I know this topic has been thrashed out quite a few times however every situation is different and unique, so here is my story, its a little long but wanted to add some backgroun information first.
My property is a end semi-detached, has an Ariston Micro Genus Combi 23 MFFI with 9 radiators (5 doubles and 4 singles) with a drayton MiTime T711R stat (i think) and we have been in this property for approx 11 years (Moved in around Oct 2006).
When we moved in i believe the system was installed from new and since then i have been living in there it has been serviced regulary and has had a Trappex Centramag 2 fitted (by myself).
In july this year, we decorated the house from top to bottom and had thermal paper fitted to outside walls, radflek radiator reflectors behind the radiators, new carpet etc
When the paper was put on walls the system was drained and the radiators were removed. During this time the radiator reflectors was added and the radiators was flushed in the garden. The water was very very pale/light yellow and no sludge. Just to add here the centramag filter has always been clean from inside when serviced, i.e no sludge
The radiators were re-attached, system filled, checked for leaks and inhibitor added (x100).
Everything was working splendidly until a month later around mid october i felt the radiators needed balancing as downstairs were getting hotter quicker than upstairs so i did this and all was well.
Until....
A few days later i decided to check the water pressure (i do this regularly) and noticed it dropped slightly and i went around and checked all fittings and valves and couldnt find anything so i topped up the system.
A week later, on a weekend when my partner went to stay at her mothers for the weekend i decided to spend the day at my familys and left the heating switched off. I came back that evening to find the pressure had dropped quite significantly (like between 1/2 to 1 bar).
I frantically went around again looking for leaks and to my horror found a weeping Lvalve in the living room and a wet carpet!
I drained the system, ordered a Lvalve from screwfix and went to sleep. Got up the next day around 7 and picked up the valve which i then fitted on the radiator. Refilled and checked for leaks. Just to add here since this leaking valve which i didnt spot until maybe a couple of weeks or so later i noticed the water was dark yellow colour which got me really worried so this time i added x800 to clean the system out as i was worried about the colour of the water.
The next day, the same thing presure was still creeping down so i did the same, switched heating off and waited and went around checking for leaks and found another weeping Lvalve. So again, picked up a new Lvalve and replaced it.
However over the course of a few days the pressure kept creeping down and for the life of me i couldnt figure out were, so i decided to replace all the Lvalves as i didnt want to take any chances. Refilled and checked for leaks and couldnt find any, however presure was still creeping down
So i switched the heating off and checked and yep, found one of the newer valves leaking from underneath were it joins the pipe. Loosened this and added some ptfe around the olive and re-tightened which fixed this leak. Pressure seemed ok until a couple of days later i found it creeping down again. Went around to look and nothing. Again i switched heating off incase it was a flash leak like the previous ones and yep, you guessed it found one. This time from one of the bleed valves which i managed to tighten enough to stop the leak. This had managed to fix the pressure drop finally! At this point i began to regret adding x800 as i felt this had exposed all the weak points in my system (which i couldnt fathom as to it having any). I therefore plan on replacing all the bleed valves this weekend and this is were i needed some flush advice, because as stated earlier the water now instead of clear/pale yellow it is dark yellow/orange. I did drain the system a couple of times after adding x800 but it hasnt cleared it.
I am planning on doing 1 of 3 things which i needed advice for as to which is better and safer, pros and cons.
Option 1
drain, refil, drain, refil, drain refil until it starts to clear up which may take me the best part of a few of hours
Option 2
drain refill and repeat the next day for a few days. For example, drain, refill in the evening, go to work the next day allowing CH to circulate water and when i come back drain and refill in the evening and repeat the next day for a few days until clear or so and add inhibitor.
Option 3
Im not even sure if this option is even possible but i will throw this out there anyway.
With system off, attach a hose (if its possible as i havent checked) to the Centramag drain point and take hose outside. Open valve above the centramag drain point and at the same time introduce water from the filling loop to keep pressure constant. Keep running until water runs clear. Drain system completely and refill. Run CH for 20 mins, drain and refill adding inhibitor. With this method im not sure if i should leave the upper most valve on the Centramag filter open or closed. Im guessing open so that i could see an accurate reading on the pressure gauge.?? Thoughts?
