How to bleed your radiator for optimum warmth this winter
When it comes to keeping our homes warm, radiators are the first defence in keeping that chill from our homes. However, if you find that your radiator has cold patches or doesn’t heat up properly, it could be time to bleed it.
Bleeding your radiator is a quick and easy way to get them working at their best. Invest in a radiator key or a simple flat-head screwdriver will do the same job!
Follow our top tips for bleeding your radiator here:
Step 1
Make sure to turn off your central heating and let the radiator cool down. Always start with your downstairs radiators first, starting at the first radiator on the circuit.
Step 2
All radiators have a bleed value in one top corner to allow trapped air to be released. This looks like a round hole with a square inside it. Use a radiator bleed key or a flat-head screwdriver may also be fit for purpose, to turn the shaft anti-clockwise which will open the valve. This should be between a quarter turn and a half-turn, don’t unscrew it by more than one complete turn.
Step 3
After step 2, you will hear the trapped air hissing as it escapes. Hold a cloth beneath the valve to catch any water, as soon as the first trickle appears it’s time to close the valve by turning the bleed key clockwise.
Check all of your radiators as you may need to do this more than once, moving from the downstairs radiators first and then the upstairs.
If you’ve bled your radiator but it’s still not heating up properly then it may be time to call a heating expert.
Check all of your radiators as you may need to bleed more than one. Work on the downstairs radiators first and then move on to the ones upstairs and bleed them one at a time as required.
