Central heating is important to all of us, especially during the winter months. Why pile on jumper after jumper when your central heating is supposed to keep you warm? In case your central heating lets you down, here are a few quick fixes.
There is no central heating or hot water
The fist thing you’ll want to do is check that the boiler is working correctly and check your power supply. You should also inspect the pressure gauge. If the pressure is lower than usual, you may need to re-pressurise. Be sure to check your boiler manual for instructions on how to do it. If you’re boiler has stopped working completely, make sure that the fuse hasn’t blown.
Examine the thermostat. Is the thermostat turned up to a high enough heat? If not, try turning it up. If it doesn’t work, it might be broken.
Radiators have cold patches
If the cold patches are at the top of your radiator, there is probably air in the system and you’ll need to bleed the radiator. When you bleed your radiators, always make sure they’re turned off first; you don’t want to burn yourself with hot water. Turn the valve with the bleed key to release the trapped air. You might want to hold a cloth, towel or bowl beneath it. When the water starts to trickle out, turn the valve back. When you do this, you should hear a hissing sound as the air escapes.
If your radiator is cold in the middle or at the bottom, there may be a build up of sludge or rust and you’ll need a professional to clear the blockage and flush the system.
Cold radiators upstairs or cold radiators downstairs
If you have cold radiators upstairs and hot radiators downstairs, this could mean that the cistern is empty and could need refilling. You should also take a look at the ball valve to make sure it’s not stuck. This problem could also be fixed by something as simple as bleeding the upstairs radiators.
If you have hot radiators upstairs and cold radiators downstairs, this could indicate there is an issue with your pump. Try turning the pressure up a little. If you’re not sure how to do this, look at the instructions in the manual for your pump. Your pump could also be blocked and my need to be cleaned and flushed.
There’s also a good chance that your radiators may need balancing. There may a problem with water flow, so make sure the valves on each side of the radiators are open and adjust them to ensure the water is flowing properly throughout all the radiators in your home.
Leaking pipes
Your pipes may be leaking because they might not have been fitted correctly. Try tightening the joints a little at a time. If that doesn’t work, the pipes could be corroded and you’ll need to replace them. You can seal them, which is a good temporary fix until you can have them replaced by a professional.
Strange noises
Whistling, clanging or creaking are indications that something could be wrong.
Clanging or banging sounds indicate that air is trapped in the radiators. Bleed your radiators to let the air escape.
Whistling, also known as kettling, could mean that there is trapped air in the radiators (fixed by bleeding) or that there is build-up in the boiler, which means it will need to be cleaned.
If you hear creaking, this could mean take the pipes are expanding as they heat up and you may need to loosen the fittings that fit them to the wall or floor or put a foam sleeve around the pipes to stop them from vibrating against the fitting or floor.
If you don’t have central heating or you’re looking to update your central heating, try checking out ‘designer radiators uk’ on a search engine to find the best deals and high quality products. Always reference the instruction manual before attempting to fix anything yourself so that you don’t break anything or injure yourself. It’s important to fix any problems before they get worse and cause permanent damage. If there is anything you don’t understand or don’t feel comfortable fixing yourself, call a professional to help you out and diagnose the problem.
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