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Ok men - help out a non manual labour woman please....I have central heating. The radiators have needed bleeding for ages but I wasn't able to do it.

Tonight it's gone a bit scary. None of the radiators are really heating up and there is a lot of air throughout the system. (Or thats what it sounds like, lots of loud gurgling)

What is really worrying me is that I thought the dial on the boiler had to show some pressure, but it's sitting at 0 and not moving. The heating is turned off now and I can hear water 'dropping' in to the boiler as air goes somewhere else (if that makes sense).

Should I just get the radiators bled or should I be doing something to put pressure into the system/make the pressure dial go up a bit?  :dontask:

Thanks.

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Note how she presses all the right buttons.

"I'm a woman"

"I couldn't do it"

"It's scary"

"I'm worried"

"You are a man"

"I'm asking you for advice"

"Please make everything better"


It's all I can do to resist putting my toolbox in the car and driving over there.

reminds me i need to do this today. will need to put some water into the system to get the pressure up imo, then after you bleed will proberly need to do it again. 1.5 bar i fink.

Update - I just had a shower and all was ok. Just ran the hot tap in the bathroom and all of a sudden an orange/yellow gunge came out but is now running clear again.

Anyone any ideas.

if I have to add water into the sytem how do I do that?

Tnx

If the pressure is low due to bleeding or just naturally goes down over time its often the case people need to top the pressure up. Mine has a small knob I turn on a pipe that goes into the bolier from under it, you can hear the gush of water and the pressure guage goes up slowly. I have to do this every 6 months to keep it in the green pressure zone.

Yep - I've got the pressure at 1.5 but now I don't have any hot water or heating. Could I have caused an airlock? If so any ideas on how to get rid of it without having to drain down the system - I really would need hep with that one!

is the pilot light on the boiler working? when you turn on the hot water tap does it sound like its trying to fire up?

Strange coincidence. Our cold tap in the kitchen stopped working last night and was making gurgling noises.

Surely that is a job for the Ghostbusters?

Haven't noticed anything paranormal, have you Tracey?

Don't open the fridge!

What boiler is it Tracey?

am presuming that it is a combi boiler?

Whilst you're here CIA23473287589832.43, can I ask a plumbing question?

The Mother-in-law's heating has a problem.  When she puts the hot water on (from the immersion) there is a strong 'bad smell' that comes from the tank (obviously where the immersion is).  When she puts the hot water on from the boiler in the kitchen, there's a strong smell there.

I'm guessing that there's something up with the water in the system - and if so, what's the best thing to do?  Can you put something in to kill off whatever's causing the smell, or does the system need flushing or something?

Dead rat/mouse/squirrel/lodger/son-in-law in tank.

Yes - it's a combi boiler and yes we have a ghost....and last night was the first night since I've moved in that I've slept with the hall light off when on my own. Not sure if that's relevant?!

So my Dad tells me I can do it myself and alks me through putting more water in the boiler/system and now it doesn't work at all so he says "Well of course you shouldn't really be fiddling with it - you should get someone in"

I have my friend buying a radiator key as we speak so hopefully I'll try bleeding the radiators tonight - but I think it is going to be a cold one - I'm not confident - I think I may have introduced air into the system that has stopped it working.  >:(

start with the radiator nearest the boiler and work toward the furthest away, if boiler is downstairs work down to up. leave the feed to the boiler on slightly to keep pressure up and turn on heating FULL. hold the radiator key in a towel or thick gloves as water will be hot, let run until all air has escaped and close the cap, then repeat on all radiators. When all done check water pressure then close the feed fully.

 Sometimes those keys dont work so well so option 2 could be a shifting spanner, thats what I use and it works a treat. Good luck :)

mostly agree with above but i wouldnt leave the water supply on to the heating whilst venting ,as if you over presurrise it youd probably find it awkward to release the pressure,initially keep the system pressure at 2 bar (30psi) and return after each radiator has been bled to top up the pressure,when u get to the last 2 rads you want the pressure to be about 1.5 bar remember its anti clockwise to undo the air vent and clockwise to do it back up.hold a big tea towel over the vent to stop any water dripping on the floor/carpet.NEVER NEVER TAKE THE AIR VENT OUT COMPLETELY...

