There is a plethora of problems out there when it comes to radiator heating turning awry. It could be a gentle yet aggravating tapping on your pipes or a cold spot on the panel which you hadn’t noticed before, radiators can fall foul of many ailments. Whilst radiators are well known for their usually irregular problems, one which you must look out for is the big bad radiator sludge monster. This artery clogging monster is no friend to your heating and can lead to all manner of problems and dragging your heating bills into a black hole while it’s at it. So, what is radiator sludge, and how do you get rid of it?
What is radiator sludge?
Radiator sludge is an accumulation of various substances within the radiator. Radiators are made of metal, and over time the radiator will begin to rust. This means that rust particles will accumulate inside the radiator and mix with the water travelling through it. This will in turn lead to the eventual accumulation of sludge at the bottom of your radiator. If you're not careful, this can lead to the clogging of pipes, and if you let it go too far, the clogging of the boiler as well!
Why does flushing my radiator help with sludge?
Flushing your radiator every now and again is an effective way of getting rid of radiator sludge. The reason for this is that it costs little money and is simply achieved by even the most unpractised in DIY. You can flush any heating units, even designer radiators are easily worked on and getting rid of sludge, much like bleeding a radiator, will ensure better and more even heating in your system.
One of the main reasons people decide to flush their radiator is due to the uneven patches of warmth that occur in a blocked radiator. This makes the heating slower to radiate through your rooms and is also incredibly detrimental to your heating bills.
In the long run too, the sludge could begin to accumulate in the boiler. If you allow this to happen, it could lead to extensive work having to be done on the entire central heating system, work and money you could have saved by to taking precautionary measures earlier on.
How to flush your radiator
To flush your radiator, all you'll need is a radiator key, a wrench, a bucket or bowl, plumbers tape and a hose. After turning off your heating, lay down a towel or sheets under the unit your working on. Turn off the valves of the radiator, so as to cut it off from the rest of the system. To do this, twist the thermostatic valve to the "off" position and on the other side of the radiator, turn the lockshield off. The lockshield should be the radiator valve with a plastic cap over it, although some may not have this cap. You may need a wrench for this to turn it fully clockwise.
Once you've twisted all the valves, it's time to bleed your radiator. With a bleed key, twist the bleed valve and let all of the gunk flush out. Use the bucket an towel underneath your radiator to collect everything. Loosen the lockshield even further so that gunk comes out of there as well, before closing the bleed valve.
Once you've closed all the valves, it's time to take the radiator for a hose down, either outside or in the bathroom. After this, you can reverse these steps to place your now flushed radiator back on the wall.
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