Answers To The 4 Most Common Heating Questions

Heating really does make your house a home. Whether you’re heading inside from a rainy walk or coming home from work on a cold, winters night, you want to be greeted by that cosy feeling. With many options when it comes to heating your home, from cast iron column radiators with their elegant and popular design, or modern design radiators to add to the aesthetics of a room, you can be sure that you have that fuzzy feeling when you need it most. For all that you need to know when it comes to heating, read on!

1. What Size Radiator Do I Need?

There are hundreds of different styles, sizes, and colours to choose from when it comes to your perfect radiator. You could go for a designer radiator, or a vertical fitted radiator to save space. The size of the radiator you need is dependent on the size of your room, as well as the material and size of the radiator. Working out the BTU (British Thermal Unit) output will help you to decide what size radiator your room needs.

2. Why Is My Radiator Only Warm In One Place?

This commonly happens when there is air in your radiator. By bleeding the radiator, you can let any air bubbles out of the system that may have formed. To bleed the radiator, you should turn off the pump to prevent more air from entering the system and turn the square nut in the upper or sometimes lower corner of the radiator. By placing a bucket underneath your radiator, you can catch any dirty water that escapes. Checking your radiators for cold spots can help you to keep on top of how well your radiator is heating a room.

3. Why Does My Radiator Make Strange Noises?

Sometimes our radiators can make a strange gurgling noise. There are many reasons why you might hear noises coming from your radiator such as the air in the system causing oxygen bubbles to form inside the radiator or sludge in the system. Sludge is a result of corrosion inside the heating system consisting of metal oxides. Flushing the system will help to stop sludge build-up. Noises could also be nothing to worry about, natural expansion of metal can result in clicking or popping noises coming from the radiator.

4. Why Is My Thermostat Not Working?

Checking your thermostat is the best place to start if you think you’re having heating issues. Checking your thermostat is set between 17 and 20 degrees will allow for the ideal heating temperature. If your radiator still feels cold, check your electricity supply is still working as the fuse may have blown. If the problem doesn’t seem to be the thermostat, your pump may be having issues. The pump carries hot water to the radiators and can sometimes be affected by blockage and mechanical failure. Releasing air and cleaning the system can be carried out to get your pump going again.