Upstairs not working

[Russ1221]

Good evening all, my dad has just brought a house with UFH and couldn't get heat upstairs and then realisedwasn't working so had that replaced now one room warms abit but nothing in the other, 

Help please 

Thanks 

[ProDave]

You will need to give us a bit more to go on.

 

What type of UFH wet or electric?

Pictures of manifolds and controls if wet?

WHAT was replaced and by who?  If they could not get it working did they say why or they don't know?

Have you asked the previous owners in case something somewhere is simply not turned on?

[Russ1221]

Thanks for your reply 

Ok its wet UFH 

The plumber replaced the pump but that was it, he didn't check anything else, the pump wasn't working and we asked him to replace.  

The previous owner has passed.  

 

Its a 5 port manifold 

Not sure how to upload a picture on here, 

All the actuators are opening S they should, 

When turning up and down the room stats click on and off 

[Russ1221]

https://www.dropbox.com/s/xslv03346o70oxk/Screenshot_20210129-185720_Photos.jpg?dl=0

[Russ1221]

1 hour ago, ProDave said:

You will need to give us a bit more to go on.

 

What type of UFH wet or electric?

Pictures of manifolds and controls if wet?

WHAT was replaced and by who?  If they could not get it working did they say why or they don't know?

Have you asked the previous owners in case something somewhere is simply not turned on?

Picture should be below 

[Triassic]

3 minutes ago, Russ1221 said:

Picture should be below 

No picture ! To add a photo, there is a choose file option at the bottom of the comment box, , click on that and add photo.

Edited January 29, 2021 by Triassic

[Russ1221]

[ProDave]

(not sure why it copies as a landscape photo in a portrait frame)

 

Most manifolds have a row of flow meters, but yours does not.

 

Assuming the pump is running, feel each pair of pipes and see which one(s) are getting warm.

 

Each of the actuators on the bottom has a "button" on the top. Which buttons are up and down?

 

How many rooms does this feed?  Does each room have a room thermostat if so are they all turned up high enough?

[Russ1221]

6 minutes ago, ProDave said:

(not sure why it copies as a landscape photo in a portrait frame)

 

Most manifolds have a row of flow meters, but yours does not.

 

Assuming the pump is running, feel each pair of pipes and see which one(s) are getting warm.

 

Each of the actuators on the bottom has a "button" on the top. Which buttons are up and down?

 

How many rooms does this feed?  Does each room have a room thermostat if so are they all turned up high enough?

3 rooms, open plan downstairs and 2 bedrooms up, each room has a hard wired stat, 

All the actuators buttons come up when I open all the stats 

 

[Russ1221]

Could it be an air lock? He lives over an hour away but im going to see him tomorrow and was hoping there's something I can try? 

[JFDIY]

Is the manifold located upstairs or downstairs?

 

And is it the only manifold? Is it on the same floor as the issue?

[Russ1221]

38 minutes ago, JFDIY said:

Is the manifold located upstairs or downstairs?

 

And is it the only manifold? Is it on the same floor as the issue?

The manifold is downstairs and the problem is up.

Yes just the one manifold 

[JFDIY]

There either should be some air vents to bleed any air, or if not there needs to be some way of getting air from the loops.

 

There are ways to do this with a mains pressure hose, but it isn't a serviceable system without a means to purge any air.

[Russ1221]

40 minutes ago, Russ1221 said:

The manifold is downstairs and the problem is up.

Yes just the one manifold 

Is this to get the air out? 

[Russ1221]

33 minutes ago, JFDIY said:

There either should be some air vents to bleed any air, or if not there needs to be some way of getting air from the loops.

 

There are ways to do this with a mains pressure hose, but it isn't a serviceable system without a means to purge any air.

Is this for the air? 

[ProDave]

That is an automatic air bleed valve that will normally bleed the air.

 

BUT your problem appears to be the manifold is downstairs and some of the loops go upstairs.  Air can form in the loops upstairs and block flow.

 

There is a procedure using a hose to blow the air through each loop one at a time though I don't see any hose fittings on your manifold so that is not going to be easy.

[Russ1221]

58 minutes ago, ProDave said:

That is an automatic air bleed valve that will normally bleed the air.

 

BUT your problem appears to be the manifold is downstairs and some of the loops go upstairs.  Air can form in the loops upstairs and block flow.

 

There is a procedure using a hose to blow the air through each loop one at a time though I don't see any hose fittings on your manifold so that is not going to be easy.

Ok thanks, ill see if I can get an underfloor specialist in the area (sidmouth Devon)to go and have a look, 

[JFDIY]

If it is air locked , and a there is a high probability of that, you really need to be considering putting a couple of auto-vents in on the high point of each loop, save the frustration of a repeat issue.

 

Which will most likely cost more now, but save it going forward

[TonyT]

Plus 1 for above

[Temp]

Probably an air lock as suggested. If so then I suggest putting corrosion inhibitor in the system after its bled as this can help stop it reoccurring. You may need several bottles to get the concentration high enough. Follow the instructions. Putting too much in is normally safe.

 

A test I would do when you visit is to crank up each stat in turn. Each time check the pump runs and wait for the button on the actuator to rise then turn it back down and repeat with the next one. Lable that actuators with names of the rooms if not done already. Also check the actuator heads haven't been pushed off the body as that's not always obvious.

Edited January 30, 2021 by Temp