Bleeding is only needed to be done on hot water systems to remove air. If you have no spot for a key and only see one pipe going into the radiator, and a vent on the other end (usually bullet shaped or round), you have a steam system. The steam pushes the air out through the vent which is what allows the radiator to heat up. If the radiator doesn't heat (and other radiators in the house are), either the valve on the pipe is closed or your vent may be clogged. If air can't pass through the vent the steam will "bypass" that radiator. Turn the valve counter clockwise and you should hear the steam rushing in and the radiator gets hot. If it's already open, you may need to change the vent. This is easy to do and takes only a minute but make sure you do it WHEN THE SYSTEM IS OFF and ALL RADIATORS in the house are COOL or you could get scalded by hot steam!
@@nadiaw978 if there are two pipes connected to the radiator and no vent I would think it's hot water but two pipes can be either hot water or steam. One pipe is definitely steam. Take a look here maybe it will help you figure it out. americanvintagehome.com/advice-for-older-homes/owners-older-homes/
how to stop the banging in the pipe itself? I have a riser that then goes across the room with a slope and it keeps making small banging sounds. does it mean the radiator above needs to replace valve? or does it mean the radiator needs more slope?
I have an older house with only one radiator on the second floor. It has not worked since I bought the house. I can bleed air out of it after 10-15 min. In the past it would lead to water. This winter it's just air, no water. I've found the pipes for it in the basement, near the boiler. Half the pipes are hot, but about midway, they become cold. Could it be those pipes are blocked?? Any simple things to try before I have to hire a pro? Open the bleed valves and nock gently on the pipes? I'm at a loss. Thanks!
Should the boiler be turned on before bleeding the radiators? Should you do one entire floor at a time or just one radiator at a time? Thanx so much for your help and and videos!
Hi Corey your vid was exactly what I needed. My problem is I have 3 different size cast iron radiator with no brand, how do I tell what key I need? Please and thanks
Radiators in my house are from 1919. There are no valves on the top that you would use a key with. We have the old school valves that go halfway up the radiator. The kind that screw into the side of the radiator. Got new furnace...loud clanging because old furnace did not produce enough air to force it out.
A radiator in my house was bled but I am unable to turn the knob/valve to turn up or down the amount of heat coming out of the radiator. Any suggestions?
I've been in this apt 8 years they have been here 4 times for radiator pipes banging I turned on pipe water shot out right side of radiator they changed valve 4 times in 2onth never bleed radiator .walls that connect look like there melting could this problem be in walls also? There's a connect ing radiator on other side of wall that has no valve im so scared to be in this apt
It is better to start with the lower radiators and work your way up. This allows the water pressure to build and prevents any air from being trapped in the middle.
I have a steam heating system with water shooting out the valves and loud banging. What do you do to fix this? I had a new boiler installed and someone had changed all the valves on the radiators before that boiler was replaced. Now I have loud banging and knocking on 2 radiators every time they come on. They are on the floor above my basement where my boiler is.
this sounds like installer did not flush the system, which is causing surging, which is what causes the banging. oil needs to be flushed out of system then the water in the glass should not be jumping too much
@@BleedCubbieBlue yeah, so my guess is, when the water jumps like crazy, it causes the auto feeder to get triggered, which ends up flooding your pipes, which causes the banging. at any rate this guy's video actually is what you need to do, however the only difference with what he does and what you should do, is flush all water out first, then run a small drizzle of water and skim it from the skimming tap. do that for like an hour or two, and that should get rid of all the oil. (anyways, easier said than done, I spent a lot of money and im still not 100% sure how to do it, but ill take notes next)
Once you stop getting air out, you've accomplished the task. While you may need to bleed the radiators again later, once all the air is out of the radiator, you're done.
Do they get loud when they have air? My new boiler sounds like a hum. It sounds similar to the hum that an air compressor would make but quieter. Almost like a sump pump from a distance. But if I go down to the boiler I can't hear it. It's like it's rattling pipes somewhere. The boiler was put in a year and 11 months ago. The company said it's my fault because I have to have yearly maintenance on it. Lol. We just bought the darn thing. So they came out no explanation whatsoever. Said maybe it's air and left.
