Bleed a hot-water radiator
If a radiator is cold at the top and warm at the bottom, trapped air is stopping hot water reaching it. Letting the air out takes a few minutes.
Tools you need
- Radiator key (from a hardware store) or a flat screwdriver, depending on the valve
- Old cloth
- Small cup
Steps
Turn the heating off and let the radiators cool, so the water is not scalding.
Find the small bleed valve at the top corner of the radiator.
Hold a cloth and cup under it and turn the key a quarter turn counterclockwise. You will hear hissing as air comes out.
Photo: uploaded by Hautala · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons When water starts to drip steadily, close the valve again.
Turn the heating back on and check the radiator warms all over. If your system has a pressure gauge, check it is still in the normal range for your boiler.
More heating and air jobs
Steps written by Sureno. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited under each one.
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