Intake of air

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Hello all,

I am constantly bleeding my radiators and was wondering whether everytime I top up the system (combi-boiler) with water am I introducing air?

many thanks
 
HI, I don't ever get air coming out form the downstairs radiators, always just 2 out of the 3 upstairs ones.

Also should you bleed radiators with the boiler on or off?

regards
 
You should bleed the rads thus:

Fill the system to about 1.5 bar
Run the heating and DHW alternatly a few times, then let the heating get to max temperature (about 80 C) for half an hour or so. (Windows open!)
Then shut down and let the system cool to almost ambient temperature.
Then bleed rads, starting downstairs and then move upstairs.
Once this is done, you should have no air being introduced. You may wish to re-bleed the upstairs rad or rads after about a week to get the remains of any air out. You should not have much, if any, though.
When you add water, you introduce more air, which is why you should initially set the pressure to about 1.5 bar, then bleeding will bring it down to about 1.0 to 1.3 bar, which is OK for most systems, without the need to add more water....and air.
If you find you are getting air still after the above, your system is drawing air in somewhere. Assuming your boiler is not the cause (and some new boilers can do this if they have O-ring misplacement - sometimes air is introduced when on DHW, which is then pushed into the heating circuit when the diverter valve moves), you will probably have some slightly weepy joints or rad valves that pass a little air - fairly common with today's cheap fittings. The best cure for this is to add Fernox Leak Seal (about £10 per litre) and let it search out the weeps and air inlets - they are only tiny and the Seal will not affect your boiler at all. Or spend ages checking and re-doing every joint and valve.......
Good Luck
 
Further...

if your system is old-ish, you may also have a fair bit of black sludge.

Once the system corrodes, it tends to generate hydrogen.

If you get a fair amount of "air" in a rad, try lighting this by holding a lighter or match next to the bleed valve and opening. If you get a flame shooting out (it may pop) you have hydrogen...not air.

To cure this you need to flush the system with Fernox or Sentinel as per their instructions until you get rid of all sludge. Then protect it with an inhibitor.
Good Luck.....
 
Just a point of clarification:

Where I mentioned fill the system to 1.5 bar, it should be already filled and bled cold. Then top-up to 1.5 bar.

Then start the rest of the procedure...
 
Compression fittings are renown for letting in air..22mm worse than 15mm...always use solder.
 
Don't forget that rad valves are notorious for leaking water/letting in air.

If they are good ones, the brass gland nut (the one you see when you remove the plastic cap) is clean and dry, and brass coloured!

If it is brown/green/black and/or damp when the system is cold (water may evaporate when system hot) then try nipping the gland nut up a little. If that doesn't work, replace them with "hi-spec" ones as soon as possible.
 
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