If any of your radiators are warm, that means at least the boiler is working. If you can't get water out of one radiator, but you can out of other radiators, there might be an airlock preventing the water from getting to that one radiator. If you can't get water out of more than one radiator on the same floor, you may need to increase the pressure of the water in the boiler system. . Most of these problems are best diagnosed by a professional, to prevent any accidental pressure issues in the hydronic system.
@@joeshmo2115 hey, i found out some old 70's radiators which had aspestos in would give cancer over time, why i asked this 10 months ago but ty for the reply.
from what I read, you bleed the air, not the water, out of the system. So, if there is only water, you have already bled out the air. So, it's finished. If the radiator isn't getting any warmer, it maybe an issue with the boiler, i.e. no hot water coming up to the pipes.
Lived in my house for 7 years, bleed em yearly before winter (Live in Pa). This year my Farthest and hottest one depressurized... and thats it. Its HOT as usual, but after air nothing came out. No more air, no water.
SO i tried to open the valve while it was on (don't think there is a shut off valve - if there is, i don't know where it is). Anyways, opened up the valve and first air came out, then the water - but the water kept coming out non-stop, half-way filling up a bucket before i finally screwed it back in....yes the unit is heating significantly better now, but i didn't let all he water drain because i was unsure if if the water stream was going to ever end; i was unprepared for so much water, and it got all over my carpet..i just had a repairman out here 5 weeks ago, and he told me to drain it to make it work better if it lost heat..but SO MUCH WATER and only a month later after a repair fixed it/drained it.......with so much water on the floor, i'm reluctant to do it again., so i guess no heat for me in about a month...
Do the simple things first: check the power switch on the boiler, the batteries in the thermostat, and the breaker in your electrical panel. If none of those are the issue, it's time to call in a professional.
When you get water coming out the bleeding vent, that means that the radiator is full of water and that air is no longer present. This is where you want to be. If you're still having a problem with the radiator not getting warm, there is another issue. If it's the only radiator not getting warm, there's probably a blockage or air trap in the line leading up to the radiator and you need to call a service technician to take a look at it.
Steam radiators operate differently from water ones. There are valves on the steam radiators to automatically vent air. This Old House has a great video on replacing the valve here: th-cam.com/video/y0VQOZqiw7U/w-d-xo.html
My Dad doesn’t remember so I have to learn here. Prayers for my Dad his memory is going but I believe in Jesus’s authority to heal him, to heal us in Jesus’s name amen
5 years later and this video is STILL helpful! Thank you!
Thank you. We just moved into an old house with one of these cast-iron radiators and I have no idea what I’m doing. This video really helped a lot.
Bleeding is only needed to be done on hot water systems to remove air. If you have no spot for a key and only see one pipe going into the radiator, and a vent on the other end (usually bullet shaped or round), you have a steam system. The steam pushes the air out through the vent which is what allows the radiator to heat up.
If the radiator doesn't heat (and other radiators in the house are), either the valve on the pipe is closed or your vent may be clogged. If air can't pass through the vent the steam will "bypass" that radiator.
Turn the valve counter clockwise and you should hear the steam rushing in and the radiator gets hot. If it's already open, you may need to change the vent. This is easy to do and takes only a minute but make sure you do it WHEN THE SYSTEM IS OFF and ALL RADIATORS in the house are COOL or you could get scalded by hot steam!
What do you do to stop the banging in a radiator?
@@KECIABC is the banging actually in the radiator itself or in the pipes?
@@nadiaw978 how many pipes going into the radiator?
@@nadiaw978 if there are two pipes connected to the radiator and no vent I would think it's hot water but two pipes can be either hot water or steam. One pipe is definitely steam. Take a look here maybe it will help you figure it out.
americanvintagehome.com/advice-for-older-homes/owners-older-homes/
how to stop the banging in the pipe itself? I have a riser that then goes across the room with a slope and it keeps making small banging sounds. does it mean the radiator above needs to replace valve? or does it mean the radiator needs more slope?
This is the best explanation ever! Thank you so much!
do we need to turn of the water in valve ? And how long do you let the water run for?
I have an older house with only one radiator on the second floor. It has not worked since I bought the house. I can bleed air out of it after 10-15 min. In the past it would lead to water. This winter it's just air, no water. I've found the pipes for it in the basement, near the boiler. Half the pipes are hot, but about midway, they become cold. Could it be those pipes are blocked?? Any simple things to try before I have to hire a pro? Open the bleed valves and nock gently on the pipes? I'm at a loss. Thanks!