I know it was long, however i think more detail is always better than less to get a more accurate diagnosis/remedy etc.
Thanks all
My property is a end semi-detached, has an Ariston Micro Genus Combi 23 MFFI with 9 radiators (5 doubles and 4 singles) with a drayton MiTime T711R stat (i think) and we have been in this property for approx 11 years (Moved in around Oct 2006).
When we moved in i believe the system was installed from new and since then i have been living in there it has been serviced regulary and has had a Trappex Centramag 2 fitted (by myself).
In july this year, we decorated the house from top to bottom and had thermal paper fitted to outside walls, radflek radiator reflectors behind the radiators, new carpet etc
When the paper was put on walls the system was drained and the radiators were removed. During this time the radiator reflectors was added and the radiators was flushed in the garden. The water was very very pale/light yellow and no sludge. Just to add here the centramag filter has always been clean from inside when serviced, i.e no sludge
The radiators were re-attached, system filled, checked for leaks and inhibitor added (x100).
Everything was working splendidly until a month later around mid october i felt the radiators needed balancing as downstairs were getting hotter quicker than upstairs so i did this and all was well.
Until....
A few days later i decided to check the water pressure (i do this regularly) and noticed it dropped slightly and i went around and checked all fittings and valves and couldnt find anything so i topped up the system.
A week later, on a weekend when my partner went to stay at her mothers for the weekend i decided to spend the day at my familys and left the heating switched off. I came back that evening to find the pressure had dropped quite significantly (like between 1/2 to 1 bar).
I frantically went around again looking for leaks and to my horror found a weeping Lvalve in the living room and a wet carpet!
I drained the system, ordered a Lvalve from screwfix and went to sleep. Got up the next day around 7 and picked up the valve which i then fitted on the radiator. Refilled and checked for leaks. Just to add here since this leaking valve which i didnt spot until maybe a couple of weeks or so later i noticed the water was dark yellow colour which got me really worried so this time i added x800 to clean the system out as i was worried about the colour of the water.
The next day, the same thing presure was still creeping down so i did the same, switched heating off and waited and went around checking for leaks and found another weeping Lvalve. So again, picked up a new Lvalve and replaced it.
However over the course of a few days the pressure kept creeping down and for the life of me i couldnt figure out were, so i decided to replace all the Lvalves as i didnt want to take any chances. Refilled and checked for leaks and couldnt find any, however presure was still creeping down
So i switched the heating off and checked and yep, found one of the newer valves leaking from underneath were it joins the pipe. Loosened this and added some ptfe around the olive and re-tightened which fixed this leak. Pressure seemed ok until a couple of days later i found it creeping down again. Went around to look and nothing. Again i switched heating off incase it was a flash leak like the previous ones and yep, you guessed it found one. This time from one of the bleed valves which i managed to tighten enough to stop the leak. This had managed to fix the pressure drop finally! At this point i began to regret adding x800 as i felt this had exposed all the weak points in my system (which i couldnt fathom as to it having any). I therefore plan on replacing all the bleed valves this weekend and this is were i needed some flush advice, because as stated earlier the water now instead of clear/pale yellow it is dark yellow/orange. I did drain the system a couple of times after adding x800 but it hasnt cleared it.
I am planning on doing 1 of 3 things which i needed advice for as to which is better and safer, pros and cons.
Option 1
drain, refil, drain, refil, drain refil until it starts to clear up which may take me the best part of a few of hours
Option 2
drain refill and repeat the next day for a few days. For example, drain, refill in the evening, go to work the next day allowing CH to circulate water and when i come back drain and refill in the evening and repeat the next day for a few days until clear or so and add inhibitor.
Option 3
Im not even sure if this option is even possible but i will throw this out there anyway.
With system off, attach a hose (if its possible as i havent checked) to the Centramag drain point and take hose outside. Open valve above the centramag drain point and at the same time introduce water from the filling loop to keep pressure constant. Keep running until water runs clear. Drain system completely and refill. Run CH for 20 mins, drain and refill adding inhibitor. With this method im not sure if i should leave the upper most valve on the Centramag filter open or closed. Im guessing open so that i could see an accurate reading on the pressure gauge.?? Thoughts?
I know it was long, however i think more detail is always better than less to get a more accurate diagnosis/remedy etc.
Thanks all
