Draining heating system
 

I need to drain a heating system, or at least the top floor.
Trouble is the pipework which is all under the floor raises
about 6" out of the floor before going into the duct which
takes it downstairs. So no amount of draining from downstairs
is actually going to empty the upstairs pipework -- only the
radiators.

Anyone got any ideas on emptying the pipework? I can cut into
it under the floor (actually, the reason for draining it is
to move towel rail connection to it, so I will be cutting
it anyway). Obviously don't want it pouring through the
ceiling below though, as it's literally just been decorated.
Not sure if I can get any sizable container under it.
Don't have a wet vac.

(Pleased to say that when I designed and installed my own
heating system, I arranged that all the pipework slopes
down to the drain points, specifically to avoid exactly
this sort of situation.)

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

Draining heating system
 

Andrew Gabriel wrote:

Anyone got any ideas on emptying the pipework? I can cut into
it under the floor (actually, the reason for draining it is
to move towel rail connection to it, so I will be cutting
it anyway). Obviously don't want it pouring through the
ceiling below though, as it's literally just been decorated.

Would it be feasible to feed a long length of narrow flexible tube (I'm
thinking aquarium aerator-type) down a radiator tail as far as you can
and syphon it out?

David

Draining heating system
 

Andrew Gabriel wrote:
I need to drain a heating system, or at least the top floor.
Trouble is the pipework which is all under the floor raises
about 6" out of the floor before going into the duct which
takes it downstairs. So no amount of draining from downstairs
is actually going to empty the upstairs pipework -- only the
radiators.

Anyone got any ideas on emptying the pipework? I can cut into
it under the floor (actually, the reason for draining it is
to move towel rail connection to it, so I will be cutting
it anyway). Obviously don't want it pouring through the
ceiling below though, as it's literally just been decorated.
Not sure if I can get any sizable container under it.
Don't have a wet vac.

(Pleased to say that when I designed and installed my own
heating system, I arranged that all the pipework slopes
down to the drain points, specifically to avoid exactly
this sort of situation.)


Use a self plumb kit for a washing machine, fit proper drain cock or
good repair when done?

Draining heating system
 

Andrew Gabriel wrote:
I need to drain a heating system, or at least the top floor.
Trouble is the pipework which is all under the floor raises
about 6" out of the floor before going into the duct which
takes it downstairs. So no amount of draining from downstairs
is actually going to empty the upstairs pipework -- only the
radiators.

Anyone got any ideas on emptying the pipework? I can cut into
it under the floor (actually, the reason for draining it is
to move towel rail connection to it, so I will be cutting
it anyway). Obviously don't want it pouring through the
ceiling below though, as it's literally just been decorated.
Not sure if I can get any sizable container under it.

Don't have a wet vac.

Get one! Really useful for all sorts of plumbing jobs apart from radiators.
The Earlex is good, about £40 as a Wickes brand, or same price from Screwfix
as an Earlex.

I wouldn't be without mine.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

Draining heating system
 

Don't have a wet vac.

Get one! Really useful for all sorts of plumbing jobs apart from
radiators. The Earlex is good, about £40 as a Wickes brand, or same price
from Screwfix as an Earlex.

I wouldn't be without mine.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

Beat me to it! Only use them a few times a year but SO useful. Typically
when moving radiators, unblocking washing machine fluff filter, and emptying
gullies.

Draining heating system
 

newshound wrote:
Don't have a wet vac.
Get one! Really useful for all sorts of plumbing jobs apart from
radiators. The Earlex is good, about £40 as a Wickes brand, or same price
from Screwfix as an Earlex.

Beat me to it! Only use them a few times a year but SO useful. Typically
when moving radiators, unblocking washing machine fluff filter, and emptying
gullies.

I have one too but use it a lot more than that - in *dry* mode it serves
as an effective conventional vaccuum cleaner (or had you forgotten
that?!) I use mine for h/d DIY stuff so the normal household cleaber
just gets the lighter stuff.

David

Draining heating system
 

Lobster wrote:
newshound wrote:
Don't have a wet vac.
Get one! Really useful for all sorts of plumbing jobs apart from
radiators. The Earlex is good, about £40 as a Wickes brand, or same
price from Screwfix as an Earlex.

Beat me to it! Only use them a few times a year but SO useful.
Typically when moving radiators, unblocking washing machine fluff
filter, and emptying gullies.

I have one too but use it a lot more than that - in *dry* mode it
serves as an effective conventional vaccuum cleaner (or had you
forgotten that?!) I use mine for h/d DIY stuff so the normal
household cleaber just gets the lighter stuff.

