Source and Trace a blocked pipe to a radiator in a small bore heating system
Anonymous user 28/02/2024 - 3.40 PM
I have a small bore central heating system which has been maintained regularly. One radiator is cold. Although all others are working OK. I have had the cold radiator flushed out and it would be working OK if the pipe was not blocked apparently. The pipe is not working to the left hand side of the radiator. I have been in touch with a tradesman who carries out powerflush but he said it would not work with plastic pipes on a small bore system. Any ideas on getting this fixed in the most efficient way, money and time wise?
Thanks to all tradesmen who have left feedback, hopefully I will find someone in my area who can fix it.
Are you a tradesperson and able to answer this question?
You’d have to trace the pipe back from the radiator which isn’t working, find out where it increases in size e.g. On a manifold connection etc. Then, you would turn the heating on to perform a heat test on flow and return to find out where the blockage is then you would initiate a drain down and renew the pipework from the blockage to the radiator.
Time and Cost wise.... It would be time dependent on when you find the bloackage but roughly around 3 hours, and whatever your materials cost on top.
Microbore pipe is susceptible to blockage due to poor maintenance of your heating system. As for the type of material transporting the heat in this case plastic this has no bearing on relieving the blockage.
Suggest you know speak to a heating engineer who specialises in Powerflushing, by just simply removing the troublesome radiator and flushing it out is not addressing the primary issue which is the pipe work serving it!
Answered14 October 2018
1
Anonymous user
Get 'Titan' wet vacuum cleaner/hoover from Screwfix (36516 £44.99). Good for draining and for unblocking. Undo the nut from the rad valve and try to suck water and any rubbish from the pipe to the rad. Do the same on manifold if any. You can blow the air into the pipe (would not recommend) if other end of pipe is open and directed to safe discharge location. Garden hose attached and run to outside etc. Check radiator valves for any blockages.
Answered13 October 2018
1
Anonymous user
Very expensive responses to this question.
I would recommend balancing your radiators first.
I just replaced a micro bore system to modern system layout and like an idiot had this exact problem.. customer called me up and said 7/8 rads are at maximum heat output but one red is stone cold.. fixed immediately by half closing a lock shield on the one rad sharing the supply.
All the heat and energy completely bypassing... getting the flow inside the pipes is key to a healthy system
