| Central Heating means heating from a central | | | | An important thing to be aware of with a fully |
| source. In Central Heating Systems water is the | | | | pumped Central Heating System is how to drain it. |
| medium. The water gets hot so that all the areas | | | | Draining your system is something that you will |
| that need it get it. | | | | most likely have to or want to do in the lifetime |
| If you are planning on getting a boiler/system | | | | of your Central Heating System. |
| fitted or replaced there are certain things that | | | | The main reason for most people for draining |
| you should keep in mind. One of the first things | | | | their Central Heating System is to clean the |
| you should do is find out what type of system | | | | radiators. Before you do anything to the actual |
| you already have installed to make sure you have | | | | radiator you should turn off the boiler and any gas |
| the requirements needed for your new system. | | | | or electric that supplies the boiler. It is also |
| Also you should think about what you want from | | | | important that you do not let any more water |
| your central heating system, keeping in mind | | | | into the system while you drain it. |
| things such as; do you want instant or stored hot | | | | Your Central Heating tank where the water is fed |
| water? Different parts of your house heated | | | | into has a ball valve that is the same as the one |
| independently, if so how many? And do you want | | | | seen in your toilet tank. This ball valve is a ball |
| your boiler hidden away? | | | | attached to an arm that, when lifted closes the |
| There is no standard Central Heating System, | | | | valve, which means when the tank is full no more |
| every system is tailored to suit individual needs. | | | | water can get in because the valve is closed. |
| Even if you only have a basic system you should | | | | However when some water is drawn off the |
| still have the power to programme it correctly so | | | | tank, the ball drops, the valve opens and more |
| that it can look after itself. You should be able to | | | | water gets into the tank, this is what needs to be |
| set it on a timer so that it can automatically turn | | | | stopped when draining your radiator. One of the |
| itself on and off. With an advanced system you | | | | best ways to stop this is by placing a piece of |
| can take this one step further and have the | | | | wood across the tank and tying the value arm to |
| control to set your Central Heating System so | | | | it, which will close this valve. |
| that it keeps your house at just the right | | | | When all these precautions have been carried out, |
| temperature and gives you all the hot water that | | | | you should attach a hosepipe to the part of your |
| you will need. You should be able to control all of | | | | radiator known as the outlet and run the end of |
| this, with your boiler burning the bare minimum | | | | the hosepipe outside. The water from your |
| amount of fuel. | | | | radiator will flow through the hosepipe and out of |
| Out of all the Central Heating Systems, the fully | | | | your radiator system. You must make sure |
| pumped systems remain the most common and | | | | before you start cleaning or replacing your |
| popular. In a fully pumped Central Heating System | | | | radiator that all of the water has defiantly been |
| the water is heated by a boiler and sent around | | | | drained out. |
| the pipework by a pump; this water is then | | | | To make your system drain faster you should |
| routed to the radiator circuit and to the hot water | | | | open any bleed valves on your radiators, starting |
| cylinder by a motorised valve. As well as this the | | | | with the radiators on the top floor and working |
| user has a lot of control over how heat is | | | | your way down. When the water is drained off |
| distributed and what time and temperature it is | | | | you are free to work on your radiator. |
| supplied. | | | | |