Expert Advice on Preventing Radiator Issues This Winter

Radiator: Considering Expert Advice on Avoiding a Winter Breakdown

Business - Jan, 27, 2025

expert-advices-on-avoiding-a-winter-breakdown
Find local expert, Get free quotes!

Quick and Easy to Receive Free Estimates.

Winters can not only be harsh on people but also on your home, and essential systems like heating systems that keep everything runs consistently and smoothly. Therefore, if you fail to maintain your heating and plumbing systems which are needed more frequently during winters, it can lead to inconvenient and expensive breakdowns, like bursting pipes, inefficient working of boilers, radiators, or thermostats. To avoid such chaos, take a proactive step by approaching heating and plumbing professionals. 


Let’s see what challenges you need to be prepared for that cold weather brings to stay warm, and stress-free.


Checks You Need to Carry Out Before Turning Your Heating On

Check your boiler pressure: Boiler pressure will give you an exact idea of how efficiently and effectively your heating system is running through the water pressure circulating through your system. According to heating and plumbing experts, low water pressure can result in ineffective heating and you’ll notice colder spots in your house, while high pressure can potentially damage your system by causing leakages.

However, you can keep the pressure gauge between 1 to 2 bars only, which provides the ideal balance for optimal performance. Nonetheless, if you notice a slight increase in the boiler pressure during its functioning—this is completely normal, just make sure that the pressure should stay between 1-2 bar markings and below the 3-bar mark during its usage.


Check your Radiators: Before using your radiators, always check the heating beforehand to ensure they are functioning accurately and properly, just in case to remove any trapped air bubbles which can prevent radiators from heating up evenly, this leads to inefficient heating and you can identify cold spots in the house. However, you can remove trapped air bubbles by "bleeding" the radiators, and allows for optimal and even heat distribution throughout the system. 


You can hire the Best Radiator Installation experts for your radiator services.


Check your thermostat: It is important to ensure that your thermostat accurately reads the temperature. If you notice that the readings are inaccurate, it might cause your boiler to work overtime, for example, your thermostat wastes energy trying to reach a room temperature that has already been achieved, or, it could make the boiler work for short cycles only and could shut it off too early, thus leaving you in the cold. 


However, radiator repairs specialists suggest if your thermostat runs on batteries, check if they need replacing. Moreover, it is better to replace old thermostats with smart or programmable ones to enhance its heating efficiency. 


Always test your heating system before winters: It’s very important to test your boiler before the arrival of winters. According to heating professionals, always run your heating system for about 15-30 minutes daily to ensure all radiators heat up evenly and no unusual noises come from the boiler or pipes like gurgling, banging, or clanging sounds. However, if you notice anything like cold spots in your house inspite of continuous heating, then reach out to your local heating specialist asap. 


Ensure your boiler is regularly serviced: Overtime, dust, limescale, and dirt can build-up in boilers , thus reducing its efficiency. Such accumulations in the boilers can lead to risky situations such as carbon monoxide poisoning, gas leakages which are very deadly. So, it's necessary to service your boiler annually to ensure your system is operating safely and efficiently.


A local plumbing expert can repair and maintain your boiler by checking for the correct operation of safety devices, any leakages, blockages, etc. In other words, a professional plumber can support you with the advice you need such as a well-maintained boiler can help you save pounds on utility bills, and burns fuel more effectively. 


Tips and Tricks To Maximize Your Heating Efficiency During Winters

Below-mentioned are the useful tips that will save some pounds on your utility bills during this winter season: 


  1. Set your heating only when you actually need it: A programmable thermostats for boilers allows you to create a heating schedule that perfectly fits into your routine, thus reducing wastage of energy when you’re away or sleeping. So, opt for smart thermostats that can learn your habits and adjust heating automatically according to your needs, and optimise efficiency.

  1. Maintain a warm and comfortable room temperature: Maintaining a room temperature between 18-20°C can minimise the energy consumption. Moreover, with lowering every degree on your thermostat, you can actually save up to 1-3% on your heating bill.

  1. Heat only often used rooms: Thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) allow you to heat only those rooms that you’re currently using. So, it is better to completely turn the radiators off of the unused rooms.

  1. Avoid blocking the heating with furniture: Don’t place curtains or large furniture in front of working radiators, as it blocks heat circulation and makes your heating work harder to warm the room. This allows airflow to evenly distribute the heat more effectively throughout your entire home.


2025 Ballpark Figure for Repairing and Maintaining Your Heating This Winters

It is suggested to have repairing and maintenance of the heating systems and other heating items by experts before the winter arrives or say in the December month, so as to enjoy your warm and cosy winters. These are one of those unavoidable expenses that must be paid for every year for their repairing and maintenance:

Heating Items

Low Cost

High Cost

Average Cost

Boiler servicing

£80 

£120 

£100

Radiator servicing

£70 

£500 

£250 

Complete Heating System servicing

£80

£180

£120

Plumbing System servicing

£300

£600

£450


Key factors that affects the total price:

  • Repairing and Replacement of the heating item

  • Complexity of the job

  • size of the radiator

  • expertise of the plumber or heating specialist

  • Labour rates

  • Location


If you are not sure where to search professionals who are not only trustworthy, and local but are also skilled and offer affordable services, we suggest you approach Urban Gaffa without any further delay, where we have listed several certified, and vetted heating specialists offering radiator installation and repair services for your home.

So, have you planned to repair and maintain your radiator to avoid winter breakdown? Get a quotation from a radiator specialist near me!

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions):


Q: How can you save energy with your heating? 

A: To save energy with your heating, you can use the following methods: 

  • Using programmable or smart thermostats to only heat your home when needed 

  • Turning down the temperature by a few degrees when you feel your home is warm

  • Insulate your home by closing curtains and doors to prevent heat loss

  • Servicing your boiler regularly will maintain its efficiency. 

  • Heat the rooms only when you are using it or actually at home.

  • Make sure your radiators are not blocked or covered by furniture when in use, so that the heat can evenly distribute into the room. 

  • Fitting radiator reflector panels will also help to reflect heat back into the room. 


These strategies will also help you to conserve more energy and make more savings.


Q: What should you do if your radiators are cold at the top? 

A: If your radiators are cold at the top, in most of the cases, it might be due to the trapped air in the system. So, you should bleed the radiator and allow proper water and heat circulation. This can be done with the simple steps:

  • Turn off the heating first

  • Find the bleed valve at the top of the radiator

  • Open the bleed valve, and you’ll hear air escaping. 

  • Open the bleed valve, and you’ll hear air and water escaping and then gradually hissing sound will stop. 

  • Then close the bleed valve clockwise to stop the water from flowing. 

  • Also Check for further leaks and clean up any water spills. 

  • Repeat the process if needed. 


If you are unable to do this, then hire radiator experts for your home!


Q: Should you turn your thermostat up when it's very cold outside? 

A: There’s no need to turn up your thermostat during extreme cold outside, because thermostats for radiators are particularly designed to maintain a set temperature. So, when the inside temperature drops below the set temperature of the thermostat then the thermostat will activate the heating system regardless of the outside temperature.