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C-Tec Miracle seal for leaks. Anyone used it?

Mike are there rads upstairs?

What I would do @wulbert is I'd disconnect the pipe-work to the downstairs rads/pipe-work under the concrete and temporarily connect a couple of downstairs rads and just run the pipe surface for the moment ie over floors etc not actually make a job of it then that should get the heating on and the hot water then take it from there.

I suspect that the under concrete pipe-work will have to be abandoned and new pipe-work installed above ground/surface and just box it all in when the work's completed, it will look terrible until it's boxed in but it's the easiest and quickest way to get things sorted and back to normal Mike.

BTW, what planet is the plumber on 'without a phone?' eff me it get's worse, can he just not go and buy a cheap one until he sorts himself out?

Guy sounds a complete plonker.
 
I've asked my plumber if I can turn on the immersion, just to be safe. Can't see why not but this new pumped system is Heathen Greek to me.

Assuming it's all standard, the hot water and the heating are different circuits and fed from different loft tanks. Only the coil inside the cylinder is connected to the heating circuit. The immersion just heats the water within the cylinder like a giant kettle. No pump needed or in use for that. E.g. I was able to use the immersion for couple of weeks here when the (very old) boiler broke (it was the summer). Even during installation of new boiler when central heating was drained and pipes were being changed, the hot water worked with just the immersion. The pump isn't in use when using the immersion.
 
Mike are there rads upstairs?

Yes, 4 of them.

I suspect that the under concrete pipe-work will have to be abandoned and new pipe-work installed above ground/surface and just box it all in when the work's completed, it will look terrible until it's boxed in but it's the easiest and quickest way to get things sorted and back to normal Mike.

It may well come to that in the absence of any visible damp patches. Maybe leave the 2 kitchen ones in place as that was all new pipework in 05/06. Can't see the ideal routing though.

BTW, what planet is the plumber on 'without a phone?'

He said that it's broken; waiting for a new one but I doubt anyone can do that job without so may have borrowed one just for calling out. Sorry, not up on mobile technology.

Assuming it's all standard, the hot water and the heating are different circuits and fed from different loft

Yes, it must be the same as I've used before. From loft tank to immersion-heated cylinder. Unfortunately, there's so much going on at the mo' that I'm tending to lose reason (and sleep!). Must have hot water so I'll switch the new immersion on this eve.

Spent an hour in the loft cleaning out the asbestos exp. tank this afternoon; it was pretty grubby. At least when/if the system is refilled it won't take sediment and crud into the pipes.
 
Mike where's the cylinder?
....and do we know if it's primatic or indirect?

I'm assuming the latter, but nothing would surprise me having read all this thread.

Plus I'd get that old asbestos(!) F&E tank replaced with a modern plastic one with a proper lid.
 
Won't be a primatic cause you can't install on on a fully pump system, well you can but it's not recommended, I think it's an indirect cylinder it may even be an unvented, not sure though, photos would be helpful.

I thought that was the case, but my understanding was that Mike's system was originally gravity fed, at least the DHW part of it, which made me wonder about the HW cylinder, and if it should have been changed?
 
I thought that was the case, but my understanding was that Mike's system was originally gravity fed, at least the DHW part of it, which made me wonder about the HW cylinder, and if it should have been changed?

Sorry about the quote balls up Mike.

No his system was originally gravity hot water (primaries) and pumped heating however the plumber fitted a new cylinder and converted the heating system to a fully pumped system ie Honeywell S plan or Y plan, the domestic hot water side is still an open vented cylinder with a cold water storage tank feeding the cylinder and an expansion tank feeding the heating as far as I know
 
In airing cupboard directly under tanks.
Yes
Yes.

Well easy enough to isolate the downstairs Rads Mike and also to keep the cylinder working.

That would be my suggestion to get you out of a hole at the moment then when the weather/the plumber's work situation improves then re-pipe properly and abandon the pipe-work under the concrete.

Tony
 
Spent an hour in the loft cleaning out the asbestos exp. tank this afternoon; it was pretty grubby. At least when/if the system is refilled it won't take sediment and crud into the pipes.[/QUOTE said:
System flushing/cleaning usually includes cleaning the header tank. You’ve just spent an hour doing something you shouldn’t have had to do.
 
Well easy enough to isolate the downstairs Rads Mike and also to keep the cylinder working.

That would be my suggestion to get you out of a hole at the moment then when the weather/the plumber's work situation improves then re-pipe properly and abandon the pipe-work under the concrete.

You've got me there, Tony. D'you mean to only use the upstairs rad's on the heating system? No idea how, but this would allow 3 rad's (and importantly, the bathroom, which is first in line and presumably not have the leak.. However, htg the downstairs (9 rad's, most med./large) with electric is what we're doing now, and even keeping a 1/2 kW fire going in the living room still keeps the 'stat at 14 or below.

