hints & tips

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1. Radiator only partially hot- Bleeding air

If one or more of your radiators are cold at the top, it probably means that there is air trapped in there and it will need bleeding. It’s a relatively simple thing to do, but an important one to help maintain the efficiency of your boiler and central heating system.

Watch the video below and follow the steps listed :

 
 

  • Switch your heating off and make sure the radiator(s) are cool

  • With a cloth or tissue underneath the bleed valve at the top corner of the radiator, put the radiator bleed key into the valve and turn it anti-clockwise, slowly. You should hear air escaping from the valve.

  • Once all the air has been ‘bled’ the water will start to run out of the valve.

  • When this happens, close the valve.

  • By restarting your heating system, you should find that the radiator will now be hot.

  • You may need to re-pressurise your boiler and central heating system. See below for how to do this.

 
 

If bleeding a radiator doesn’t solve the problem of cold radiators, you can text, whatsapp or  call us on +31 (0)6 1619 3216 as you might require the assistance of our Bearded Plumber.

 

2. Repressurising your boiler and central heating system

If your central heating is not working, it could be down to a loss of water pressure. The water pressure indicator on the front of your boiler should read between one and two bars of atmospheric pressure. If it is below one, then your boiler pressure is too low.

Watch the video below and follow the steps listed :

 

To top up your system and increase the pressure, you will need to locate your filling loop. This is usually a silver/grey coloured, flexible hose with a small valve at each end, and you’ll find it either underneath your boiler or nearby:

  • Make sure the boiler is switched off and the system is cool.

  • The hose will have a valve at both ends – make sure both ends of the hose are securely attached to both valves.

  • The valves can be opened either by tap handles, or by using a flat headed screwdriver.

  • Open both valves to allow the cold mains water into the system.

  • You should hear water filling the system.

  • Keep an eye on the pressure gauge until it reaches 1.5bar, then close of both valves, one after the other.

Once the pressure is at the required level, switch the boiler back on and (if required) reset the boiler.

If you are having trouble pressurising your boiler and central heating system, or this doesn’t solve the problem, you can text, whatsapp or  call us on +31 (0)6 1619 3216 as you might require the assistance of our Bearded Plumber.