Development Blog

Regardless of whether your home is heated with a steam or hot water system, it is vital to have all of your radiators examined and serviced by a qualified professional at least once every year. This will not only give you peace of mind but keep your family safe and healthy. Just as important is the realisation that ensuring that everything is performing at peak capability will significantly reduce your utility bills. Properly maintained radiators use considerably less power so heat your home much more economically. Between professional visits, there are some things you need to do to guarantee that minor problems do not become major disasters. One, check that all radiators are slightly tilted towards the steam inlet pipes which come up from the floor or out of the wall. Two, make certain that there is no corrosion, rust or paint blocking the air from escaping from the vents. Any air that gets trapped in the radiators will prevent steam from circulating and so keep them from heating up properly. Three, you will want to check that your inlet valves are either all the way open or all the way shut so verify their positions to avoid knocking or banging sounds. Four, look for water dripping from the inlet valves of the radiators. Normally it is the cap nuts that are leaking, not the valve itself. These are the big nuts located where the vertical and horizontal connections meet, and can usually be fixed simply by retightening the nuts.