How to bleed a radiator to make your home warmer this winter

It will soon be time to start switching our heating on as the colder months draw in. But it is important to take a few essential steps to make sure you're getting the most out of your heating this autumn and winter.

Bleeding your radiators is key to making your home warm, but some people aren't aware of how to do this. The experts at Hiatt Hardware have now shared their top tips on how to bleed your home’s radiators as the temperature drops.

Product expert for the brand, Ryan Calvert comments: “Bleeding your radiator is essential if you want maximum efficiency from your radiator, and it’s important that you carry out a routine check before we hit winter to ensure its working at its best."

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He continues: "If you have found that your radiators are taking longer than normal to heat up or make odd gargling noises, you could have trapped air in your unit.

"The quickest way to check if air has entered your heating system is to turn your central heating on and feel your radiator, if it is warm at the bottom but cold at the top this is generally a sign that air is present.

"Bleeding your radiators will increase their efficiency overall and even save you a small amount on your heating bill, as you will be using less energy to compensate for the trapped air."

Turn off your heating

Radiators can hold a lot of water at scalding temperatures, so it’s important to ensure you turn off your heating and wait from 30 minutes to an hour before attempting to drain one.

Prepare the floors

Draining a radiator can also be a messy job so make sure to place towels and any water-catching utensils (such as Tupperware tubs or buckets) underneath the pipes on either side of your radiator.

Tighten the valves

Next, you’ll need to close off the thermostatic radiator valve and the lockshield valve on either side of your radiator by turning clockwise (with a spanner if needed) and keep track of how many turns it takes to secure these fully.

Once the thermostatic radiator valve is fully shut off, you can begin disconnecting and loosening the nut that connects it to the radiator, causing a water leak.

Locate the bleed valve and get your valve key ready

Now you can prepare your radiator valve key, ready to insert it into the bleed valve at the top of the radiator and start to turn anti-clockwise. You will hear a hissing noise, indicating that the trapped air is escaping. Let a little water follow the trapped air, when the bleed turns from a small trickle to a steady flow, tighten the valve again.

Connect and reopen the thermostatic and lockshield valves

Once you have released the trapped air, you can reopen the valves on either side of your radiator and repeat this process for any radiators that require attention. Once complete, you can turn your heating on and enjoy the benefits of an efficient heating system.