Dee

Well, the system is 22 yrs old. We extended it about 18yrs ago but havnt added or changed the heating configuration since. I did add a bathroom last yer but it has a column rad. Once I had turned all the 5 rads back on tonight the two heated right back up. I think you could be right about the kitchen!!

I've read that TRVs shoukd be removed completely when balancing, is this relevant?

You're going to hate me but.....everything was going fine until Yesterday when i turned the TRVs off in the 5 rooms that I want to close off for the winter. Last night all was well with the remaing 9 rads but When heating came on today the two troublesome rads were stone cold again. I'm turning the 5 Trvs back on one by one and the 2 rads are slowly heating up albeit not to the level before.....sorry

Yes Yes No, when fully warmed up Yes Conventional wisdom on many websites state this as being the most efficient

@marshian Readings since it's all settled down. I established that the ground floor struggles more that upstairs. All floors are solid downstairs so pipes drop down to feed them. Impossible to get 12⁰, given up! The further down the list the further the rads are from boiler. Flow. Rtn. Rad Ground floor: K1 46. 54. 44 K2. 51. 44. 45 Loo. 45. 53. 46 Hall. 47. 54. 47 Study 55. 41. 47 First floor: Bath1. 56. 46. 46 Bed3. 56. 49. 44 Bed4. 42. 50. 44 Land. 50. 44. 43 Bed2. 52. 44. 45 Bath2 51. 44. 43 Bath3. 56. 47. 49 Bed1 A 55. 45. 44 B 48. 43. 44 C 50. 43. 43

There are 2 towel rails and the hall that don't have TRVs should i change these to Tvrs? but what do you mean by 'tighter' abv? It's set to 5 = 0.5 bar, 5 being the highest number on the valve settings. I'm still not achieving anything close to 12⁰ so the efficient must be very poor and apart from a warm home I'm desperate to save energy/money on gas! I definitely don't have the confidence to remove and clean the pump (runs on 3) but as its 20+ yrs old do you think I should get it changed? It does get scalding hot which concerns me. I will post all temps soon

I didnt touch the valve, as it was, don't trust myself!

Blimey! I've had some success! I took a different approach today. 2 rads refused to heat and they have been the the bain so I turned all 19 rads off completely, turned heat back on and opened 15 rads 1/4 turn. I've gone back a tweaked those 15 and now they are all lovrly and warm. I've shut down the remaining 4 in the rooms that are never used...I can live with that. I'm cross though because I don't knnow why that method has worked. I'll go back later and measure the F and R out of curiosity but right now I have a lovely warm home and I don't know why!! 😄

It's not meant as an insult None taken! Honestly

Dee is a she I am a she, will always be a she but I often wonder when I'm up a ladder clearing gutters or unblocking drains if I am atall.....;)

I do, your so right....I'm as thick as a brick and no one is more frustrated by the fact than me!

The temp above the green valve is rtn 38, below rtn 35. The flow from the boiler is 58, rtn is 47. The number the valve is set to is 5=0.5 bar

Sorry! The green valve Ts into the return pipe on top of the boiler where that black thing is, (that's the return). It's the second pipe from the left as it bends horizontally. There is a dial with numbers on the green valve, should I adjust it to cool the return? Right tighty or lefty lucy? One of the kitchen1 rads is now stone cold! It's fed I think from Bed4 above and pipes drop down to feed kitchen 1 and 2. On kit 1 I'm pretty sure the flow and return are the wrong way around as rtn is 55⁰. Is it as simple as removing the rad and turning it around? You're so knowledgeable, patient and kind. I think everyone else has given up on me!!

Yes, absolutely! I'll do that over the weekend....but what will tell me??

The blue one Ts into the return pipe on top of the boiler. I can't trace the black pipe as it snakes/ hidden behind the tank

I'll check on the pipe ABV and let you know. There's not two heating zones, just one. The valves are on a heatrea sadia tank

Oh dear, 'YIKES' doesn't sound good!

@marshianis this the ABV? Or ghe other?

I will keep re reading your brilliant explanation until I really understand ....clearly my lack of knowledge is why I can't get the absolute balance perfect! I eill persevere as average gas bill per month is hitting £160

@marshian thankyou so much for such a comprehensive explainanatio some of which I actually understood! Appologies for the delay in replying but work got in the way. Boiler: Flow 60 Rtn 50 Flow Rtn Rad Bath1. 54 43 45 Bed3 56 45 44 Bed4. 38 54* 41 Kit1. 44 40 45 Kit2. 57 45 45 Loo. 45 52* 46 Hall. 40 55* 40. No TRV Landing. 54 40 43 Bed2. 54 51 50 Study 43 29 30 Cold Bath2. 55 43 47 Bath3. 55 47 49 Bed1 A 49 39 39 B. 57 46 46 C. 54 46 44 Dining1 49 47 44 Castiron col Dining2 52 47 ?? Castiron col Lounge1 44 41 40 Cold Lounge2 51 39 39 Cold * = valves reversed Pump set to 3 All column rads white Bath2 and 3 chrome towel rails All TRVs fully open Hall has no TRV Sorry, No idea about ABV. Where would it be?

Your readings are So much lower than mine! How come so low and mine are so high? I use a multimeter with a clamp to take the readings. I measure the temperature at same places as you, inlet and outlet, and the middle of the rads. I have white column rads too, only 4 vertical rads and 2 towel rails. I balanced on Sunday and took these final readings today once it had all settled. I'm not technical like you (as you can guess) just want a warm house and bills that don't make me weep!

I'm sure you've all had enough of me but I thought I would post the list of temps. The temps on all but the furthest 2 rads in order they heat up are as follows; (I put the rad temp in there for my own curiosity) Boiler Flow 60 Rtn 50 Flow Rtn Rad 54 43 45 56 45 44 38 54* 41 44 40 45 57 45 45 45 52* 46 40 55* 40 54 40 43 54 51 50 43 29 study. 30 55 43 47 55 47 49 49 39 39 57 46 46 54 46 44 49 47 44 52 47 ?? 44 41 40 51 39 39 ?? ?? ?? ?? I can't achieve 12⁰ drop on any of them Study won't heat atall and the last two (ground floor) won't heat up either. Is there a pattern here or is it as good as it gets? * Rtn hotter than TRV Thankyou as ever

The return is almost fully open on Kitchen 1 rad ( the one im struggling with). I have tried every combination....shut off rad above and it gets a tad warmer, close the rad next to it ( Kit 2) and it gets a bit warmer still but not what I woukd call hot. On kit 1 the return pipe is much hotter than flow, like their reversed? Flow is about 37⁰c and return 52⁰c and both kitchen rads are vertical column type....I'm truely stumped. How critical is the order in which I balance each rad as its a big house and some rads seem to heat up very close in time so it's tricky to be sure I'm doing it in the right order.?

I'm down to the last rad....furthest away from the boiler (by about 40 linear meters) that will not heat up. I have tweaked, cajoled, threatened and pleaded with it but it will not yield to my will. I just get the feeling there just isn't enough 'oomph' left in the pump to get there. Does it influence anything that the flow and return ftom the boiler goes to straight upto the floor void above and that the ground floor are solid. So all the pipes drop down to the rads below.