apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

We have circulating hot water and we don't have to bleed our radiators unless air gets trapped inside somehow, usually from making repairs to the system. (We recently got a new boiler and had to bleed air for weeks afterword as it worked its way through the pipes.)

Steam heat is another whole deal. I think it has more to do with the way the pipes are run than sticking to an arbitrary timetable. If there are dips or nearly-level runs in the pipe, condensation is more likely to accumulate and block the flow of steam. A more direct return will keep condensation flowing back to the boiler where it will be turned into steam again.

My current apartment doesn't have radiators but, when I lived in Brooklyn, we definitely had to bleed them. One year, I waited until early November before finally asking the landlords to turn on the heat (they lived downstairs and had a new baby so I'd figured if they could stand conserving energy, I could, too).

Turned out, they'd had it on for weeks but no heat was traveling up to the second and third floor radiators (it was a brownstone - landlord on the ground and 1st floors, me on the second floor and two studios on the third floor).

We went around and bled all of the radiators - starting on the lower floors and working our way up, but not in any particular order on each floor. Immediately fixed the heat issue and I realized that the reason my front room had been cold the year before was that the radiator there should have been bled.

FYI, we had hot water not steam circulating in the radiators so we were bleeding out air bubbles - on opening the valves, air would hiss out. Once the air was replaced by water (a somewhat messy situation but an old dishtowel and strategically placed bowl helped), we knew we were set and moved on to the next radiator.

I think there is a need for a little correction. "Bleeding" is NOT supposed to release excess water! It is supposed to release AIR that gathered at the top of radiators. Water used for filling heating installations indludes some air in form of tiny bubbles and that air gathers over time in high points of heating installation, i.e. radiators. It`s not a desired addition, since gas conducts heat much worse than liquid. And yes, you should walk around once a year and open the tiny valves in your radiators, BUT keep them open only as long as the air is coming out. When water starts coming out, close the valve and move to another radiator. It`s absolutely normal (if not mandatory) thing to do before every heating season.

Ericahd and Mordazy are right - you just bleed until the water starts coming out. We do this every year. I remember growing up there was a place on the opposite side of the radiator where you could add water. Not sure how that worked but I remember we had to keep it full at all times.

This is not exactly on subject - but how do you clean a radiator properly?

I think my radiators are steam (it hisses quite often), maybe that's why I've never heard of this.

I lived in a house of flats and every year the landlord would turn on the heat and the top half of my radiator would be cold. Because I was at the top of the house and my radiator was the last one in the "chain" all the air rose up and settled chez moi. Now I would always check that every radiator is as hot at the top as it as at the bottom and if it's not then I get out the radiator key. (But I don't do it unless it needs to be done)

hello sorry to be off topic but what is that gorgeous color on the wall?

My partner is insistent on bleeding the hot water pipes every year. Not only has it made a noticeable difference (rooms really seem warmer) but it eliminates the clanging and banging when the system kicks in each morning when I turn the thermostat up to a reasonable point before dragging the dogs out of bed for their winter walk. He also has a passion for cleaning filters in air conditioners. Still doesn't know where the laundry hamper is...

We only bleed our radiators if they are making funny bubbling sounds. However, there is still one flat above us, so we only do it when needed. If you are the last in the chain, as idontdobeige mentioned, you might need to do it every year. Don't forget to have some cloth at hand to soak up the spilling water. At my boyfriend's flat however, there was an accident during renovation of the flat below and we had to do it several times already this year. (even before the heating period, as the heating is on all year - don't know whether it is usual habit in Hamburg, Germany)

Where's the option for doing them more than once a year?! My top floor apartment means I'm at the bottom of the heating food chain, they'll need doing at least three times through the winter.

we don't use our radiators because houses in the South aren't insulated like those in the North, so the heat just leaks out, wasting our money.

so must of us drain our radiators of they're water so the pipes don't freeze and burst. then we buy us some good space heaters.

yes, I bleed mine, and be careful, if you've already started the heating system that water can be HOT!

also wondering about the paint color in the photo!!!! may want to use it for my fall cure...

According to a book on maintaining old houses that I have, our radiators are "self-bleeding"-- that's what the steam-whistle looking thing on the side is, and while it periodically starts spouting steam. So no, I've never bled them (been here a little over a year).

That said, we do have one radiator that never heats up...

...of course, we also have a single steam furnace/radiator system weaving it's way through four condos on two floors, so that complicates figuring out why one particular radiator doesn't seem to be getting any steam. I've been meaning to ask my downstairs neighbor if she has one turned off that might be blocking it.

Love the glass float in the picture.

I don't have radiators anymore, but when I did, I'd bleed them every year, the point of which is to rid the system of air not excess water. This helps the system work as it's the hot water in the pipes that transfers the heat. This is especially important if you pay your own utilities...it makes a HUGE difference..believe me! I always did it when the pipes were hot so you MUST be careful to avoid scalding water spraying you.

The last place I had radiators, I'm sure they hadn't been bled for (probably) a century (true), and since I was the only one of 4 roommates who had any idea of this concept (we had them when I was a child and I'd seen my mum do it regularly), I was elected for the job.

The valves were almost impossible to turn. After much WD40 and some serious wrenches, I managed to move one of them, but when I opened it fully (with a pot underneath to catch the spitting water/air mix, until it releases only water), I practically fainted from the smell of sulphur (rotten egg to the nth degree). This aroma was so unbearably disgusting...I threw up in my mouth a little...I had to figure something else out to contain this putrid gas!...

I'm sure I looked completely ridiculous, but my plan did work. I took a heavy duty green garbage bag and duct taped it to the outlet. When I opened the valve, the stink was contained!

The first one (starting at the lowest point in the 3 storey house) wasn't too bad. I simply took a big breath and released it outdoors. I continued room by room and floor by floor until I got to the top. That's where the worst of it was...in my office of all places. As the air was released and replaced by water from higher pipes in the system, the remaining air pockets kept rising until the last radiator was almost pure gas. That one took at least 3 garbage bags to bleed but I must say, it was worth it ...we were toasty all winter and our gas bill went down several percentage points!

In retrospect, I should have charged the others for that service!!!

Sheilalady

Semi-off topic, but the steam releasing from our radiators terrifies our kitten, haha.

I live in Florida.... what's a radiator?