Korean Job Discussion Forums

Girlygirl · Joined: 31 Oct 2008

Ok so I went away for 1 month. Just came back to a freezing house as no heat but the hot water is working fine. Anyone care to explain? Even my co-teachers are puzzled. BTW it was working fine before I left. Many thanks as always.

cruisemonkey · Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2009 10:29 am Post subject:

Try the following:

1. Turn up your thermostat. Wink

2. See if there's a 'reset' switch on the heat exchange unit.

3. There's possibly an air lock in the ondol water pipe. Find the drain petcock, 'bleed' the system and refill.

matthews_world · Joined: 15 Feb 2003

Teelo · Joined: 09 Oct 2008 Location: Wellington, NZ

Wouldn't surprise me if the floor pipes froze.

Girlygirl · Joined: 31 Oct 2008

refikaM · Joined: 06 May 2006 Location: Gangwondo

Yeah maybe your ondol pipes are frozen? Dunno if that's possible though and still be able to get hot water....

dutchschultz · Joined: 01 Feb 2004

It's #3 as stated by cruisemonkey.

I also have had this problem since I go away for at least one month in winter and I do not leave the heat on. I've lived in Korea for 10 years and have never had frozen pipes because I've not heated the apartment.

The process of bleeding the line takes about 30 minutes but depending where the boiler and the pipes are, it can take more than one person.

As to why your co-teachers don't know is the fact that many have no idea how to do basic maintenance. That's why they call a plumber when they get a clogged toilet instead of just fixing it themselves. I once asked my neighbor whose lived in the same apartment for 15 years if there was a valve to turn the hot water on and off. He said no, but there is.