As the cold evenings have arrived and the winter is fast approaching, it’s the perfect time to get the central heating ready for those cosy nights in.

Most of us are only starting to put the central heating back on for the first time and what generally happens is we run into some problems as a result of the radiators not been used in some time. The most common issue to occur is air gets into the pipes and the radiators need to be bled.

This can be detected by:

  • Radiators are colder at the top than they are at the bottom
  • If they are cool all over
  • If they are cooler than the heating setting itself

Once you have identified that the radiators need to be bled, turn off the heating system and allow the water to cool down. This will prevent injury to yourself. Never attempt to bleed a radiator if the water is still hot.

The next step is to fit the vent key into the bleed valve, this is usually located at the side of the radiator.

Holding a cloth beneath the valve and key, turn the key anticlockwise and allow the air to hiss out of the valve. It’s always a good idea to have a bowl underneath the valve in case the water does leak out.

Turn the key very slowly so you have complete control if the water does come out. DO NOT TURN THE VALVE FULLY!!! a quarter to a half a turn will generally do it. Keep the valve open until water starts to bubble from the valve. Then turn the key clockwise to close the valve.

Turn the central heating back on and check all radiators that needed bleeding are completely hot and working correctly.

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