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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think someone should have told me?

79 replies

SquidgyBanana · 22/11/2018 21:22

How to bleed a sodding radiator.... I’m 32, I have no idea how to bleed a radiator, everyday my pipes are making a terrible racket and I don’t know where to start... why doesn’t anyone tell us about these things before we have to actually ‘adult’ and at what point are we suppose to suddenly know how to do these ‘adult’ activities?!

Please tell me I’m not the only one ‘pretending’ to adult here? There must be things you wish someone had told you about before you actually had to fend for yourself and fake adulting Grin

OP posts:
Original poster
SquidgyBanana · 22/11/2018 21:42

How would I know if I need to top up my water pressure? Things like that make me want to hide under my duvet until it goes away Grin

OP posts:
Wordthe · 22/11/2018 21:42

One thing though whenever I do mine I find I have to repressurise my boiler afterwards

BangingOn · 22/11/2018 21:43

YouTube has taught me how to bleed them, balance them and fix a leaking valve.

EspressoButler · 22/11/2018 21:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
SquidgyBanana · 22/11/2018 21:45

This is getting worse... my boiler is oil fired, outside my house... if I touch it I will definitely break it Confused

OP posts:
MotherForkinShirtBalls · 22/11/2018 21:45

Bleeding radiators is only topped by sporn for a satisfying job. I learned when a radiator went wonky in my first house and my mum told me what to do.

SabineUndine · 22/11/2018 21:46

Be careful. You may also have to run more water into the heating system. If you do this and overdo it you twat your boiler and it will cost you a LOT to put right. It's easier to ask the boiler engineer to bleed the radiators when you have the boiler serviced.

Been there.

EspressoButler · 22/11/2018 21:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BorisAndDoris · 22/11/2018 21:46

I watched my dad and learned. My kids will watch me.

I also had to teach DH. He hadn't even changed a lightbulb before he moved in with me at the grand old age of 27! His dad never showed him anything and even the smallest of repairs (think bathroom light cord becoming undone and just needing tied back up) was a job for the housing association. They once sat there with no bathroom light for 4 days when they wouldn't let me re-tie the cord back on because "That's what we pay rent for!". They called the HA repairs team out for absolutely everything.

I've always done my own repairs if possible and if I didn't know how to do it I phoned my dad (to ask how) or in later years, YouTube showed me.

RB68 · 22/11/2018 21:46

Possible to just do with key - just turn till you hear air and then do slowly - you quickly learn the sound it makes when its done and just have an old cloth or towel handy.

My Dad was the u tube of old - we (all three older girls) used to phone home for instructions regularly but also spent time doing DIY with Dad as kids - i could change the oil in a car at 6 lol - he wanted boys but got 3 quite practical girls - then three boys who all became engineers of some sort

bakingdemon · 22/11/2018 21:48

I asked the boiler man to show me how to do it one year when he came to service the boiler. He said start with the radiators closest to the boiler and move out. Always have a towel or tea towel handy to absorb any water that dribbles out (and close the valve as soon as water does start running)

LizzieBennettDarcy · 22/11/2018 21:48

My Dad felt very strongly about teaching me to do things, as my mum bless her is not that great with practicalities...... I'm the chief sink unblocker/shower drain cleaner/radiator bleeder of the house. DH loves that I can do it all, and happily stands aside!! Even though he's nearly 80 Dad still teaches me how to do things - last week it was fitting LED spotlight bulbs in his kitchen.

Lovingbenidorm · 22/11/2018 21:52

No Squidgy school is not for teaching you how to bleed a radiator

Original poster
SquidgyBanana · 22/11/2018 21:52

My level of poor adulting is becoming worse by the second

I have a water tank upstairs in the cupboard... I have a big grey box in the garden, which I’m guessing holds the boiler... but Ive never opened it.

I have had it serviced but never thought to ask the guy to look at the radiators.

Excuse the dark picture (lightbulb went & because I’m a non adulting adult I haven’t got any spares)

To think someone should have told me?
OP posts:
AutumnEvenings · 22/11/2018 21:53

My Dad taught all three of us to change a wheel and do simple things on the car before we could start driving lessons. He maintained that if women were going to be driving this was important so we didn't end up stranded somewhere.

That was before the days of mobile phones or t'interweb, of course. He also ensured we could change a fuse or a plug if needed. Very useful it was too.

CheshireChat · 22/11/2018 21:54

I occasionally need to raise the pressure a bit (particularly with the old, now defunct boiler), was really pleased that I knew how to fix the boiler ad it was bloody cold and...

The valve was too tight, spent about 45 min fighting with it- but I WON in the end!

TheFuckfaceWhisperer · 22/11/2018 21:55

I know how to bleed to a radiator, but then an ex told me I then have to do something to correct the pressure on the boiler and that's just beyond me...

Original poster
SquidgyBanana · 22/11/2018 21:58

@TheFuckfaceWhisperer I hear ya! I was just thinking I might actually be able to do this and then someone said something about the boiler pressure and I’m out lol

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CaliHummers · 22/11/2018 21:58

The most adult thing I have done recently was to unblock the washing machine and the vacuum cleaner. It's a pity that I caused the blockages by being un-adult enough to wash my horse's rug without removing enough hair, and to vacuum up a sock. I hadn't noticed I'd vacuumed up the sock so finding it when I was playing "hunt the blockage" was quite exciting.

Lovingbenidorm · 22/11/2018 22:01

Here’s one to get everyone flaming........
Go to school in order to learn the syllabus and pass exams.
Get qualifications to enable you to get a good job that earns you a decent salary.
Pay people to do jobs around the house that you are unable to do.
Ta Da!
Unless , of course, your parents are able to teach you how to decorate, bleed radiators, catch spiders, change a plug, build flat pack furniture, cook, plumb in a washing machine etc etc

brownjumper · 22/11/2018 22:03

Don't you have to turn the heating off first?

CaliHummers · 22/11/2018 22:09

Unless , of course, your parents are able to teach you how to decorate, bleed radiators, catch spiders, change a plug, build flat pack furniture, cook, plumb in a washing machine etc etc

My dad did teach me how to decorate. Someone I was lodging with taught me how to bleed radiators. Catching spiders is bloody obvious - although to be honest I leave them where they are. If they're in the bath you can make a ladder for them to get out. Changing a plug - taught that at school. Flatpack furniture - read the instructions, it's not that difficult. Plumb in a washing machine - attach the inlet and the outlet pipes to the correct bits. Not difficult. No-one taught me, I worked it out.

Oh and cooking - watched my mum. Sorry, yes, it was her. And then followed recipes.

Gwenhwyfar · 22/11/2018 22:11

"When you have bled the radiator, check if you need to top up your water pressure."

This is the thing. I have the type where you need to top up the water so I don't take any risks with it and call the landlord.
With the simpler type, it was easy to Google what you need to do.

Lovingbenidorm · 22/11/2018 22:11

My point Cali

Diddlysquats · 22/11/2018 22:19

I just got a magazine from the council stating what they're responsible for and what they're not. One of the things they are responsible for is bleeding radiators apparently.
Basically, I've seen this done before (not by me for sure) you get a jug or a cup and you open the thingymebob to let the water flow for a bit. I think the point is to get rid of air bubbles (I haven't you-tubed it).