Blocked Radiators

This webpage describes:

· What causes blocked radiators.

· Symptoms of a blocked radiator.

· How to fix a blocked radiator.

Blocked Radiators

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Fixing a blocked radiator is not easy and can be messy. The problem may not be a blocked radiator – see Central Heating Problems Links Page for other problems that can cause similar symptoms to a blocked radiator.

What Causes Blocked Radiators

Causes of blocked radiators:

· Hard water areas – lime scale build up similar to a kettle.

· Internal corrosion of the central heating system causes a black sludge to form.

· A chemical reaction between hot water and copper piping.

· A chemical reaction between air in the central heating, water and the metalwork of the central heating.

· Rusting.

Symptoms Of Blocked Radiators

· Radiator, or radiators, not hot all over, for instance hot at the top but cold at the bottom.

· Radiator, or radiators, not hot at all – pipes to radiators are hot.

· Hot water is getting to the radiators (hot pipes) but not into the radiator.

· Radiators slow to warm up.

· Regular central heating pump failures.

· Regular central heating valve failures – valves often ‘stick’ or need replacing.

· Bleed a radiator – no water comes out.

· Small ‘pinhole’ leaks in radiators. Whatever is blocking the radiators cases corrosion of the radiators.

· Noisey radiators.

How To Fix Blocked Radiators

· Remove the radiator, or radiators, take into garden and flush through with a hosepipe.

· Call in a professional heating engineer\plumber – have them flush the central heating system (cost about £400).

Links

Central Heating Problems – Advice & Help – main Judge Electrical central heating help and advice page.

Central Heating Troubleshooting Tips – series of short tips to help solve central heating problems.

Hot Radiators Upstairs But Not Downstairs – advice & help to solve this problem.

Central Heating Noises – what can cause different types of noises.

Banging Noise – possible explanations.

Humming Noise – possible explanations.

Creaking Noise – possible explanation.

Thermostats – what a thermostat is, what central heating system thermostats are used for; shows what central heating thermostats look like.

Central Heating Boilers – Information about central heating boilers.

Central Heating Boiler Problems – Advice & Help – advice and help on solving common central heating boiler problems.

Central Heating Timers Problems – Advice & Help – advice and help on solving common central heating timer problems.

Electrical RCD – Find, Reset, Investigate A Constantly Tripping RCD – is the central heating RCD tripping? How to find the RCD domestic unit, reset an RCD and how to investigate constantly tripping RCDs.

All Radiators Downstairs Cold – possible explanations.

Single Radiator Not Working – possible explanations.