It’s time to face facts, whether it ever actually arrived or not, summer is over and us Brits are now staring down the barrel of another long winter in these tough times. With energy prices set to rise again, just at the time when we are all starting to turn up those thermostats, it has never been more important to find new ways of keeping the costs low but the heating high. Many of us have a number of radiators in our houses or flats which we rely on to keep us warm during these dark winter nights but here’s some advice worth heeding. Before you go turning up that dial erratically, or worse still buying a new radiator, why not read these simple tips on how to get the most out of the one you already have.
Keep Bleeding. Keep, Keep Bleeding
Bleeding a radiator is something your hear people talk about a lot but how often do you actually carry out this process. If a radiator isn’t bled on a regular basis then as a result there could be a build-up of air trapped inside leading to it not working as efficiently as it should. You will be able to detect this problem by feeling the temperature of the radiator. If it feels cold at the top but warm at the bottom then the likelihood is that it needs to be bled. Bleeding your radiator is a simple and quick process but one that should be researched if you have never done it before, alternatively, you can get someone to do this for you.
Give your Radiator a Helping Hand
One of the problems you will often find with an older radiator is that it tends to heat the wall that it’s attached to and not the rest of the room. An easy, money saving solution to help with this is to place heat resisting reflectors such as tin foil between the wall and the radiator. This will aid in spreading the heat through the whole room. It is also important to consider what’s in front of your radiator as anything within a three foot radius is sure to be absorbing valuable heat.
Pimp Your Rad
There are a lot of products on the market today that will help you get the most out of your radiator and save you money in the process. One of which that I can strongly recommend is a thermostatic valve. This nifty device has a thermostat built into it so all you have to do is set the desired temperature for the room and the radiator does the rest. It works by only allowing enough hot water through for the radiator to reach the selected temperature and then stopping. This means that there will be no excessive heat being pumped out, like there would be if the radiator was on full, saving you plenty of pounds in the long run. These valves can be installed at an affordable price and will serve as an investment for many winters to come.
Chris Mayhew writes here on behalf of West Radiators. They can supply you with quality thermostatic radiator valves that are sure to save you money on your heating bills in the long run.