My neighbor was complaining the other day about his banging radiators and how they had been doing that for over a year!

He was surprised when I advised him that you can bleed a radiator to let the air out and stop the noise.  Yes thats bleed, not as in blood but as in letting the air out.

Air builds up in radiators as waste deposits and corrosion create waste gases, they are designed with a bleed valve to allow this air build up to escape.

A towel to shield your hand, a bleed valve and a quarter turn of the wrist and the task is completed.

Once done remember to close the valve and you should be ok for the next year or two.

Energy economy and reducing energy use is essential to us all in present-day times. Ever increasing gas costs make it essential to get the most out of your boiler and central heating system. Whilst you use electricity and gas throughout your house you may find that up to one 50% of your energy charge relates to your central heating energy use. Every household should be able to contract its heating system bills by following out some of the tips we have outlined below.

turn off boilers in areas where you do not need it :
Gas central heating radiators are made to be switched on and off. Have a look at whether there are any rooms in your home which are not being used and switch off the radiator there. If an area of your home is not used frequently it really doesn’t need heating. closing the door to these rooms will also stop warm air leaking into them and chilled air flowing out.

turn off a fire if you are using the central heating :
The fire is not as efficient as the gas boiler and it will not heat the rest of your home. With coal or wood fires most of the heat disappears up the chimney, modern central heating systems are much more cost-efficient in heating your home than using an electric fire.

Stop those draughts with the correct insulation
Stop being cold air flowing into your home means that you do not have to pay for energy to continually heat the air. The first place to look will be your doors and ensure that any visible gaps are blocked off. There can be gaps between the window and door frames and a wall which are easily sealed with a foam based sealer. These type of gaps happen often in aging houses as the foundations settle. drafts can be hunted down by using a candle flame and checking when it flickers as you move around the room taking care not to spill any hot wax.

Don’t turn up the heating, put on more clothes :
Putting on a sweater will keep you warm rather than turning up the heating. A ten% reduction in your gas consumption can easily be achieved by reducing your room temperature by 1°.

Make best use on your curtains to control temperature :
The sun is very effective at heating your home in the wintertime, when shining, if you keep the drapes opened to allow it in. Outside temperatures drop at night time and your house can lose a lot of heat through the windowpanes. Drawing the drapes provides an insulating layer which helps stop this, this can can save you real money in the longer term. The thicker the drapes in the better.

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You must insulate your central heating hot water tank if you have one. A cylinder which is not insulated will quickly lose its heat and require you to pay to heat the hot water again.

The use of silver foil on the wall by your radiator can be used to reflect heat into the room rather than out into the wall and the outside.