Gas boiler articles to entertain you!

Taking the water out of a fully pumped gas heating system makes many maintenance tasks easier. To work on a radiator problem or to extend the system perhaps. This is often executed by the plumber during repair or extension work although some experienced homeowners have been known to empty their own heating systems.

Cleansing the radiators is the most common driver of this action. Before any work is attempted you need to turn off the central heating pump and gas boiler. Prevention of any additional water entering the gas central heating system is also a priority.

The heating system has a header or expansion tank in the attic which will ensure that any water shortfall is topped up. The passage of water in the expansion water tank is controlled by use of a standard ballvalve. As the water level falls, say through Emptying, the ball drops in the tank opening the valve and allowing more water to enter the central heating system. To ensure that the heating system fully empties we need to stop this mechanism. Using a metal or wooden rod to stop the ball leaves are falling in the cystern will stop water entering the system as the water is drained.

When you are confident that you are prevented any further water entering the gas central heating system you should attach a hose pipe to the outlet valve at the bottom of a radiator taking care to ensure the end of the hosepipe is in a empty outside your property. The water from your metal radiator will flow through the hosepipe and out of your metal radiator system. The hosepipe should be attached to one of the lower heating radiators if you intend to clean the whole gas central heating system. Check now that no water is moving into the gas heating system and that the metal radiators are fully emptied before you do any further work.

If you need to end this process promptly you can also vent the bleed valves on the metal radiators on the upper floors. When finished work can now start on the system.