Now that the winter season is fully upon us, you may have noticed that your home’s central heating is heating unevenly, or simply not getting the job done. Here are some things you may be able to do yourself to address the problem:

How to Detect a Problem

There is a simple way that you can check to see if there is a problem with your home radiator. First, run your hand across the top of the metal unit to see if it is cooler near the top than it is at the bottom. If the unit is cooler near the top, this could mean that there is air trapped inside of it and needs to be released in order for it to work properly again. If the top feels warmer to the touch than the lower part of the radiator, many times this is a result if what is called sludging. Sludge is a mixture of dirt and water combined with some corrosion which can happen overtime when there is low maintenance on a central unit.

What You Can Do About It

If your radiator is cool at the top and hot at the bottom, you can perform a minor fix safely. It’s called “burping” your radiator, because you’ll be letting a little air out of it. Whether you have one that is pressurized or tank fed from the loft, the very first thing you want to do is turn off the valves at each end. There’s one knob at the bottom on both sides of the unit that you simply turn off, each model is slightly different, but most have two valves that will need to be closed. Next, get a radiator bleed key (if you don’t have one, call us, we have one to fit your unit). Then, find an empty Tupperware tub container or bowl that you can set on the floor beside the radiator to catch the water that will drain. Find a small cloth for cleanup and you’re ready to go. Stick the bleed key into the slot (which is also referred to as the bleed nipple) and twist it open with the tupperware container or bowl ready on the floor. The water will drain out. Then, get your bleed nipple key again, close it back up, dump out the drained water, and turn on your unit.

If the Problem Persists

If, after you try these simple fixes, your unit is still heating unevenly, there may be a problem with sludging, or something else that is not easily detectable, that the service pros here at Done Plumbing & Heating will be more than happy to help you with. Feel free to give us a call today.