How do bleed a radiator

Step 2. Step 3. Step 4. Starting with the ground floor radiators first. Step 5. Step 7. Step 8. Step 9. Step Can you bleed a radiator when the heating is on? How long does it take to bleed a radiator? How often should you bleed radiators? What order should you bleed your radiators in? What is bleeding a radiator? You still have items in your basket Would you like to checkout?

Go Back Checkout Now. We use our own and third party cookies. If you continue browsing we consider you accept the use of cookies. Cookie Policy Accept. To determine if they need to be bled, check for any cold patches usually at the top depending on the position of the valve. If the radiators are taking too long too heat up, this is also a sign you will need to bleed them.

Please be careful when checking them! A radiator bleed valve is a small metal square which is found inside a round nut, usually at the top of your radiator. The bleed valve is used to release air from your radiator. If your radiator key fits over it, the chances are you've found the bleed valve! Once your key is on the bleed valve, slowly turn it anti-clockwise to release air.

You should hear a hissing sound as the air or gas escapes. Keep releasing air from the valve until you can no longer hear air escaping. Once you can no longer hear the air escaping, the excess air has been released and you can close the valve.

Make sure to do this quickly as once the air has been removed, water will start to move towards the valve and could flood out.

Modern screwdriver escape valves usually produce a far more violent ejection of water than older radiator valves, so be extra careful to use rags to prevent any spillage. Repeat this process for all the radiators which need bleeding.

As air will rise upwards through your heating system, it's recommended you start on the lowest radiators in your home and then move upstairs. Once you have completed the process on all the boilers that need bleeding, you will need to check the pressure gauge on your boiler against the recommended amounts. If the pressure is normal, you can turn your heating back on and check whether all your radiators are now working correctly.

If the pressure is too low, you will need to rebalance the pressure by adding water using the filling loop. Make sure you always refer to the official instructions from your boiler manufacturer. If you are not sure how to do anything, ensure you seek professional assistance. Check with your boiler manufacturer if you're unsure, as most if not all of them will have tutorials on their websites for you to follow.

Afterwards, you may want to run another test to check that your efforts have been successful. Simply turn your heating on, wait for all the radiators to heat up and check for any cool spots. Depending on what type of radiator you have, it may be possible to automate the process of bleeding your radiators by using an auto vent. Auto vents are automatic radiator bleeders that attach to your valves, which means you'll need one per radiator.

The vent lets out air gradually, increasing the effectiveness of your radiator and meaning your boiler doesn't have to work so hard. There are plenty of other gadgets that are designed to improve the effectiveness of your heating. Radiator insulation foil, for example, is a simple way of ensuring your radiators heat your room, as opposed to your walls.

Insulation foil sits behind your radiator and reflects the heat they generate back into the room. They are widely available in hardware shops and you should be able to install them yourself. This is essentially a stretched fan unit that sits on top of your radiator and pushes the warm air generated around your room. While the radiator booster will use electricity to run, they will save you more on your heating bills.

If you've ever wondered whether it's cheaper to heat the whole house or just the rooms you're using, you'll find the answer in our guide. It's also important to ensure the heat being generated isn't being wasted by keeping your home and rooms well insulated. Draughts around window and door frames are at the easier end of the spectrum, but you can take on more significant and expensive insulation measures, such as refreshing wall and attic insulation.

This costs more up front but will save you more in the long-term.