We just had a hell of a time finding a problem in the radiant floor system of the Brooklyn Green Show House. Some of the zones in the house didn’t heat up.
Try as we might we couldn’t figure out why. We tested pump pressure, we made sure we hadn’t crossed pipes somewhere, we tested the thermostats, we calibrated the boiler, we switched the manifolds, we reversed the pipes, we checked the pressure, we checked the heat, we did everything.
We did everything except remember that 99% of radiant floor problems are due to air in the pipes. Sure we purged the pipes of air, or at least we thought. But we hadn’t gotten all of it. So all along the most simple solution was the issue.
And we consider ourselves radiant floor specialists for Brooklyn Brownstones….
Any time a radiant floor system is not working it almost always is due to air being trapped in the pipes. This causes blockage and reduces the pressure which means the water can’t flow and the floors don’t heat up.
Here are useful diagrams for purging radiant piping of air. It is a simple procedure and does not need a $300 visit from your plumber to do.
