Troubleshooting Radiators: 6 Steps

Mar 14, 2024

Via Boiler Central

With colder weather on the horizon and rising inflation rates that are affecting every day costs of living, experts at Boiler Central have shared a few tips on how to fix a cold radiator and what may be causing this problem.

Radiators have an important job of keeping the house warm. So, when a radiator is cold at the bottom, something’s not right. Most likely, it is not functioning properly, which could lead to more complicated issues.

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• Radiators

• Troubleshooting and HVACR

• Service & Maintenance

If a radiator has cold patches while the heating is on, it could mean that there is sludge present inside the radiator. Sludge tends to accumulate inside the radiator over time. Once enough sludge is in the radiator, it blocks the flow channels, meaning water is unable to move around the radiator effectively.

“Unfortunately, radiator sludge is a very common occurrence and this is because of the reaction caused when water interacts with metal,” said a spokesperson for Boiler Central. “When this happens, the best thing you can do is clean the radiator completely.”

Luckily, this is a very common issue and there are simple steps to clean a radiator and prevent sludge buildup.

Cleaning a radiator to get rid of the cold spot at the bottom:

1. Isolate the radiator.

2. Set up for leaking water.

3. Open the bleeding valve.

4. Remove and clean the radiator.

5. Test out the system.

6. Re-pressurize.