How to bleed a radiator
Does your radiator feel cold at the top and warm at the base? Assuming this is the case, its probable that the issue is being brought on via air that has been caught in your radiator. Fortunately, you can fix this yourself by draining your radiator.
Draining a radiator is a very simple, safe and fast process. Essentially, it just means opening a little valve on your radiator to permit any trapped air to get away. Simply follow the directions below to quickly fix your radiator.
Turn on central heating
Before draining your radiator, it’s vital that you switch on your central heating point at main controls. This will keep more air from entering the framework.
Find the bleed valve
Locate the drain valve; this more often than not has a little red handle and is situated on one side of the radiator.
Protect the area
Place a cloth or a little bowl underneath the drain valve to hold any spilling water. Additionally, wrap your hand with a clothing material to shield your hand against the hot water that comes out of the radiator.
Find the bleed key
Radiators are usually sold with a little drain key (or radiator key). In the event that you can’t locate the drain key, try to buy a new one at your nearby DIY store.
Drain the radiator
Initially you’ll have to find the drain valve. This will appear as a bulge at the top side of your radiator. To drain your radiator, gently push the drain key into this valve and carefully turn it anticlockwise (generally a quarter or half turn will do the trap). The air caught in your radiator will begin to get away with a hissing sound. At the point when water starts to spill out the valve you will realise that all the air has been evacuated from the radiator.
Retighten the bleed valve
When water spills out of the valve, you should screw the valve back to its former position. Make use of the cloth to clean up any spills (be cautious, however, as the water can be burning hot).
Turning the heat back on
Keep in mind to switch the central heating on again immediately you must have finished bleeding the radiator. After 2 hours, check your radiator to ensure that the temperature is uniform all over its surface area and that there’s no more water spilling from the drain valve. Issue settled!
Do not hesitate to call an engineer to fix your problem if you are unsure of your DIY skill :-).