Should the boiler be turned on before bleeding the radiators? Should you do one entire floor at a time or just one radiator at a time? Thanx so much for your help and and videos!
Good question
Boiler should be on pumping water. You may need to add water to increase pressure
Should the boiler be off or on when bleeding? I am finding conflicting answers with several videos. Thank you!
Hi Corey your vid was exactly what I needed. My problem is I have 3 different size cast iron radiator with no brand, how do I tell what key I need? Please and thanks
Do we need to turn the furnace off?
Radiators in my house are from 1919. There are no valves on the top that you would use a key with. We have the old school valves that go halfway up the radiator. The kind that screw into the side of the radiator. Got new furnace...loud clanging because old furnace did not produce enough air to force it out.
Hola right now the radiator in the bathroom is cold do I have to bleed it ? Thank you
This was a big help. Thanks for posting it.
A radiator in my house was bled but I am unable to turn the knob/valve to turn up or down the amount of heat coming out of the radiator. Any suggestions?
Is it necessary to do all radiators at once in a rooming house with 4 dozen radiators? Can one renter 'bleed' their one radiator effectively?
Exactly what I needed to know, thanks!
My pressure relief valves are at the bottom of the radiators.
What's the difference?
What if it's not heating and when I turn it and no water or air coming out ? But the rest of the radiators work fine ?
I have 5 radiators, only 2 are warm! Just found the key, let all the air out, fingers crossed it worked!!!
Wat if it doesn’t come out . Right away?
Thanks! Same style here in Europe :)
What if your radiator does have any place for that key
Thank you for helping me when my landlord wouldn’t
Bad landlord
I've been in this apt 8 years they have been here 4 times for radiator pipes banging I turned on pipe water shot out right side of radiator they changed valve 4 times in 2onth never bleed radiator .walls that connect look like there melting could this problem be in walls also? There's a connect ing radiator on other side of wall that has no valve im so scared to be in this apt
I'm in DC. Thanks for this
Is there any order in which to do this. Do you need to start with the upstairs radiators first or can i start with any radiator.
It is better to start with the lower radiators and work your way up. This allows the water pressure to build and prevents any air from being trapped in the middle.
@@climateheatingcooling1323 Thanks so much.
I had a tech tell me start with the highest start from top and work ya way down 🤷@@climateheatingcooling1323
No place for a key on mine.
what is wrong if no water comes out during a bleed?
There’s still trap air in the line
My house has wooden radiator covers, should I remove those during the winter? Would those hinder the efficiency of the air flow?
They would absorb a lot of heat, and not radiate it.
I have a steam heating system with water shooting out the valves and loud banging. What do you do to fix this? I had a new boiler installed and someone had changed all the valves on the radiators before that boiler was replaced. Now I have loud banging and knocking on 2 radiators every time they come on. They are on the floor above my basement where my boiler is.
You ever get your problem fixed?
this sounds like installer did not flush the system, which is causing surging, which is what causes the banging. oil needs to be flushed out of system then the water in the glass should not be jumping too much
@@DChan-hi2ei that makes sense the water jumps like crazy.
@@BleedCubbieBlue yeah, so my guess is, when the water jumps like crazy, it causes the auto feeder to get triggered, which ends up flooding your pipes, which causes the banging. at any rate this guy's video actually is what you need to do, however the only difference with what he does and what you should do, is flush all water out first, then run a small drizzle of water and skim it from the skimming tap. do that for like an hour or two, and that should get rid of all the oil. (anyways, easier said than done, I spent a lot of money and im still not 100% sure how to do it, but ill take notes next)
My radiator does not have a bleed line
Do I let all the water out seems like a lot
Once you stop getting air out, you've accomplished the task. While you may need to bleed the radiators again later, once all the air is out of the radiator, you're done.
How to remove the purge valve from on top I can't use a wrench 🔧? Any one thanks
How often you have to do this
Once a year
Do they get loud when they have air? My new boiler sounds like a hum. It sounds similar to the hum that an air compressor would make but quieter. Almost like a sump pump from a distance. But if I go down to the boiler I can't hear it. It's like it's rattling pipes somewhere. The boiler was put in a year and 11 months ago. The company said it's my fault because I have to have yearly maintenance on it. Lol. We just bought the darn thing. So they came out no explanation whatsoever. Said maybe it's air and left.