I've only ever used mine for wet pick up, but I'm off to Wickes first thing
to buy the combination filter. Found an adaptor whilst clearing out the
workshop that connects the vac perfectly to my circular saw!


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

Draining heating system
 

On Mon, 14 Apr 2008 21:53:29 +0000, Andrew Gabriel wrote:

I need to drain a heating system, or at least the top floor. Trouble is
the pipework which is all under the floor raises about 6" out of the
floor before going into the duct which takes it downstairs. So no amount
of draining from downstairs is actually going to empty the upstairs
pipework -- only the radiators.

Anyone got any ideas on emptying the pipework? I can cut into it under
the floor (actually, the reason for draining it is to move towel rail
connection to it, so I will be cutting it anyway). Obviously don't want
it pouring through the ceiling below though, as it's literally just been
decorated. Not sure if I can get any sizable container under it. Don't
have a wet vac.

(Pleased to say that when I designed and installed my own heating
system, I arranged that all the pipework slopes down to the drain
points, specifically to avoid exactly this sort of situation.)

I think you'll find that a good bit of the water will syphon out of the
upstairs pipework especially if you can get the downstairs drain cock
fully open.

To remove the last bit you need to find a container than fits under the
pipe and which you can remove and keep level (much harder). A small nick
where you will cut the pipe with a junior hacksaw should make a a
controllable means of draining the dregs, hopefully the sum total will be
less than a bucket full.

If you have a length of sparky tape you should be able to close the hole
temporarily to empty the bucket if needed.


--
Ed Sirett - Property maintainer and registered gas fitter.
The FAQ for uk.diy is at http://www.diyfaq.org.uk
Gas fitting FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/GasFitting.html
Sealed CH FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/SealedCH.html
Choosing a Boiler FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/BoilerChoice.html

Draining heating system
 

On 14 Apr, 22:53, (Andrew Gabriel) wrote:
I need to drain a heating system, or at least the top floor.
Trouble is the pipework which is all under the floor raises
about 6" out of the floor before going into the duct which
takes it downstairs. So no amount of draining from downstairs
is actually going to empty the upstairs pipework -- only the
radiators.

Anyone got any ideas on emptying the pipework? I can cut into
it under the floor (actually, the reason for draining it is
to move towel rail connection to it, so I will be cutting
it anyway). Obviously don't want it pouring through the
ceiling below though, as it's literally just been decorated.
Not sure if I can get any sizable container under it.
Don't have a wet vac.

(Pleased to say that when I designed and installed my own
heating system, I arranged that all the pipework slopes
down to the drain points, specifically to avoid exactly
this sort of situation.)

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]


As another poster has said, most of the water should syphon if you
open a lower drain point. A method that's worked for me to clear the
remainder of water in such a pipe section is to then cut the pipe
somewhere above and blow down the pipe with a bicycle pump. I cut an
older inner tube about 10cm either side of the valve. I fixed one end
of the tube over the pipe with a jubilee clip and tied a knot in the
other end of the tube. I used the track pump style of pump, as this
can move a lot of air with one pump operation. I was rewarded with a
jet of water out of the lower drain point.


Mike

Draining heating system
 

wrote:
On 14 Apr, 22:53, (Andrew Gabriel) wrote:
I need to drain a heating system, or at least the top floor.
Trouble is the pipework which is all under the floor raises
about 6" out of the floor before going into the duct which
takes it downstairs. So no amount of draining from downstairs
is actually going to empty the upstairs pipework -- only the
radiators.

Anyone got any ideas on emptying the pipework? I can cut into
it under the floor (actually, the reason for draining it is
to move towel rail connection to it, so I will be cutting
it anyway). Obviously don't want it pouring through the
ceiling below though, as it's literally just been decorated.
Not sure if I can get any sizable container under it.
Don't have a wet vac.

(Pleased to say that when I designed and installed my own
heating system, I arranged that all the pipework slopes
down to the drain points, specifically to avoid exactly
this sort of situation.)

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]


As another poster has said, most of the water should syphon if you
open a lower drain point. A method that's worked for me to clear the
remainder of water in such a pipe section is to then cut the pipe
somewhere above and blow down the pipe with a bicycle pump. I cut an
older inner tube about 10cm either side of the valve. I fixed one end
of the tube over the pipe with a jubilee clip and tied a knot in the
other end of the tube. I used the track pump style of pump, as this
can move a lot of air with one pump operation. I was rewarded with a
jet of water out of the lower drain point.

What a clever idea! Brilliant!


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk