Now that we are in autumn and little by little it is getting colder and colder, it is the ideal time to bleed the radiators . The aim is to eliminate the excess air from the radiator circuit, thus improving the energy efficiency of the heating. Sometimes you also hear strange noises when you turn on the heater, such as gurgling, caused by air bubbles that are accumulated in the system. It is a clear sign that the radiators must be bled.
But why is it so important? If they have accumulated air, the radiators do not heat well . That is, the thermostat does not go out but the boiler continues to work because it cannot reach the programmed temperature. This causes the boiler to work twice as much, which implies a great waste of energy unnecessarily.
Bleed the radiators step by step
Here we explain how to do this task in detail so that you do not miss anything.
- The first and most important thing is to check if you need to bleed the radiators in your house. To do this, turn on the heater and run your hand over the top of the radiators. If it is colder than the bottom, it means that there is air accumulated in them.
- Go to the radiator closest to the boiler and place a container just below the faucet.
- Turn the key with a screwdriver or, if you don’t have one, a coin. You will see how air begins to come out along with a little water.
- When the stream of water is fluid, close the tap.
- Repeat the operation on all the radiators in the house following the natural flow of the water.
- And finally, check that the boiler pressure ranges between 1 and 1.5 bars. It is normal for the pressure level to drop a little after purging.
How to save on heating?
To save on heating this fall and winter, in addition to purging the radiators so that they work at maximum performance, the Consumer and User Organization recommends weatherstripping the doors and windows . They plug the air inlet, thus helping to maintain the interior temperature.
In addition, it is advisable to ventilate the house for 10 minutes first thing in the morning . Then the windows are closed and the blinds are left up.
And finally, the ideal temperature during the day is 21 degrees .