Get info. Very helpful. Thank you.
Is it normal for the air coming out to have an odor?
Yes.
What if they dont have a valve
When I let the air out only a little air comes out and no water. Its been cold for days now. What should i do next?
If any of your radiators are warm, that means at least the boiler is working. If you can't get water out of one radiator, but you can out of other radiators, there might be an airlock preventing the water from getting to that one radiator. If you can't get water out of more than one radiator on the same floor, you may need to increase the pressure of the water in the boiler system. . Most of these problems are best diagnosed by a professional, to prevent any accidental pressure issues in the hydronic system.
Add more water (pressure) carefully. Do not overfull.
hi, is the air from the radiators unhealthy?
The radiators in this video don’t produce air they just radiate heat which is why there called radiators
@@joeshmo2115 hey, i found out some old 70's radiators which had aspestos in would give cancer over time, why i asked this 10 months ago but ty for the reply.
Hi. I was trying to bleed the radiator but so much water was coming out. The radiator isn't getting warm.
from what I read, you bleed the air, not the water, out of the system. So, if there is only water, you have already bled out the air. So, it's finished. If the radiator isn't getting any warmer, it maybe an issue with the boiler, i.e. no hot water coming up to the pipes.
I can't find the right key for my radiators, what can I do???
I had to order mine off Amazon.
what if air comes out but no water at all
Thank you for the info..
There are multiple types of raditiors. My dad's doesn't take the key from what I can see
Thank you sir
Lived in my house for 7 years, bleed em yearly before winter (Live in Pa). This year my Farthest and hottest one depressurized... and thats it. Its HOT as usual, but after air nothing came out. No more air, no water.
SO i tried to open the valve while it was on (don't think there is a shut off valve - if there is, i don't know where it is). Anyways, opened up the valve and first air came out, then the water - but the water kept coming out non-stop, half-way filling up a bucket before i finally screwed it back in....yes the unit is heating significantly better now, but i didn't let all he water drain because i was unsure if if the water stream was going to ever end; i was unprepared for so much water, and it got all over my carpet..i just had a repairman out here 5 weeks ago, and he told me to drain it to make it work better if it lost heat..but SO MUCH WATER and only a month later after a repair fixed it/drained it.......with so much water on the floor, i'm reluctant to do it again., so i guess no heat for me in about a month...
you want to drain the air out, not the water. once water is flowing, you're done.
What if the radiator still doesn't get hot
Do the simple things first: check the power switch on the boiler, the batteries in the thermostat, and the breaker in your electrical panel. If none of those are the issue, it's time to call in a professional.
How to bleed my radiator if it’s too hot !!! It’s 83 in my apartment.
Is the boiler running when I do this ??
Need to add more water if no flow. No automatic fill system.
Not all of that have that valve
What happens when there nothing but water comong from radiator
When you get water coming out the bleeding vent, that means that the radiator is full of water and that air is no longer present. This is where you want to be. If you're still having a problem with the radiator not getting warm, there is another issue. If it's the only radiator not getting warm, there's probably a blockage or air trap in the line leading up to the radiator and you need to call a service technician to take a look at it.
Mine doesnt have this valve every video speaks of😭
Have hihats steam regulators I adjust them but not getting heat from 2 radiators out of 4 don't see any bleeders to relieve air
Steam radiators operate differently from water ones. There are valves on the steam radiators to automatically vent air. This Old House has a great video on replacing the valve here: th-cam.com/video/y0VQOZqiw7U/w-d-xo.html
I did that and it’s still cold my baby is freezing in there
My Dad doesn’t remember so I have to learn here. Prayers for my Dad his memory is going but I believe in Jesus’s authority to heal him, to heal us in Jesus’s name amen
Amen brother
Amen brother dont worry God got u🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Prayers for your whole Family!!!🤗❤️
Same here, my dad passed a few years ago and I keep coming back to this video to remind myself of how it is done ❤
@@daniellecroce7 I got air from bathroom radiator but no water. Am I suppose to wait till water comes out ? like forever lol
Specify hot water system not steam
Wow
🥶
Ok
Thank you. We appreciate it
Always remember this hissing. Then it stop! Then a rumble throughout the building 🏢