Radiators Plumbed in to Hotwater

[Tim123]

Last August we had some major plumbing work done on our house and I'm not completely satisfied with the results. I'm just trying to figure out if this was the fault of the plumber or not.

We upgraded our 30+ year old boiler to a Vailent system boiler, added an extra radiator in the toilet, but left all existing radiators and the hotwater cylinder as they were.

At first everything seemed fine, but soon I realised that the 2 radiators in the bathroom and toilet were not on the central heating circuit, but were on the hotwater circuit. This was the way it had been installed 30+ years ago.

Its a problem because the stored hotwater goes cold in just a few hours because the radiators let the heat escape. Also if the hotwater is not on, then the bathroom is cold.

Should this problem have been picked up by the plumber?

 

[CES]

Just to clarify, the radiators are on the HW coil circuit? If this was the way it was installed previously did you not notice the problem before the work was done?
I would be inclined to talk with the plumber and explain your concerns but I dont think he can be liable for an existing condition.

 

[Tim123]

Just to clarify, the radiators are on the HW coil circuit? If this was the way it was installed previously did you not notice the problem before the work was done?
I would be inclined to talk with the plumber and explain your concerns but I dont think he can be liable for an existing condition.

Yes that's right.

The last boilers controls were so basic that you had to run the hotwater and heating together on the same timer - so it was not apparent.

Another plumber has said that putting the bathroom radiator on the hotwater circuit was normal 30+ years ago. If that's right then shouldn't checking for this problem be a standard part of upgrading a very old boiler?

 

[CES]

It all depends on who the plumber is and his historical knowledge of plumbing. To put it right will involve re-piping the rad into the heating circuit which is something I wouldn't have expected as part of a boiler upgrade to be fair.

 

[kimbo]

I think the plumber should have checked the whole system and advised the customer accordingly, however the extra work to be done would have to be paid for by the customer as it wasnt charged for at the time. Bread and butter stuff really.

 

[plumber0808]

you say its a problem but its been like that for 30 years? engineer only changed the boiler so nothing on the system will be any different.
phone the plumber back asking for them to be changed. im sure he he found out it was like this when testing which i have done in the past.
you will just have to pay to sort it out if you want it any different

 

[GrahamM]

It all depends on who the plumber is and his historical knowledge of plumbing. To put it right will involve re-piping the rad into the heating circuit which is something I wouldn't have expected as part of a boiler upgrade to be fair.

Agree with CES here. Although was a bit of an oversite, the plumber was charged with installing boiler and extra rad. Correct? He should have picked up on it and advised accordingly though. Don't know how he missed it if he set up and commissioned the install fully.
If you are happy with the boiler work he done, get him back and ask him for reasonable price to upgrade the rest of the installation, as it was his oversite and he should hold some of the responsibility.

 

[stevetheplumber]

in a way your lucky if you had changed to a combi niether rad wold work

 

[justlead1]

Hi. If the rads have been on the domestic hot water distribution pipe? They would have corroded and leaked many years ago unless they were manufactured with copper.

 

[smillsey]

mmmmmmmmmmm copper rads £££££