Radiator Cold At The Bottom

[DarceyK123]

My radiator is warm at the top and cold at the bottom, bleeding it doesn't help.

Any ideas ?

[murraymints]

no air coming out ..?

[murraymints]

try shoving the thermostat right up for a wee while... sounds like your system may need a flush ? builder should see this later

[DarceyK123]

No, just water.

[DarceyK123]

Oh, a flush, what does that entail? Don't want the house disrupted too much at the moment as I have friends coming down for Christmas.

[Togo]

That is sediment in the rad. the only permanent cure is a system flush and treatment. You could try turning off the hot water heating and turning the pump up to III(3) if it is set on II(2). The increased flow may get it moving. I bet that rad is the furthest from the boiler in the circuit. Do not pay hundreds of pounds to british gas or a heating engineer. It is simple to do yourself or shop around for a local tradesman.

[murraymints]

[DarceyK123]

Ah thanks, doesn't look too bad, might give it ago later.

[murraymints]

have plenty old rags and a basin or two handy..

[Togo]

Darcey, you don't need to remove the rad. Just find the drain down valve.(it will Have a little brass connection point)Connect hose. Make sure the boiler and system is off(IMPORTANT). Turn off the water supply to system. Open the drain down valve and make sure that the hose discharges somewhere that will not be ruined by gallons of black or brown sludgy water. Switch water back on and let the system flush through until the water is running clean. This is now a good time to add a system rust inhibitor. Even easier if your system has a header or expansion tank in the attic. Close the drain down valve again and fill the system. Bleed the rads and switch on the boiler and controls again. Carry on bleeding rads until it is air free. Disconnect hose.

[bhg481]

Take heed of Togo's advice to add some rust inhibitor to the system. It's not cheap (around£30-35) and should be renewed about every 7 years by just adding another bottleful to the header tank (no need to drain the system). Our system is 30+ years old and has never needed bleeding or flushing and it's all due to the rust inhibitor.