Tips to Clean and Bleed Radiators

With the temperature falling, you may have turned on the heating in your house and you find that one of your hot-water radiators is cold. If only one of the radiators aren’t generating heat while the rest of the system is working, the problem may be trapped air inside the radiator. Not to worry, this is a common issue with hot-water heating.

Before calling a plumber, you can try to bleed the radiator. It’s a simple process and you only need a few items easily found at home.

What does “bleeding a radiator” do?

Bleeding a radiator means releasing air that has become trapped inside your heating system.

Releasing this air will help you to heat your home more effectively and reduce your energy bills.

If you can hear pipes banging or radiators gurgling, this is usually a sign that you should bleed your radiator.

How to bleed a radiator?

Set aside about 20 minutes to complete this, if you have more then one radiator to do plan for the extra time.

Before you start you will need to the following items:

• Work gloves
• A radiator bleed key – you can get one at the hardware store
• A cleaning cloth to wipe any water leakage
• A basin or pail to place under the radiator.

Here’s a step-by-step guide for you to follow:

1. Turn off the central heating system.
2. Locate the bleed valve on the radiator.
3. Place a cloth or container under the radiator.
4. Attach the key to square groove in the center of the valve and turn it slowly counterclockwise listening for a hiss. This is the air escaping
5. Wait for the hissing to stop completely and re-tighten the valve.
6. Do this to any other radiators that need to be bled.
7. Turn on the central heating system.
8. Check the pressure on the boiler. If the pressure is low you will need to top it off.
9. Check if the radiator(s) is now heating evenly.

How to clean a radiator?

Radiators often go untouched for long periods of time, so dust and grime can accumulate without us noticing. This dust can be a health risk if it is left for too long, make sure to have a regular cleaning routine.

• Use the brush or crevice tool of your vacuum cleaner to keep your radiators and baseboard heaters clean.
• Be careful not to bend or damage the little aluminum fins on modern baseboard units.
• And don’t use the tops of radiators for storage! Let the heat flow.

To avoid damage to your central heating system and keep your heating costs down, cleaning and bleeding your radiators is essential! It is simple and very easy to maintain them regularly without having to call in a plumber. Happy heating!