How long should i bleed my radiator for?
It sounds like you have no pressure in the system. If it is a boiler which heats the water on-demand as it passes through the boiler, then there should be a little valve and pressure gauge. If the gauge is at zero then you have no pressure. Check the instructions and turn the valve to re-pressurise the system. If you have left the bleed valves open anywhere then you may get water pouring out at this stage!! Alternatively ask friends for help – unless there is something seriously wrong with the system which requires a plumber, then it is more than likely that one of them will have done this to their own central heating system!!
You will need to have the heating turned on to do this properly. You will need a radiator bleed key available from all diy stores and an old piece of cloth or towelling. Once the heating has been on for about 40 minutes you simply take the bleed key and insert it into the end of the radiator with the matching head to the keys opening, you then turn the key SLOWLY in an anti-clockwise direction and you will hear air hissing as it escapes from the radiator by the key valve fitting. After this period of hissing stops ( it can be 10 seconds it could be 40 ) it will be followed by BLACK water, this is where you will need the towelling to stop it dribbling onto the floor as it can stain carpets…CAUTION AT THIS STAGE THE WATER WILL BE RUNNING HOT…AND MAKE SURE YOU DO NOT TURN THE VALVE FITTING MORE THAN JUST ENOUGH TO LET THE AIR OUT OF THE RADIATOR. Once all of this has been done you can re-tighten the valve screw with the bleed key and wipe up any spillages . YOU have now bled your firs
if you want to bleed it then you can do it anytime, although it’s best done when hot, the hissing which is air coming out of the radiator…… you should bleed it untill water starts to come out… air in heating systems isn’t good……. if your there for an hour you aren’t turning it far enough… it should take no more than 20 sec’s …..
