"Sparks" wrote in message
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"Qatar Airlines Passanger" wrote in message
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"Sparks" wrote in message
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"Joe Bloggs" wrote in message
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"Joe Bloggs" wrote in message
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It's seems I have a leaking pipe somewhere,


There are two main types of heating systems, sealed and vendted.

In a vented system, there is a small water tank, usually in the loft
(This will be higher than the highest radiator and higher than the hot
water cylinder) - this keeps central heating system topped up
automatically.

If you have one of these, you need to stop it from filling, otherwise,
no matter how much water you drain off, it will just keep filling :-)

There is definately a tank in the loft so its vented, I stopped it
filling
buy turning the cold water off at the stopcock, but this means no
cold wather either but I can turn it on breifly and get some without any
leakage
apparent in the wall, maybe I woulus be better off doing it in the loft
but
its small and crammped up there.

Yes, if you just tie the ball cock up, so it can't drop and fill the tank,
this will be fine (assuming there isnt a stopcock just before the ball
ock) - You may need to bang a nail into a joist above to secure the
string/rope, or simply lay a piece of wood over the top of the tank and
tie it to this.

I think there are two tanks in the loft IIRC, the nearest on seemed to be
covered with some sort of insulation, the furthest one is really hard to get
to
if it is indeed a tank, the loft ceiling is very low near the tanks, it
seemed easier
to turn it off at the main stop cock.Especially as I wanted to do it
quickly.



I has assumed it was set to off). Would that be a problem if the
boiler had fired
up with out any water in the pipe I assume I had probably drained?).

It can cuase daname if the boiler is dry, however there should be a
safety lock out, that trips if the boiler gets to hot - if it was only
on for a very short time, I am sure it will be fine.
(When you drained the system, I expect you didn't actually drain the
water in the boiler anyway)

But I think its the same pipe which goes through the radiators?
The hot watertaps are drained too but thats less of a prob.
I guess the worst thast I could do is that I melted that pipe but that
must
be unlikely as pots and pans dont melt on the stove do they?!

The pipe will simply connect to the heat exchanger (usually cast iron) so
you should be fine.

Yes I guess so.


Thanks I need to lift some floorboards now, I am not sure if I have
a too suitable for raising then up but I maybe I can find something
other wise I will have to go to homebase of B&Q.

The last time I had to lift some boards, I used a large flathead
screwdriver and a hammer :-)

The problem arises when you have a board that goes under somthing - then
you need to cut the board in the middle of a joist. (The nails holding the
board down should mark the middle of the joist)

I expect that bards were lifted to install the heating, so hopfully you
can spot these and lift them.

I usually screw the boards back afterwards instead of nailing them - makes
removal later easier and makes it less likley you will damage the boards
when trying to get them back up.

Well I did have a look at them and try to lever one up but with no luck.
I had even bought a wide chisel tool called an "electicians flooring tool"
but it looked too thick to fit between any gaps, I asked one of the
assistants
if it was suitable but he didn't give a clear answer and went to luck for
the
'assistant who knows about plumbing" (former plulmber by the sounds of it)
but seemed to have finished his shift. I also bought some stuff like putty
which supposedly could be used to fix leaks, at least temporilly.
The board I wanted to lift was under the skirting board on one side and at
one end, it even went under a door frame. It was not a normal board any
way, seemed to some sort of green chip board, the board next to it was of
the same stuff but about 2 foot wide. Anyway it didnt look like I could
lift them. So I was trying to 'dig around' a nail to see if could get a claw
hammer on it to extract it. (Seemed like the best option at that point).
Anyway as I was doing this I got a knock on the door from my
neighbour, I though they were going to complain about the noise but it
transspired that they had been having problems too. I had suspected the
water
was coming through from their side however as the leakage stopped when
I was draining the radiator I assumed the problem must be on my side.
Looks like they drained theirs or turned something off at about the same
coincidently (well not too much of a coincidence under the circumstances).
Turned out they had had a shower installed last week (I wondered what the
noise was, the walls let noise through as easilly as water!). They said they
had the plumber back and he fixed it but that it had started leaking again,
however none has came through to my side so I was a bit confused, they
also said he was coming around tomorrow morning to fit it.
Anyway I have had my central heating (and water) on for almost 2 hours and
not a trace of any leakage which is a great relief!! I don't think I would
have had
much luck with those boards. Thinking about it the best way would probably
have been to drill the heads off the screws then drive some screws in to try
and pull it up.
The boards are not proper wood some sort of chipboard with not much strength
in it
it would be hard to lever them up unless you got right beneath them.
Anyway I am relieved I have my heating back and no major job to do. I have
just
discovered that if I prick the bubbles in the paint I can press them out
(they seem to be air
not water as I first thought) and they will dissappear without a trace.
I guess I would be within my rights to charge my neighbour for the £10 I
spent
at B & Q on a wedge chisel and a leak repair 'kit' but I guess they may come
in useful
sometime and I think I can return them anyway, they said I could return the
chisel
if unused so same probably applies to the kit.
I am just relieved I have my central heating back especially looking at the
forecast
for then next few days!!



Sparks...