Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Property/DIY

Join our Property forum for renovation, DIY, and house selling advice.

Original poster

Bleeding radiators - easy or not?

22 replies

SnotChristmasYetBaby · 21/12/2009 20:16

The tops of a couple of bedroom radiators are failing to warm up.

I'm tempted to get hold of a radiator bleeding key and have a bash; is this a false economy? Will I end up with warm radiators, or an eye out?

OP posts:
jaquelinehyde · 21/12/2009 20:18

Easy peasy, just stick it in, twist and go.

Hold the key with a tea towel or cloth, and have a jug handy just in case.

Go on off you go, get on with it.

CMOTdibbler · 21/12/2009 20:20

Really easy to do - just don't be tempted to really open it up, just a little bit, and put your hand on the radiator so you can feel the heat moving upwards as the air comes out and be ready to close the vent

RustyBear · 21/12/2009 20:20

It's usually pretty easy and works well - make sure you keep the key in the end of the radiator so you can turn it back off quickly as soon as the water starts to spurt out - & a cloth handy to catch any that gets out - it does tend to be a bit black.

RorysRacingReindeer · 21/12/2009 20:20

bleeding easy - get a radiator key - they are very cheap. Mind you in this house i can just use a blunt knife as they are like a screw.

As JH said cloth at hand and speedy reaction required when you notice the water start to dribble out.

LowLevelBahHumbug · 21/12/2009 20:20

very very very very easy, and very satisfying to have radiators that are warm all the way to the top. Do it!

catinthehat2 · 21/12/2009 20:21

Twist it gently at first though, you want air to come out, not a jet of hot water!

SleighGirl · 21/12/2009 20:22

make sure you know how to fill up you radiator water supply though!!! When you let the air out the pressure may be too low for the central heating system to work - there should be a tap under the boiler to refill it if you have a combi boiler.

Original poster
SnotChristmasYetBaby · 22/12/2009 10:03

Thank you, I am going to have a bash.

Daft, isn't it, how an easy little job is quite offputting if you've never done it/ been shown how to do it.

OP posts:
jeep · 22/12/2009 10:08

don't do it if you have a combi boiler!

SleighGirl · 22/12/2009 13:05

how did u get on?

Original poster
SnotChristmasYetBaby · 22/12/2009 13:34

Haven't tried it yet as I don't have a key - it's on the list for things to do after Christmas frenzy. Happy with the general temperature of the house, so no rush

I will report back in a week or so!

OP posts:
Rollmops · 27/12/2009 19:12

Mr Rollmops here,

It's a piece of cake. Bleed all your rads as described above and then re-pressurise if you have a combi (as we do).

There's a valve under the boiler that you open, watch the gauge go up to 2 bar or so then close it. Job done.

HallelujahHeisBorntoMary · 27/12/2009 19:15

Easy. Just be careful not to undo the screw too much and then drop it, like my mother did!

WingedVictory · 27/12/2009 19:25

Do listen to SleighGirl and Rollmops about the water pressure, and check you know how to refill the boiler before you do the bleeding. Otherwise, it's easy and actually quite necessary.

skymoo · 02/01/2010 09:38

Jeep re your 10:08 post, why not? I'm interested as we do have a combi, and DP was going around last night looking to see if any rads needed bleeding - alarm bells went off in my head and I stopped him but couldn't think of the reason why

alypaly · 02/01/2010 09:47

is it bcause you dot have a header tank in the loft....or maybe im wrong.
MY head says there should be one ,so i am am not quite sure why others have alarm bells ringing. There should always be a header tank for the central heating(incase there is a leak....according to my brilliant new found plumber) unless the cowboys have been in...and there are lots,as i have found out to my previous cost

alypaly · 02/01/2010 09:47

ha ha ...when i first read your post i thought you were swearing!!!!!!!!!!!

skymoo · 02/01/2010 10:00

Hi...don't think it's that, because our header tank and immersion tank were removed upon installation of the combi....must read the manual!

err unless i've been cowboyed and am yet to discover- eeeek

alypaly · 02/01/2010 10:10

your header tank for the boiler will have been removed ,but you should still have one for the radiators ,just in case you have an unnoticeable leak

Hassled · 02/01/2010 10:17

We have just bled the radiators and have a combi - I'm all agog as to why we shouldn't have done that now.

alypaly · 02/01/2010 10:18

found it for youwww.ehow.com/how_4966643_bleed-radiator-combi-boiler.html

hope this helps...bit more complicated than old boiler but if you are diy minded ,you can do it and save yourself some pennies

purepurple · 02/01/2010 10:22

I think you need to bleed the radiators when the system is off. So that you don't introduce air to the system, which is why you are bleeding the radiator in the first place.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page