Kensushi when yr mum puts the immersion on what does it smell like?

and what does the smell in the kitchen smell like?

and how old is the system?

lolz I did upstairs first, heating off. seems to have worked tho.

 what you do by doing that is draining the upstairs rads hence having to re vent the upstairs 1's bleed rads after a few hours of the heating being on (again bleed with heating off)

ok thanks cia, i'll do upstairs again tomorrow

Hi FBI93729847324 - it's not me mum (it's the missus' mum).  However, she doesn't smell so I guess that's not important.  I haven't had the chance to smell it yet, but I think it's a 'bad' smell like something's 'gone off'.  I will ask for a precise explanation of the smell later if that helps.


Same again, bad.  I will get the smells clarified to help with the diagnosis.


Not as old as the Mother-in-law, but I'm guessing fairly old.  I will find out and get back to you.

:)up

Just asked, and the smell was described as "fusty, like really bad BO".  I have been informed that it's the same in the kitchen, but not as strong.

hey foldinfishi

you dont think it could be her do you?

 as i  know some old people do smell

No!

You smell, we stink.

Erm, no.

Any suggestions?

Its a tricky 1  not being there, immersion heater smell could be element overheating or the cable supplying it running hot try touching the cable the next time yr there to see if its running hot
i reckon you might have to call someone out as it shouldnt smell in  normal conditions.

But 1 thing i would do is tell her to get a carbon monoxide detector they really are life savers..

Cheers.  I'll advise her to get someone out.  I haven't been to the house whilst she's had the problem - so I'll have a look to see if there's anything I can see that's obvious.  I'd doubt it is CO though, as the boiler is in the kitchen and the stronger smell is upstairs in the airing cupboard where the tank is.  But a detector is a good idea anyway like you said.

The pressure in my system needs topping up about once a month, I can't see any leaks or anything, do you thinks is ok?

No it could be yr expansion valve letting by or your expansion vessel could need replacing.Or a leak you cant see.

I take it, it is a combi boiler/system?

CO, is a colourless, odourless, tasteless yet highly toxic gas. Its molecules consist of one carbon atom well you know all that anyway.......

I have a question,  Why do i have hot water when my hot water is turned off???   

dunno why do you? probably find yr immersion heater is switched on if u have 1

dunno looking now!!  - if i can be bothered to lean backwards open the airing cupboard door and look!!

if immersion switch = switch with red light when on. 

then it's off!!   

next idea

run yr hot taps til it runs out

why?

and what if it don't?

dunno

dunno

is yr heating on?

yeah

could be zone valve problem,but remember yr hot water cylinder will hold  a bath ful of water

hot water has been turned off for 3 weeks now, heating is on timed,  and had plenty of baths full of hot water since then!! 

sounds like zone valve then


going to zzzzzzz now sort it tomorrow....

The switch on my boiler is either hot water or heating and hot water.

ok but i expect it sorted first thing!!  ;whistle;


one side of the thingy says heating the other hot water so i'm assuming they are seperate?????

take a picture of yr airing cupboard showing the pipes and valves to the cylinder and 1 of your time clock..

Correct.

My boiler is still not working - no hot water or central heating. Real fires and candles are wonderful for keeping a room warm, the electric blanket is a godsend and the tumble drier is taking the edge of the cold in the kitchen.

I will have to get this sorted but I've enjoyed it. It's taken me back to the days I spent with my grandma.  :)

1 of the above most likely then

there should be a 15mm copper pipe from the boiler that goes outside,trace this and see if it lets any water out,you might have to put a container under it to make sure its letting water by unless it drips onto a hard surface that youd be able to see

book sooner rather than later..its gotta be done

no hot water brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr