Psiloc
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Post by Psiloc on Nov 9, 2022 16:07:40 GMT
Not to hijack Zulu's posts but I have a quasi-related question. We have a standard boiler with a vented hot water cylinder (which may or may not be relevant I don't know). Every year when we're starting to turn the heating back on we notice that a few of the upstairs radiators have absolutely no water in them. Zero. I obviously know how to bleed them, which obviously works but takes a good few minutes (I've literally walked away briefly it takes so long). This is the only house I've ever lived in with a standard boiler. Firstly is this normal, and secondly when I bleed the radiators is it just taking water from the cold water tank or what? No signs of leaks at all. As Zulu says, being upstairs you'd expect to see signs of a leak on the ceiling but I suppose the leak could be anywhere and the higher up radiators are just the first ones to show up the problem? |
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Post by elstoof on Nov 9, 2022 16:56:28 GMT
There should be a seperate cistern for the radiators on an unvented system I think, it’s normal to lose water due to expansion and evaporation unless it’s sealed. Our house had a cupboard with a toilet cistern in it which you could hear filling up every time the heating cooled down
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Post by technoish on Nov 9, 2022 18:25:54 GMT
There will be a pressure valve somewhere showing the heating pressure. Might need a top up. Last year one of the radiators on top floor, a towel rail, wasn't heating up very much.
Plumber bled all the radiators, and also checked the pressure - it was quite low.
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Post by Zuluhero on Nov 9, 2022 19:27:44 GMT
It is a bit odd that all the upstairs rads are empty though.
With my system, all my rads are still full, even with the pressure loss. If it was losing water like that, I would have expected rads to be half empty too.
Central heating is a weird beast.
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Post by elstoof on Nov 9, 2022 19:30:41 GMT
Surprisingly a bar of pressure is only about a glass of water (~500mls) Depends on the capacity of your system though, surely? The more surface area, the more the pressure is spread. Pumping a bicycle tyre up to 100psi requires much less air volume than it takes getting a car tyre up to 30psi |
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Post by technoish on Nov 9, 2022 19:32:44 GMT
It is a bit odd that all the upstairs rads are empty though. With my system, all my rads are still full, even with the pressure loss. If it was losing water like that, I would have expected rads to be half empty too. Central heating is a weird beast. Hadn't quite clocked that the radiators are fully empty, thats actually bonkers. Would definitely get a plumber out... |
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Post by elstoof on Nov 9, 2022 19:36:20 GMT
The rads won’t empty unless the bleed valves open, like lifting an upside down bucket out of a sink, the water stays in the bucket. You can open the outlet and drain the whole system, water will empty the pipe work but stay in the rads. You need some air moving in to displace the water
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Post by Zuluhero on Nov 9, 2022 19:50:27 GMT
Surprisingly a bar of pressure is only about a glass of water (~500mls) Depends on the capacity of your system though, surely? The more surface area, the more the pressure is spread. Pumping a bicycle tyre up to 100psi requires much less air volume than it takes getting a car tyre up to 30psi I think the plumber was trying to get me to understand it in layman's terms to give me a rough idea. I still have to wait a week Friday before the leak detection people come. I'm actually dreading that they won't find anything, and then I won't know what to do. I'll be bloody annoyed if I pay out nearly 500 quid for them to tell me they can't find anything. |
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Post by freddiemercurystwin on Nov 9, 2022 20:03:05 GMT
Is it the bloke who does the Facebook videos perchance? He seems to know his onions.
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Post by Zuluhero on Nov 9, 2022 20:17:03 GMT
I don't think so.
But, when watching videos on YouTube to try and identify the issue, I did watch some guy who said to buy some really cheap perfume and put it in your system somewhere (like the top of a towel rail).
And wait.
Wherever smells like 'a tarts boudoir' is where your leak is. 🤣
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minimatt
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hyper mediocrity
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Post by minimatt on Nov 14, 2022 14:58:50 GMT
Been slow going due to rain, lazyness etc. Finish line is now in sight. In the last update I'd got the walls & roof up, to that I added corner flashings (made from rip cutting some old shelving into thin strips) and fixed those with a mix of PU glue, brad nails, and 3mm screws when my shitting piece of shit brad nailer started shitting itself (also of note, markings on the frame every 120mm are for eventual placement of the 150mm cladding): There then followed a long period of cutting & painting cladding pieces whenever weather allowed - which was never - so almost entirely done in small batches under the cover of my little tarp tent hobo shed shelter. It's all pressure treated but wanted to get a couple of coats of paint on the cladding before it went on as some of these bits are realistically never going to see any maintenance ever again (Cuprinol Garden Shades Willow btw. I don't think the good folks at Cuprinol have ever seen a willow tree, but it mellows out a bit when dry): Then! We are saved! The rains stopped! So of course some idiot (NOT ME) went and put a mini digger through a water pipe and the Good Ship Shed entered her sea trials (thankfully never got deeper than ~3 inches so didn't kill the floor - glad I put it on bricks though): Made some soffits for the front and back from left over OSB and £1.89 vents from screwfix. Back in pre-shed discussion we touched on condensation fears and importance of good ventilation, so I'm hoping four of these, two in the front & two in the rear (not a sex thing) will do the trick: And fitted the totally silly in a shed this size but it looks pretty so I'm keeping it (my other half describes me similarly) window I made on a whim back when the very idea of a shed was but a twinkle. Slightly sketchy pushing it out 18mm (same size as the corner flashing) so the cladding will sit flush(ish), bit of DPC as sorta flashing substitue, silicon and prayer helping weatherproof: Good weather this weekend meant cladding got finished and roof felt went on this morning (hadn't trimmed the side excess when took this pic, have now done so but regret to announce back & sides are cut as wonky as the front). Sprung for the good polyester weave bitumen felt, two sheets overlapped with bitumen adhesive & tacks. Storm is due this afternoon & tomorrow. Eagle eyed observers will note it still looks a little well ventilated. Haven't figured out how I want to do the door yet. Should probably get on that. Oh, back when I'd just made the base, perceptive sage freddiemercurystwin asked how I was going to clad the back where access would be tight. I confidently replied that I'm svelte enough to squeeze between the gap. It has come to my attention I might be a teensy bit fatter than my legendary body confidence allows me to perceive. A NEW DRILL WILL SOLVE MY PROBLEMS - and it did (apart from the crippling narcissism, general twatishness etc) - tiny 12v bosch flexiclick thing with little right angle attachment & offset attachment allowed me to do most of the cladding from the inside leaning out, and the top few boards lying on the roof and leaning over. |
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Post by Dougs on Nov 14, 2022 15:12:27 GMT
Excellent work.
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H-alphaFox
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Buy Kramer Coin now!
Posts: 2,287
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Post by H-alphaFox on Nov 15, 2022 12:02:08 GMT
I fixed my air compressor by braking a part of it.
Works now so at least I can pump up my tyres which are in need of it.
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Post by freddiemercurystwin on Nov 16, 2022 22:06:25 GMT
So apparently the fan's gone wrong in the boiler, at least that's the error code being thrown up and my brother (gas engineer) thinks that's the likely cause too so looks like another remote repair under his guidance is on the cards, no hot water or heating for a little while until I can order the part and then do the repair, we do have an electric shower though so that's a relief.
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KD
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RIP EG
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Post by KD on Nov 16, 2022 23:23:13 GMT
After years of complaining to myself I finally changed my kitchen and bathroom sink taps, next is the bath taps but thats a little more awkward.
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X201
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Posts: 5,121
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Post by X201 on Nov 21, 2022 11:03:30 GMT
I need a decorative ring piece to make my hole more presentable.
Thought that would get your attention 😁
Problem: Cable coming out of wall via a hole in the plaster.
I’m looking for some kind of metal ring or other small thing that would make it look neater.
Any ideas?
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Post by Dougs on Nov 21, 2022 11:09:15 GMT
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X201
Full Member
Posts: 5,121
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Post by X201 on Nov 21, 2022 19:52:40 GMT
Thanks for that
The hole is at 45° but a knife and a bit of superglue should do the trick
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Post by freddiemercurystwin on Nov 21, 2022 20:26:56 GMT
So apparently the fan's gone wrong in the boiler, at least that's the error code being thrown up and my brother (gas engineer) thinks that's the likely cause too so looks like another remote repair under his guidance is on the cards, no hot water or heating for a little while until I can order the part and then do the repair, we do have an electric shower though so that's a relief. Boiler fixed, heating again, happy wife! |
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Post by Dougs on Nov 21, 2022 20:32:04 GMT
Good work. Saved a fortune too.
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Post by Dougs on Nov 21, 2022 20:33:06 GMT
Thanks for that The hole is at 45° but a knife and a bit of superglue should do the trick One of those things that I knew existed but had no idea what it was called. Turns out it was quite obvious. |
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Post by Blackmarsh63 on Nov 21, 2022 20:38:34 GMT
Good work. Saved a fortune too. '.....by not having it on  |
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X201
Full Member
Posts: 5,121
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Post by X201 on Nov 21, 2022 20:48:40 GMT
Thanks for that The hole is at 45° but a knife and a bit of superglue should do the trick One of those things that I knew existed but had no idea what it was called. Turns out it was quite obvious. Same here. Knew there must be one but not sure if the correct search term |
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Post by simple on Nov 22, 2022 10:13:38 GMT
Not DIY because we’ve got proper men in doing it but our bathroom is being replaced at the moment and its run over so now we’ll have an extra week without on.
I don’t mind showering in one of the gyms at work but if I start shaving there I think it’ll start to look like something has gone terribly wrong between me and mrs simple
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mrpon
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Posts: 3,745
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Post by mrpon on Nov 22, 2022 10:15:14 GMT
Just leave the balls hairy for a week.
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Post by Dougs on Dec 1, 2022 10:41:37 GMT
Had our windows fixed in the summer (new hinges and replaced a few panes). It's made a massive difference in terms of noise and I assume insulation. But I wasn't prepared for the amount of condensation. Had to squeegee the windows, may need to invest in a window vac!
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X201
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Post by X201 on Dec 3, 2022 20:08:48 GMT
I’ve just had double glazing installed. First time I’ve had it and after a lifetime of windows streaming with condensation on the inside, it’s weird seeing it mist up on the outside
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nexus6
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Post by nexus6 on Dec 3, 2022 20:33:28 GMT
I’ve just had double glazing installed. First time I’ve had it and after a lifetime of windows streaming with condensation on the inside, it’s weird seeing it mist up on the outside That’s what I’ve got and it’s actually a fucker. You can’t just wipe it clear. Mine goes over the whole pane sometimes for a good bit of the day too, until the sun gets round to warm it up. Looks silly to others. I’ve also had people say I must get new windows to stop it as they thing it’s on the inside.... |
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Post by Dougs on Dec 3, 2022 20:53:07 GMT
Happens on a couple of my windows but mostly on the inside. I don't think the new shutters help in that they create a pocket if Warmer air in-between, making the condensation worse. Leaving them on half lock works no worries though.
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nexus6
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Post by nexus6 on Dec 3, 2022 20:59:55 GMT
Happens on a couple of my windows but mostly on the inside. I don't think the new shutters help in that they create a pocket if Warmer air in-between, making the condensation worse. Leaving them on half lock works no worries though. Do you have trickle vents on these windows? |
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