Boiler owners across the nation are getting their systems ready for the winter season. Many have already have their yearly maintenance checks performed, but if you haven’t allowed the unit to run for several hours, you could be missing a common problem that could disrupt your comfort once the really cold weather begins to set in. The typical cleaning of a boiler doesn’t involve this particular system check, and unless you have had this problem before, you may be baffled as to the cause. The problem usually manifests itself as one or two radiators or baseboards that just don’t get hot. Everything may look like it is running properly, but before you run out and start replacing the radiators you need to bleed your boiler first!
Why Don’t My Radiators Work?
When you shut down the boiler for the summer, some systems, especially older units, will develop air pockets. These gaps in the water flow cannot pass through the boiler and therefore, the water in that part of the system will not be heated and the room that the radiator or baseboard is in will not get warm. You have to eliminate these air pockets and the way to do this is by bleeding the system.
How to Bleed Your Radiators
Each radiator or baseboard will have a valve that can open with a bleeder key. You can purchase one of these keys at any hardware store, and use it on all of the radiators. Simply insert the key in the valve and turn it until you start to hear or feel air leaving the system. Leave the valve open until water starts to come out and then quickly retighten the valve. Go around and repeat this process of every boiler and run the system for a while after you have bled the radiators. You may have to repeat this process several times before all of the air will be gone from the system, and the typical boiler will take three to four bleeds if there is a fair amount of air in the system.
Get Professional Help
If you still cannot get those rooms to heat up, it may be time to admit defeat and call a professional. They will be able to do a full in depth assessment of the entire system and will be able to find exactly what is stopping your unit from providing you with the comfort you need.
