Radiator Bleeding

Radiator Bleeding

Have you started to notice that your heater is not working as well as it once did? People often forget the importance of maintenance with regards to their radiator and heater. In fact, by "bleeding" the radiator twice a year, you can improve your homes heat efficiency and start saving money. It's easy, and best of all, it's a healthy form of maintenance for your family and your home.

Radiator bleeding cleans and purges air that has entered into your radiators' coils. As a result of heating and cooling water within the radiator, a lot of air bubbles can be created. When you start to notice a diminishment in your radiator's performance, this may be an indication that these bubbles are creating trouble.

I'm "Bleeding" My Radiator, But I Don't Understand Why

Radiators work by warming water in a series of coils that warms the air that comes in contact with the metal surface in the radiator. Air in the radiator rises to the top and displaces some of the water. Because air is not an effective heat conductor, compared with water, it can become costly and wasteful to run your radiator with air trapped inside. Here is an effective way to evaluate whether or not your radiator needs to bleed:

Turn on your heater
Carefully use your hand to sense the temperature at the bottom half of the radiator
Compare this temperature with the very top of the heater
If there is a wide temperature divergence, the radiator needs bleeding

Ready to "Bleed" Your Radiator? It's Simple and Safe

Contrary to its colorful adjective, bleeding is straightforward and simple to finish. Follow these instructions to help guide you through the process of bleeding your radiator:

Locate the radiator key or "bleed" key
Turn your central heating system off
Locate the protrusion near the top of the radiator called the "bleed" valve
Have a bowl or old mop ready, in case you don't want excess water dripping on the floor.
Turn the key, very carefully, counterclockwise until you start to hear a hissing sound
When the water begins to drip out of the radiator, all the excess air can be considered purged
Return the radiator key to the closed position

If the radiator still does not seem to be improving, there may be another problem. A professional radiator inspector can detect other sources of problems for you and your heating system. However, more often than not, bleeding your radiator will improve the quality of life for the air in your house and life of your heater.

Maintaining the health of your radiator is a major component of keeping a home as heat efficient as possible. This not only saves you money on heating costs, it also ensures that your home remains a comfortable temperature, year round.

Here are some other ways that British Gas helps you save:

Save on a new Boiler with British Gas. Learn More.

Save on a new Central Heating System with British Gas. Learn More.

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