Any Heating Experts About Right Now??

[Smowball]

Ok I've got an engineer coming in about an hour to look at the problem I've had come bk every year. Heating is absolutely fine during the day but about 6- 7 pm all the downstairs radiators switch off. Yet the pipes into each one are hot. We've had a new boiler, new valves on each radiator, 2 maybe 3 new pumps. Yet still can't solve it. It can't be the pump again as why are they fine all day? Can't cope with being fobbed off yet again and it's set to be really cold soon. Anything I can ask him to check that I haven't mentioned??Tia.

[diddlydo]

The rooms have reached the temperature of the thermostat because you've closed the curtains??????????

[Gizmonster]

I'm guessing the radiators that switch off, all have thermostatic radiator valves (TRV) fitted. These sense the air temperature around them and adjust the flow of water through the radiator accordingly.
A TRV does not control the boiler, so whilst the boiler may still be firing up, all the TRV's may have sensed that the rooms have reached the optimum temperature and stopped the flow of anymore hot water through the radiators, which is what appears to be happening here .... boiler still firing up, yet the radiators are switching off??
If the rooms are not warm enough, try turning the TRV's up and see if that helps.

[Smowball]

Curtains never closed as have blinds. Engineer turned up at 9 30pm!! Told us a few things we've never heard i.e. One radiator is almost certsinly fully of gunk as had been drained and refilled so often (??)

[Gizmonster]

I don't see how one radiator full of gunk, would cause all the other radiators to switch off.
Have you checked the valves?? Are they TVR's?? If so, have you tried turning them up??

[Smowball]

By valves do you mean thermostat?

[bookbinder]

'Valves' means the ones on the radiators. You mentioned them in your original question: new valves on each radiator.

[The Builder]

I have to agree with Giz. If one rad is bunged, then it's possible others are too.

Possibly not in your case, but... if you have minibore of microbore pipework (8mm or 10mm), then that is most likely bunged up too.

Considering that one rad is definitely blocked, then maybe a serious power flush is needed on the whole system. Plenty of companies offer this service.

[Gizmonster]

Something like this:

http://www.bhl.co.uk/myson-trv2-8-10-15-mm-nickel-plated.html?gclid=CjwKEAiA79zDBRCgyf2FgeiY-CESJABzr0BMUNwl31yU5lkBcpuqeCNon4Dxmmha1L_Dh9BBja42bxoCYQvw_wcB

It'll have a dial on it with numbers on it. Try turning the dial up, thereby turning the thermostat up on the radiator. You'll need to do it on all affected radiators.

[Smowball]

Omg I could scream! Now the radiators were all fine till 3pm then all downstairs stitched off and despite turning all valves and thermostat up - nothing. And yes gizmonster - they're exacxtly what we've got. And like every other night if you feel the two pipes coming down wall in each room the left one is red hot and the one nxt to it is stone cold. Guy last night said that means the water isn't circulating but I don't know why it will all day and then not at night. I'm freezing and so so sick of nobody being able to fix this!!!

[1581960]

The pipes can only be hot if hot water is circulating, the fact that the radiators turn off at the same time each day indicates that you have a timer controlling them! most systems have a control panel that allows you to set the heating to turn on and off at selected times. Perhaps your system has two zones that can be set individually, although I'm surprised your engineer wouldn't have spotted it immediately and corrected it.

[Smowball]

He checked that last night and says it's fine. But I've just tried something- I've turned all the upstairs radiators off apart from bathroom heated towel rail and the downstairs hallway radiator is just starting to get warm a bit. I don't get it

[tonyav]

Might be worth a try, Smow.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6slCr3Vdv1g

[Smowball]

But why is it ok all day??

[tonyav]

Dunno, Smow. Strange that.

[chiaroscuro]

If your control panel has a 'manual' or 'cont' setting engage it
Open the valves on all radiators to max
Turn any wall stats to max
If your pump has speed settings turn to max
Turn temp on boiler to max

My system is rather old so some of the above may not apply.

[Smowball]

Ok I'll give it a go..... this is beyond a joke now tbh x