Do you find that it takes forever for your house to warm up after you’ve finally caved in and turned the heating on? Are all your radiators heating up at different speeds? If this is the case, your radiators may need balancing. This process can be difficult and time consuming, so we’d recommend calling a professional to get the job done properly.
That being said though, it might come in handy to know the process of balancing your radiators so that when the engineer is talking to you, you understand what they are saying and it doesn’t all sound like gobbledegook.
So, without further ado, let’s get into it!
What does balancing radiators mean?
Balancing your radiators is the process of adjusting the valves to control the heating speed of radiators across your house.
Your central heating system heats your home by pumping hot water around your home and through each radiator. The flow of water that reaches a certain radiator in your home determines how hot it can get – however, not all radiators receive an equal flow of water. This can be because of the location and positioning of the radiator, the connecting pipes and a number of other factors.
Balancing your radiators means that each radiator receives the amount of water necessary to heat your home evenly – rather than some radiators heating quickly while others remain colder for longer.
When would balancing your radiators be necessary?
Generally, your central heating system will be balanced upon installation or after maintenance work. However, there may be other times that your radiators need balancing again. If your radiators throughout your house are all heating up at different speeds, they need balancing. This could be very frustrating in winter and could cause your bills to be more expensive because it can take a lot longer to heat your house.
Do my radiators need balancing or bleeding?
We’ve spoken in the past about how to bleed your radiators, and while these actions seem similar, they are actually different processes that are designed to fix different issues.Â
If you’ve noticed that your heating system rattles or gargles, and your radiators get warm at the bottom but not at the top, you need to bleed your radiators. A single radiator can be bled if the issue only applies to one.
If your house takes a long time to heat up after you’ve turned your heating on, or you have noticed that some radiators don’t heat up at all, you will need your central heating system to be balanced. This means that every radiator in your home will need to be checked and balanced.
How we balance your radiators
Balancing your radiators requires more knowledge and equipment than bleeding them, which is why we recommend hiring a professional to do the job for you. A plumber will require the following equipment to balance your radiators:
- A radiator bleed key
- Lockshield valve adjuster or adjustable spanner
- Screwdriver
- Digital thermometer or multimeter with a thermometer function
Like when bleeding your radiators, the first step of balancing your radiators is to turn the central heating off and allow all the radiators in your property to cool down completely.
If your radiators require both bleeding and balancing, you can bleed them before your plumber arrives, and power flush them if necessary. Bleeding your radiators before balancing them will give a better gauge as to the actual temperature of your radiators and help to rule out any other causes.
Once your radiators are completely cooled down, your plumber will open up all the thermostatic radiator valves by turning them anti-clockwise to the highest number on the dial. If your radiators don’t have thermostatic radiator valves, they will open the lock shields by removing the cover and using your adjustable spanner or lockshield valve key to turn the valve anti-clockwise.
Once all your radiator valves are open, the heating engineer will turn your central heating back on and monitor which radiators heat up quickest and in which order. Typically, the radiators closest to the heat source will heat up quicker than the ones further away.
Once they have found out which of your radiators heated up first and fastest, they will turn your central heating back off to allow the flow of hot water through the heating system to be balanced from a cold start.
When your radiators are cool, the radiator that heats up the fastest will be adjusted by turning the valve clockwise ¾ of a turn. This will leave it slightly open. Your plumber will then, once again, turn your heating back on and allow this radiator to start getting warm.
When it begins to get warm,the temperature of the radiator will be recorded at the valve and then at the opposite end of the radiator with a thermometer. Giving enough time for the radiators to adjust as the changes are made, the lockshield valve will need to be gradually altered until the difference between the readings of the two pipes is exactly 12°c. The process will then be repeated for all of your radiators in the order that they heated up.
Why does the temperature difference need to be 12°c?
Your plumber will be looking out for the temperature difference between either end of your radiator to be exactly 12°c – meaning that your water should enter your radiator 12°c hotter than it leaves it. This is because 12°c is believed to be the most efficient drop to achieve optimal heat distribution and comfort in the room.
How GreenSmart can help
At GreenSmart, we have years of experience in fixing your plumbing and central heating issues. We will happily balance your radiators for you. However, if this hasn’t worked or you are experiencing more problems with your heating system, we are able to service, repair or replace your boiler to ensure that your house is heating efficiently.
If you need any advice, contact us today and one of our expert team will be willing to help as much as possible.
