"Bleeding a Radiator"
Looking for a heating engineer in Exeter? Here at Fords South West Ltd, our Worcester Bosch accredited heating engineers provide expert boiler servicing, repair and replacements, working throughout Exeter and East Devon.
It is fairly common that if your heating system is omitting a gurgling sound, or the tops of your radiators are not heating up as efficiently, air may have built up in your heating system over a period of time.
If this is the case, you will need to bleed the affected radiators to release the pressure build up. To do this, you will simply need a radiator bleeding key, and a piece of old rag or tissue to stop any water leaking out onto the floor. It would also be worthwhile either placing a dust sheet, or a bucket directly below the affected radiators, to catch any residue and ensure your flooring is protected. Before attempting to bleed your radiators, make sure the heating system is turned off and that you have given it a chance to properly cool down.
To bleed your radiator, place the rag or tissue directly underneath the bleed valve, insert the bleed key and rotate until you hear a hissing sound. This sound is the pressurised air being released from your radiator.
Keep the bleed valve open for a couple seconds until water begins to run out. Let this run for a few seconds to ensure all air is released, before rotating the bleed key in the opposite direct to retighten the bleed valve. Repeat this process with all affected radiators within your property.
It is also worth noting that if you have either a Worcester combination boiler or Worcester system boiler, a system pressure top up is essential.
Need an expert heating engineer to assess your heating system?
If you do find yourself needing to bleed your radiators fairly frequently throughout the year, get in touch with our friendly heating engineers, working throughout Exeter and East Devon, as you may have an underlying issue with your boiler system which is causing it to run inefficiently.