A plumber has shared three simple tricks to make your home’s radiators heat up faster and feel ‘hotter’ – and they can all be done without calling out a professional
Heating crises usually occur when temperatures drop to single figures.
A freezing house during the depths of winter isn’t anyone’s notion of cosiness, so what steps should you take if your radiators won’t heat up?
Luckily, there are three straightforward methods you can employ to address the problem, ensuring your radiators warm your home effectively as swiftly as possible whilst preventing needless increases to your energy bills.
Surprisingly, most radiator malfunctions arise from fundamental issues that can be easily resolved without needing a plumber’s assistance.
Plumber Zhelyazko Yanchev from Fantastic Services reveals there are “plenty of ways to make radiators hotter, and heat up faster, without buying a new boiler and using expensive or specialist tools”.
He added: “Hot water radiator systems are very simple and the problems are likely as simple, too.”
Keep clear space around radiators
The plumbing specialist recommends the “fastest and cheapest way” to ensure radiators heat the room properly is to remove any items placed on, in or underneath them, reports the Express.
He noted: “That’s because radiators work on the principle that hot air rises by natural convection. Cold air is drawn up the radiator at the bottom and rises out warm at the best.”
Any items placed on or under your radiator can disrupt its function, so it’s crucial to keep the area around your radiators clear. Just like removing clutter, regular dusting of your radiators is necessary to ensure proper airflow.
Large build-ups of dust and fluff can block the core of the radiator, reducing its effectiveness.
Bleed your radiators
If you notice that your radiator is cold at the best but hot at the bottom, this suggests there is “air trapped inside”. Essentially, the air is taking up space that should be filled with hot water.
The expert advised: “You can quickly increase the radiator’s performance by bleeding this air out.”
Remove radiator sludge
Some households may find their radiator has the opposite problem – hot at the best but cold at the bottom. This is usually due to a build-up of sludge within the radiator.
Radiator sludge is a combination of rust, debris and limescale that inevitably accumulates over time and circulates through the system.
Sludge is the main cause of boiler failures and can quickly age your heating system, so it needs to be dealt with promptly.
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