Why does downstairs heating has to be on for upstairs to work?

[Husk24]

3rd pic in your list

Hi Shaun, the grey pipes that go towards the left go into the garage radiator, I have attached more pix if it helps anyone to identify anything that could help me find this mystery valve. Thanks

 

[gmartine]

Couldn't the upstairs zone valve just be faulty/stuck open after all you can't seem to hear the valve motor opening?

Did the zoning ever work independently (pre Nest)?

 

[Husk24]

Couldn't the upstairs zone valve just be faulty/stuck open after all you can't seem to hear the valve motor opening?

If thats the case wouldn’t upstairs always stay on? The upstairs nest controls it and the heating goes off and on when needed
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If thats the case wouldn’t upstairs always stay on? The upstairs nest controls it and the heating goes off and on when needed

With the previous thermostat is was still the same setup, had to keep downstairs on in order to turn on/heat upstairs.

 

[gmartine]

I thought I read that upstairs only comes on when downstairs is on? Did the zones ever work independently?

Edit ok answered.

 

[Husk24]

I thought I read that upstairs only comes on when downstairs is on? Did the zones ever work?

I can put downstairs heating fine on its own, but can’t put upstairs heating on its own, i have to have downstairs on in order to heat upstairs, its always been like that when I bought the house. If I turn the thermostat on for upstairs on its own, nothing happens, the boiler doesn’t switch on and no heat in radiators.

 

[EvilDrPorkChop]

Think your issue is in the second picture there. You've got two motorised valves. One before, then a tee afterwards, that comes down and a 15mm pipe leaving before the next motorised valve. Unless of course, someone has put the valve on back to front (Wrong way)

Either way there's some shocking plumbing going on in all the pics

 

[gmartine]

If the zoning was faulty pre nest then you need to get someone in to rewire/plumb.

 

[Husk24]

Think your issue is in the second picture there. You've got two motorised valves. One before, then a tee afterwards, that comes down and a 15mm pipe leaving before the next motorised valve. Unless of course, someone has put the valve on back to front (Wrong way)

Either way there's some shocking plumbing going on in all the pics

I can believe it, the previous owner was a builder and he did some shocking things to the electricity which I had to change/made safe and I wontbe surprised he did some unusual changes to the piping heating setup.
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Only other place I haven’t checked for the missing valve is in the garage loft attached next to the house, I can see a pipe going up into it..

 

[gmartine]

I can believe it, the previous owner was a builder and he did some shocking things to the electricity which I had to change/made safe and I wontbe surprised he did some unusual changes to the piping heating setup.
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Only other place I haven’t checked for the missing valve is in the garage loft attached next to the house, I can see a pipe going up into it..

Please do not blaspheme in the house of plumbing.

Edit: I don't think you have a missing zone valve, I just think this was an S plan system that was extended rather poorly.

 

[Husk24]

Please do not blaspheme in the cathedral of plumbing.

Lol I knew him, believe me he did some other shocking things around the property, extending electrical wiring illegally and dangerous, building over a manhole .. list goes on ... so I can believe if he did the piping himself for the heating ..

 

[Chuck]

I don't think you have a missing zone valve, I just think this was an S plan system that was extended rather poorly.

It may have been by this way by design. The whole house was probably once controlled by a single thermostat downstairs and the upstairs zone valve would be shut during the daytime period when it was not required by a simple time switch. This arrangement avoids the need to have a thermostat upstairs and works surprisingly well. In particular, it reduces the short-cycling that tends to occur with relatively small zones calling for heat independently.

 

[Husk24]

It may have been by this way by design. The whole house was probably once controlled by a single thermostat downstairs and the upstairs zone valve would be shut during the daytime period when it was not required by a simple time switch. This arrangement avoids the need to have a thermostat upstairs and works surprisingly well. In particular, it reduces the short-cycling that tends to occur with relatively small zones calling for heat independently.

It may quite possibly be that, my house was built 30 years ago detached house.

So if there is no valve what is switching the upstairs heating on? what controls the heat or water to heat the radiators upstairs?

 

[exedon2]

Fairly sure there is a valve for Bedroom zone otherwise it would work whenever downstairs was on.
Its probably just wired to be turned on and of by stat ie no switch wires connected.

 

[Timmy D]

Fairly sure there is a valve for Bedroom zone otherwise it would work whenever downstairs was on.
Its probably just wired to be turned on and of by stat ie no switch wires connected.

With this in mind (valve added at some point to turn off upstairs heating), a switched live from the zone valve was never run to the boiler due to the difficulty.

As it’s likely that the valve is just being controlled by a stat, I wouldn’t be surprised if the stat has independent power (check with multi meter).

If the above is correct, it’s also likely that the zone valve is close to the stat and or a power source.

I’d be looking on the same floor/perhaps room as the stat for a concealed access in the area you suspect the flow and return to be.

 

[Husk24]

With this in mind (valve added at some point to turn off upstairs heating), a switched live from the zone valve was never run to the boiler due to the difficulty.

As it’s likely that the valve is just being controlled by a stat, I wouldn’t be surprised if the stat has independent power (check with multi meter).

If the above is correct, it’s also likely that the zone valve is close to the stat and or a power source.

I’d be looking on the same floor/perhaps room as the stat for a concealed access in the area you suspect the flow and return to be.

Thanks for the reply, the stat is in the utility room next to the the downstairs stat so I am going to see if I can find something somewhere, the utility room is attached to the garage and the garage has a loft and I have yet to check there. I can see pipes going into the garage loft so maybe thats how the pipes go upstairs and the valve could be in the loft, I shall see if I can find anything in there or anywhere near the utility room.