Yesterday morning was okay (built-up house heat despite -2 outside) but this morning (0 outside) the bathroom and office were <10, the liv/room 12.5 and kitchen/diner the same. Am typing in 12.5 degree office at the mo' despite 1kW heater being on for 1/2 an hour. There ain't no substitute for c/h ! Heat rises and it's the downstairs which is problematic, being larger than up.

Ellenor, News to me. I only had a hot flush, though I think 'flush' is a misnomer as nothing is flushed out.. Because I last cleaned it 18 months ago I asked the chap up in the loft at the time whether I should clean it out (whilst it was empty after draining down), and he said that it was very clean! The water may have been but the bottom of the tank most certainly wasn't judging by the muck I removed yesterday.

Letting new water pour into the tank to refill surely must have muddied the waters a bit as there's only about 4" between base and inlet hole.
 
Hi Mike, yes use the upstairs rads and cylinder, cut off the pipe-work to downstairs and then pick up the rads for downstairs by temporarily running a flow and return to the downstairs from where the original F&R has been cut off so just run the pipe on top of the floor and pick up the rads you can do the pipes in plastic makes it quick so you'd have the entire heating system back working pretty quickly albeit you'd have two pipes running on the floor down the stairs etc to the rads downstairs then when things are easier just re-pipe the down stairs part of the heating system properly or as good as it can be done given it's all going to be installed on the surface but as said previously it will be unsightly but just box it all in and abandon the existing under concrete pipe-work where the leak is.
 
cut off the pipe-work to downstairs and then pick up the rads for downstairs by temporarily running a flow and return to the downstairs from where the original F&R has been cut off so just run the pipe on top of the floor and pick up the rads you can do the pipes in plastic makes it quick so you'd have the entire heating system back working pretty quickly albeit you'd have two pipes running on the floor down the stairs etc to the rads downstairs then when things are easier just re-pipe the down stairs part of the heating system properly or as good as it can be done given it's all going to be installed on the surface but as said previously it will be unsightly but just box it all in and abandon the existing under concrete pipe-work where the leak is.

Now that's an idea I'll put to the plumber if he ever visits (due Mon. aft.). As far as I know, the initial htg is upstairs, then comes down the wall in the corner of lounge; boxed in but removable, so no pipes needed down the stairs. Guess there'll be plastic pipes crossing the living room and kitchen to trip over, but it does buy time. Presumably the plastic pipes go to each rad after severing their 4/5" or so vertical copper feeds. Similarly, installing an above-ground copper connection to all rads, though, (which may be the only answer apart from sealant working) I still can't see a route through so many (3/4) doorways.

However, This is certainly sth which could temporarily hook up most of the downstairs rads. Brilliant idea, Tony. Wonder if my plumber thinks of it; doubt it; you can be skilled when you're young but it takes the experience and problem solving of mature service i.m.o.
 
I can't think how this plumber sleeps at night knowing an 82 year old and wife are without central heating during a really cold snap. If it was me I'd work all night if needs be to get this sorted asap.
I obviously don't know the full circumstances, but this situation seems unacceptable.
 
I suppose a lot depends on where the plumber lives. If it's miles away, it's at least understandable if not great customer service. If he's local and round the proverbial corner, not so good...
 
I can't think how this plumber sleeps at night knowing an 82 year old and wife are without central heating during a really cold snap. If it was me I'd work all night if needs be to get this sorted asap.
I obviously don't know the full circumstances, but this situation seems unacceptable.

The thing that concerns me the most is Mike's wife going into the loft on a daily basis, I've spent my working life pulling myself from ladders into lofts and it ain't easy but when you're into your late seventies early eighties it's the last thing you should be doing.

Obviously there's two sides to every story buy my sympathy goes out to Mike and his wife, probably the leak issue is nothing to do with the plumber but he has a duty to help his customer out, at the very least he should have been round with electric portable heaters.
 
I don’t think there’s much else to add to this thread now. Any visit from your plumber yet?

No communication at all since emails on Monday. Shall try to phone his partner today if only to let them know how cold this place is, esp. in the early morning; takes ages moving electric fires around to lift temp's. L'room never got above 14.5 yesterday, despite fire on all day.

I obviously don't know the full circumstances, but this situation seems unacceptable.

It's becoming less acceptable by the day, Venton. Mood and health are concerns at the mo'.

I suppose a lot depends on where the plumber lives.

One mile away! Rally couldn't get much more local.

The thing that concerns me the most is Mike's wife going into the loft on a daily basis

Not now, Tony; no point as ball-cock is tied up and htg down. Wife is younger and more agile, b.t.w. :)

probably the leak issue is nothing to do with the plumber but he has a duty to help his customer out, at the very least he should have been round with electric portable heaters.

If he'd picked up (or responded to) my 'should I be worried' email of 17th Dec. re pump/boiler coming on during the night this could've been a lot closer to a solution; I'd no idea that a leak had happened until the water co. letter received on the 10th.

Sorry about the delays in responding, but have to warm up the office first to get into the computer (no smartphone !). Roll on warm snap !
 


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