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Radiator output problem

 
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Nick Lawson



Joined: 21 Dec 2006
Posts: 1

PostPosted: Thu Dec 21, 2006 10:53 am    Post subject: Radiator output problem Reply with quote

Hello everyone, I'm new to the forum and unfortunately am starting off with a problem.

I bought a new house about a year ago and have had problems getting the heat up to a comfortable temperature. I reckoned that the radiators were too small and told the builder this but he said he disagreed so I tried to get a plumber to assess them and write a report. I must have rang every plumber in the phone book but no-one wanted to get involved so I ended up getting an engineer in. The engineers report showed that all of the rads. were too small but the builder still disputed it. To cut a very long story short, he then commissioned a firm of consulting engineers who specialise in heating and I have just received the report today - they say the rads are all way oversize! I have rejected this for the following reasons:

The previous report findings.
The house never gets to a comfortable temperature.
All of the residents, in the first phase, have the same problem.
The next phases of the site have larger higher output rads in the same housetype.

Why I doubt the second report even more is the fact that I have an integral garage with a room above it. The floor in this room was not insulated and therefore it was about as cold as the garage beneath it. In the second report the calculations had allowed for the lack of insulation and still showed that the existing heat production was 144% of what was required!

The builder is now saying the report proves him right but I am still cold! Can anyone give me any advice on the next step to take?
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creatingyourdream



Joined: 27 Dec 2006
Posts: 36

PostPosted: Thu Dec 28, 2006 11:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Nick,

commiserations, that sounds terrible! I think you have two options, fight or give up. If you want to fight, I'd suggest getting in touch with the occupants of the other houses that have problems with achieving a decent temperature. Assess how bad or wide-spread the problem is and see if you can't convince them to take action together. Is the builder required to provide energy-efficiency certificates for the house? That should give a good indication of any insulation problems... Maybe a solicitor's letter to the builder coming from a number of people rather than just yourself might put a bit of fear into him... I'd also contact the local citizen's advice centre and see what they advise...

Or, the potentially cheaper and less nerve-wrecking options would be to give up and have the rads changed yourself. The rads aren't that expensive but of course, you might have to change some or all of the pipes to accommodate the larger rads which entails taking the floors up... Messy, but on the other hand, once it's done, it's done and you can get on with your life!

Good luck!
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Marion Hermannsen
Creating Your Dream Interior Design
www.creatingyourdream.net
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Jobfix



Joined: 02 Sep 2007
Posts: 2

PostPosted: Sun Sep 02, 2007 7:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Rolling Eyes See if your boilerthermostate is set at 80 degrees and than try to regulate the radiators in. Close the retour valve in the bedrooms half and see what happens, Keep doing this until you get it warm in the kitchen ,sittingroom and bathroom. Good luck
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