say the flow temperature (inlet)is around 60 degrees than the outlet temperature should be around around 55 degrees.this would be adjusted by turning the outlet valves to close or open .The actually degrees numbers depend on the individually demands.After the system had been adjusted it is working on it's best (most economical/ecological)when the boiler has LONG running times instead of a permanent on/off rhythm.The average primitive boiler runs best at around four runs per hour.There are more sophisticated boilers (modulating with outside temperature reaction and "intelligent" memory) that would reduce the running time to about twice per hour-that is if all other components are adjusted like the inlet/outlet temperature of the radiators.
Try to get the builder to send in the plumber and ask him for a manual and to adjust the system.If this is not possible contact the boiler manufacturer for at least a boiler manual.
sedbuk.com/
would give you most manufacturers addresses.
 
heating

On your downstairs termostat turn the temp to 25 , on my termostate it gives a little click when you go past the 20 to 25 rang indicating it is activating the heating downstairs.
Also set your rads down stairs to 8 turns out from closed on each side of the radiator. Upstairs turn your rads to 3 turns each side.
The reason for this is that the upstairs rads could be robbing
from the system.You dont need the rads at 8 turns upstairs as heat rises from downstairs and you dont need as much heat.
Also if you have a small rad in a downstairs wc this would only need 3 turns.
In my new house i had the downstairs wc at 8 turns it was the first rad in line from the boiler , basically it was robbing all of the heat from the other rads downstairs so i had cold rads .
 
robbing

Hi finbar!The phenomena you are describing as "robbing" is the typical case of non adjusted radiator outlet valves.See my earlier post.Align the system yourself.Or get a plumber with a infrared thermometer in.
The thermostatic radiator valves put to each individual radiator give a better heat distribution from the radiators than one thermostat for the entire floor.
A boiler is usually capable of supplying all rooms with enough heat.What happens when "robbing"occurs is that the return temperature (of the water to the boiler)is so high that the boiler switches off,thinking it has achieved its target.But since the other valves are open -and the pump still running -it very soon gets the signal by the colder returning water to switch on again.
So it switches on again for a short time until it gets the signal -in your case from the returning downstairs WC - to switch off again.
What you have than is something called a "pendulum switching/modus"-on off on off .....
That is very expensive to run and bad for the environment
and uncomfortable to live with as you experienced.Some radiators stay nearly all the time cold whilst others are hot.
To turn down the downstairs WC thermostatic valve helps only a little,the major task is correct alignment of all radiators.The return temperature -the temperature of the water leaving the radiators-should be the same on all radiators.Since they are of different sizes and are exposed to different room temperatures (and therefore cool down on different rates) they need individual adjustment.
I hope this helps a little.
 
Heating

Was the system commisioned properly?

Sounds like there is a problem with the controls.
 
Re: Heating

It is just a brand new house so I am presuming the system was commissioned properly, but what exactly does that mean, or how would I find out?

I was talking to someone just there who at first thought it was a problem with balancing, but when he heard that the downstairs rads do work for most of the time and do heat up to their full temperature, (before going stone cold later on in the evening) he didn't reckon it was a balancing problem, and was basically as lost about the cause as I am!
 
Hi Cullenswood,

From reading what Mary/Alpha say in this thread it would appear IMHO that commissioning is something that the builder/gas co. should do when finishing off the system prior to your moving in. Is it possible for you to check with them about the problem?
 
ryanlike

I remember hearing that hot upstairs but cold downstairs could mean the pump is busted. (Provided that valves are open, radiators bled etc)

Heat has a tendancy to rise.
 
heating

I think I had similar problems, got the builder around (was still on site). As far as I can remember he switched them all off and then on again in a specific order, they worked on a circular chain like basis. So when switched on in order the water flowed throughout the whole system. I haven't described it very well but it did work and no problems since
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top