If you’ve noticed that your central heating radiators are making a dripping or trickling sound, it could be a sign that they aren’t working as they should.
Not only is the sound annoying, but you might also notice that several cold patches have started to appear on your radiators which means they aren’t emitting heat properly or at the level they should.
But don’t worry, this is a common problem that can be easily remedied with a little know-how. Read on to discover how you can stop this trickling sound and restore your central heating radiators to perfect working order once again.
What’s Causing My Central Heating Radiators To Make Dripping or Trickling Sounds?
Air trapped in the system is common in central heating radiators, especially tall models such as vertical radiators that are filled too quickly. This causes air pockets that must be removed to stop the noise and to make sure that the radiator has an even surface temperature.
Removing Air Pockets From Central Heating Radiators
Before you start, take a look at your radiators to see if they have specific flow and return connections. These are usually marked by arrows and the words ‘flow' or ‘return' with the flow being where the water comes in and return being where the water is coming out.
Bleed Your Radiators
To start removing the unwanted air pockets from your central heating radiators, bleed them while ensuring that the flow and return valves are located on the right sides of the radiator.
You’ll want to shut down your central heating system before you start, so make sure you do this first.
Thermostatic valves should always be fitted to the flow side and lockshields on the return side, so if these two valves are fitted the wrong way around you’ll need to swap them over to ensure that you don’t keep getting the same problem occurring.
For more information on how to bleed your radiator, check out our step-by-step guide.
Valves And Vents
Next, you’ll want to start to slowly refill your central heating radiators. You must pay close attention to your vents and valves.
Before you begin to refill the radiator, close the lockshield valve and open the air vent (usually located usually opposite the flow). Make sure the air vent is fully open as this is how the trapped air will escape.
Once the lockshield valve is closed and the air vent is open, begin to refill the radiator very slowly and let the water guide the air out of the open air vent.
As soon as you can see water coming from the vent, you know that all of the air has been removed and it's time to stop refilling and close the vent while opening the lockshield again.
Now, turn the system back on and leave for a few minutes so that the radiators can start to heat back up again. If you’ve successfully removed any air pockets, you shouldn’t hear any further trickling or dripping noises. What’s more, you should be able to feel that the whole surface of the radiator is warm and even to the touch without any cool patches.
If you think that you've got the same problem with some of your other radiators, then repeat this simple process again to get your central heating radiator system working correctly and efficiently.
Are You Still Having Issues With Your Radiator?
We hope this guide helped you put a stop to any annoying sounds your radiator was making. But if it hasn't it might be time to contact a plumber as you might have an issue with your radiator and in turn, the heat output of said radiator.
If this is the case, you might be recommended to purchase a new radiator, but not to worry! We have a fantastic range of designer radiators on our site. Including an impressive range of designer radiators on sale, our sale range features Lux Heat Radiators in a range of sizes and designs, along with coloured radiators and towel radiators. So if you are looking for a bargain, see our sales page.
If you're looking for a new radiator from Designer Radiator Direct we suggest taking a look at our BTU Calculator as a starting point to find out what the heat requirement for your room would be. This will help you choose from many models such as Column Radiators and Electric Radiators.
Contact Us If You Need Help Or Advice
If you are still having issues with your radiators, or need advice on choosing a new designer radiator please contact us today. Our team of specialists are more than happy to help you out.
