Keep your Redrow home cosy and your heating system efferent with this simple maintenance task.

If you notice a problem with your heating system, it might be time to bleed the radiators around the house. Bleeding your radiators is simply the process of removing air pockets that get trapped in the system and can stop hot water from circulating around the overall radiator circuit.

The process is simple and is an essential part of home maintenance - keeping the system running effectively can help lessen the strain on your boiler and save you money on your energy bills in the process.

We’ve put together a step-by-step guide to radiator bleeding below, and you can also watch our short video to see how it’s done.

Step 1

Make sure the heating is off completely and wait for the radiators to cool down.

Step 2

Find the radiator’s pressure release valve - this is usually located at the top corner. You’ll need a flathead screwdriver or radiator bleeding key for this part.

Step 3

Use an old towel or similar to protect the floor underneath the radiator - you’ll want to have another cloth on hand to absorb any excess water that overflows.

Step 4

With the cloth just under the release valve, put the screwdriver in the groove and carefully turn it until you can hear air coming out. It’ll be quite quiet, so listen closely!

Step 5

Once all the air has been released from the system, you’ll see water start to spill out of the release valve. Screw the valve back into place, stopping the water. It’s worth checking a few moments later to make sure it doesn’t need tightening further.

Repeat the process as necessary around the house. You can also use this same process to bleed heated towel rails.

If you notice any cold spots or issues with your heating and hot water system, it’s worth checking if your boiler needs re-pressurising before calling an engineer.