If you’re finding that your radiators aren’t fully heating up properly – for example, the bottom half might be warm, but the top isn’t – they might need bleeding.
Bleeding a radiator isn’t as huge of a task as it may seem. It’s well worth doing, as it can result in your radiators working more efficiently and ultimately saving you money on your central heating bills. Help is at hand from CNM Online, the leading UK heating and radiator specialist, who have put together this simple and straightforward five step guide to successfully bleeding your radiators.
What you need to bleed a radiator
Before you start, there are a few things you need:
A bleed key (readily available from a DIY store)
Some tissue paper.
How to bleed your radiator
1. Turn off the central heating system. This is massively important, so make sure it is turned off and has cooled down before starting.
2. Find the bleed valve on the radiator (this is normally on one of the ends, as in the picture above) and place the tissue beneath it. If you aren’t able to do this and the next step at the same time, get someone else to hold the tissue in place.
3. Put the bleed key into the valve on the radiator and slowly turn this anti clockwise. This will open the valve allowing the radiator to bleed and any trapped air to escape.
4. Wait for the trapped air to escape. At this point the tissue should become wet, this is a good thing, as it means the air and water have now left the radiator and it has bled.
5. Turn the bleed key anti clockwise and ensure the valve is fully closed. Once this is done you can start using the heating system again.
If you are unclear on any of the above steps, or have any other concerns about your radiators or central heating, then speak to a professional or get help before carrying out any work.
(Disclosure: This is a collaborative post)
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Thank you for the tips. As a single mother I can not afford to pay a specialist.