Drain your Central Heating System before Winter
Sets in
Winter is drawing rapidly to a close and we all want to experience that warm and reassuring glow when we come in out of the rain and the snow, to a warm house. Central heating systems are a wonderful thing to have in the UK's increasingly colder and longer winters, yet they are not something that can be taken for granted. They are in need of regular maintenance to keep them running smoothly; otherwise they will work a lot less efficiently and cost more.
The good news is that basic central heating maintenance is not a technically challenging experience and even the most ham-handed among us can usually come through with both themselves and their central heating system intact. What is basically involved is "bleeding" the central heating system, and the most technical piece of equipment that will be required in order to carry out this highly important task is nothing more than a bucket.
Armed with aforementioned bucket, the next stage is to place it under the boiler’s drain valve and to slowly and carefully open the valve. If everything goes according to plan, all the stagnant water that has lain in the system during its dormancy will be released.
Central heating systems are also liable to develop air pockets, because as the system is meant to be a sealed loop, air bubbles can seep through tiny cracks in the system; or form as a result of chemical reactions with the hot water coming in contact with iron, resulting in gasses being generated within the closed system. These gasses, usually hydrogen-based, normally concentrate at the top of the radiator, and will prevent the heated water from infiltrating the full area of the radiator, thereby preventing the radiator from working at its maximum capacity. In order to allow top-notch performance, it is recommended to bleed the radiator of air, using a special bleeding screw which is found at the top of the radiator. People who live in two story homes will notice that radiators on these floors are inclined to be working less powerfully, and this is usually the reason and will require more frequent bleeding.
Most UK Corgi registered plumbers recommend yearly adding a corrosion inhibitor chemical into the closed loop circulating water that will inhibit hydrogen production.
Ideally central heating systems should be bled and checked during the summer or, at the latest, autumn, so that if there are any problems, plenty of time can be allotted to get them put right before winter falls.
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