Most modern combi gas condensing boilers & many standard boilers are now fitted as Pressurised Systems. They differ from the conventional boiler systems with a water tank ,with a ball cock device to maintain good water levels in the system. As the self filling water tank is left out a pressurised system requires filling manually via a filling device, ( a ‘filling loop’). This allows a specific amount of water to be injected into the system via your inlet mains cold water supply.
This water pressure is distinct from the pressure in your hot or cold water taps. The pressure in your cold water taps comes direct from your water mains and is maintained by your water company. The pressure in your hot water taps is created by the head of water in your water heating cylinder or from the electric pump feeding your hot water supply.
How can you tell what your current system pressure is.
Every pressurised system, regardless of the type of boiler (gas combi boiler or standard system), will incorporate a a manual or digital pressure gauge which you can read. This pressure gauge is the device with which the system water pressure in your boiler and system radiators is measured.
To maintain the system in a healthy condition the pressure gauge should be checked monthly. If when you check it, you find that the system pressure has fallen please follow the steps below to re-pressurise your system.
Your central heating system manual will advise of the pressure that your system runs at. Most systems should be pressurised to between 1 and 1.5 bar.
To top up your heating system and increase the pressure, you will need to find your filling loop. It most usually resembles a stop tap and is connected to the central heating system by a metal braded hose. Occasionally you may find that one end of the this metal hose is not connected to the pipe work on your system. There may be a cap on the end of the pipe and it will need to be connected to the system to allow the water to be injected.
To connect your filling loop to the system, simply remove the cap from the end of the pipe work and attach the metal braded filling hose. You will then need to tighten this connection by hand, do not over-tighten with a spanner.
Sometimes this filling loop device may be hidden, behind a pipe near the boiler or perhaps inside a cupboard below the boiler. It should always be somewhere close to the combi boiler as it needs to be able to connect to the boilers copper pipework.
Another issue in finding the filling loop may be that some filling devices are an integral ( built in ) part of the boiler, you should have been advised of this by your boiler installer and you will need to refer to your boilers instruction manual for the exact way in which this system is repressurised.
To refill the system, use the isolation tap you have located to open and close the braded filling loop. When the tap is opened it will allow fresh mains water to flow into your Central Heating system pipes and radiators. As this happens you you will hear the water going through the valves into the system. It is recommended that you open the valve slowly to allow the system to fill up to your desired pressure . When you do this a steady increase in water pressure will be seen on the combi boilers pressure gauge in the same way as you would see an increase on a car tyre gauge if you were inflating a tyre.
If you cannot see your pressure gauge while filling the system it is a good idea to have a second pair of eyes to look at it for you while you are turning the tap. When the recommended system pressure is reached close the valve by turning it in the opposite direction to which you opened it.
There is no need to worry if your system does accidentally become over pressurised . All modern systems are designed with safety in mind and a pressure safety valve is incorporated into the plumbing. This acts like an overflow pipe releasing the excess pressure and allowing the system to revert to the recommended levels.
The pressure relief valve may make a noise as it releases this excess water pressure sounding like a thumping noise, again do not worry, this sound will stop when the system pressure reduces to a lower level.
If the system is free from water leaks the water pressure should remain the same within the system in future months. If you notice that the pressure regularly falls you may have a pressure leak or faulty pressure relief valve.
Bleeding radiators involving perhaps a small amount of the air escaping from a system at the radiator bleed point can reduce the overall system pressure. As a result after bleeding your radiators you should remember to check your pressure gauge and fill the system as required.
water leaks will cause pressure loss within a pressurised cmbi boiler central heating system and the severity of water leaks can vary. Very small leaks will cause pressure drops over a long time, possibly several months or even a year. Leaks of this magnitude may not be detectable as the water evaporates quite quickly although you may spot some residue following evaporation of the water.
Big leaks may be more visible and will mean your system will require filling as frequently as once or twice a week. If this is the case you should check your central heating system for leaks when it is cold paying particular attention to the areas around radiator and boiler valves. It is recommended that you check for leaks when the system is cold as heat causes expansion and can seal small leaks temporarily.
southports local plumber blog march 2013
