With temperatures set to plummet this winter, and the prospect of further gas and electricity price increases looming, Bathroom Radiators UK (BRUK) advise householders how to check that heating systems are working efficiently and to make the most of their investment in keeping warm.
PRLog - Oct. 17, 2013 - ELLAND, U.K. -- Prices of electricity and gas have been on the increase for most of the past decade, and are likely to continue into the medium term. Last winter all of the big six energy suppliers increased gas and electricity prices by between 6% and 11%. The only way for most consumers to reduce the impact of increased costs – or to reduce their bills - is through energy efficiency improvements.
BRUK advise of a simple way to reduce fuel bills this winter, by making sure heating systems are operating at maximum efficiency. Even if the boiler isn’t the most up to date model available, easy DIY maintenance can make a contribution to lessening the financial effects of the coldest winter months.
BRUK co-founder Dean Bailey said, “Most central heating systems only work really well if there is no air in the system. Air in your system isn’t dangerous – it happens all the time, and just means that the radiators might not get hot at all, might not heat up as well or might have ‘cold spots’ – almost invariably at the very top of their radiating surface area.”
If the radiator gets hot at the bottom and not at the top, or if pipes and radiators are noisy, then the system probably needs bleeding. Failure to do so will reduce the efficiency of the entire central heating system, and may also lead to increased fuel costs.
How should it be done? First turn the central heating system on, and turn up any thermostats fitted to the radiators. Then check each radiator to see if it’s hot all over.
Now switch the system off. Most radiators will have a small bleed valve at one end, located at the top and affectionately known as a ‘little bleeder’ – a 4mm radiator key should fit this snugly or if you have more modern radiators a flat tipped screwdriver will do the job.
It’s a good idea to have a bit of cloth handy – firstly, the excess air will be expelled, followed by the water. Be careful – even when the boiler is off, the water inside may still be pretty hot. Sometimes the bleed valve can get clogged with paint – this should be obvious. Sometimes it may be necessary to go round all the radiators more than once to achieve a uniform temperature over all the radiating surfaces.
When properly bled, radiators will perform at optimum efficiency and make a difference to heating bills. The era of cheap energy is well and truly over with energy efficiency the only real weapon in the armory of increasing fuel bills. Replacing old less efficient radiator designs with newer models will also help, see http://www.bathroomradiatorsuk.com for more information.
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Bleeding Radiators! Increase The Efficiency Of Central Heating Systems
October 17, 2013 at 09:40 AM EDT
