How to Drain A Central Heating System?

Most homes use a boiler to provide hot water and heat the property, coursing steam or high temp water through pipelines and radiators throughout the premises.

Maintenance of your heating system is crucial to guarantee efficient execution and avoid issues that can entail later in the future. Therefore, you will need to drain your heating system from time to time. The reason could be anything from eliminating muck to fixing a hole or changing the radiator altogether.

The document is truly very important for landlords to study. Specifically, when they have the responsibility of their tenants in hand. Which is why 24|7 Home Rescue offers some of the most suitable landlord boiler plans one can purchase.

It is under the responsibility of a landlord to maintain their main boiler and central heating system. For tenants to keep adding up their share of it, the landlord shall make sure nothing causes trouble to the ones living in.

The article below provides some of the best ways on how to drain a central heating system accurately.

What Is A Central Heating System?

A central heating system provides warmth to the whole interior of a building, or a portion, from one point to multiple rooms.

With taking control of the whole building climate, or premises, the central heating system may be an HVAC, which includes heating, ventilation, and air conditioning.

Because the landlord handles his tenants, it highly applies for them to look into Landlord Plans. Not only are those plans affordable for their use and convenience, but it also allows them to get their boiler serviced annually. Keeping sure that the maintenance is at the top of its game and satisfying everyone living in with the service and facilities provided.

TIP: A central heating system is the most efficient and there are several benefits of a central heating grant. If you should take advantage of the government-backed first-time central heating grant then you will experience lower monthly heating bills. Wrma UK has helped thousands of households to access the central heating grants. Check today if you are eligible for a free central heating grant.

Why and How Does One Need to Drain Their Central Heating System?

1. Drain Your System:

Often it is necessary for one to drain down their central heating system. This may be for several reasons:

It can be because you need to introduce an agent to clean and flush it through, removing any sludge, or simply because you need to change or replace the radiator.

In all events, the first most important thing to do is to turn off your boiler. Turn off the gas or electricity supply to the boiler.

If a back boiler, or a solid-fuel fire is serving as a boiler, make sure the fire is out and the boiler is cold.

In case you are unsure about it, and you think it would be better to call a Gas Safe, Registered engineer, then go for it. It is advisable to call them in; instead of thinking too much over it and further complicate the actual issue, your boiler is facing.

1. Shut the Water Supply Off:

Shut off the water supply to the feed-and-expansion cistern. We usually find it where the loft is. By shutting off the water valve, you make sure no water enters the system while you are working to drain it.

1. Check for Where the Drain Valve Is:

See where the drain valve is, it may be near the bottom of your boiler, or there may be over one or more drainage points on the system.

Now, with the help of a hosepipe, clip a garden hose onto the outlet or connect it to the drain nozzle and run it outside in a suitable area.

Make sure the water does not run out anywhere on the roads or the pavement, especially in winters. It could freeze and cause accidents.

With the help of an adjustable wrench, open the drain valve and let the water from the system run through.

When no more water comes out, check if the system has finished draining before you work, or remove the radiators.

There can always be a chance for air to enter the system causing an airlock, stopping the water from escaping. To fix this, get into the loft, fill the tank up to 6 inches high with water, and in a few seconds if the water runs out, it will mean you don’t have an airlock, instead you just need to connect the end of the pipe to the radiator and with one push of water, clean and drain it out.

1. Check for all the points at which air emits from the central heating system:

There are a few vents, one should investigate:

• Radiator vents,
• A vent on the main flow near the hot water cylinder in fully pumped systems
• Manual or automatic vents in the loft if that is where the circulating pipes run
• There could be additional vents at other points as well.

1. Open the drain valve, turning it counterclockwise:

To open the drain the valve you will need one of these:

1. Spanner
2. Pliers
3. Man Key

With the help of these tools, open the drain valve by turning it counterclockwise, either with a spanner or pliers. The water will eventually flow out of the hose at a slow rate.

1. Open the vent points at the top of your system:

This will speed up the flow from the drain valve. As the water level drops further, open the lower venting points until they are all open and draining water.

You now have successfully drained your central heating system.

This is the reason why it is recommended to buy a boiler plan, along with your boiler. 24|7 Home Rescue along with their Boiler Plans offer an annual service, to keep your boilers protected. You will not have to keep paying each and every time you get your boiler serviced. Nor will you have to worry if anything goes wrong. A Gas-safe, registered engineer can always assist you with a probable diagnosis for your boiler and its needs.

How to Refill Your Heating System After Draining It?

1. Close the drain cock on the radiator and all the bleed valves you have opened.
2. Untie the string in the feed tank and let the water fill up the system via the tank. Wait until the tank stops filling, then downstairs, bleed the bottom level radiators.
3. Once they have bled, repeat with the top radiators upstairs. This should ensure it fills your system.
4. It is always beneficial to add an inhibitor to your system, preventing corrosion and limescale.
5. Double check to ensure you have re-tightened all nuts and whatever there was that needed your attention and turn on your power supply.
6. Relight your boiler.
7. As the water heats, you may hear a few knocking sounds as air expands in the system. The radiators will probably need bleeding again once the system completely heats.
8. Once the system has reached full pressure, check again, and see if there are any leaks.

Conclusion:

Now that you have both the methods in front of you. How to drain your Heating System and how-to re-fill it, there would not be much you would need to worry about. But incase you are still not able to get the hang of it, 24|7 Home Rescue has got you covered! Our gas-safe, registered engineers can assist you, and service your boilers, diagnosing exactly what is wrong with your boiler or heating system.