What causes radiators to malfunction? 8 reasons why and how to fix these issues
In winter, there is nothing better than waking up knowing that the home will be warm. However, it may happen that due to a malfunction of one or more of the radiators, your home is not heated properly.
This malfunction can be daunting as repairs to the heating system can be very expensive. But try not to panic; in many cases, the problem is much simpler than it might seem and you can deal with it yourself - and without having to call out a specialist.
So what are the possible causes of our radiators malfunctioning and how can we fix these problems? We can divide these causes into 2 main categories, depending on whether the malfunction is limited to a single radiator or to several.
Multiple radiators not working?
If multiple radiators are not working, there could be 4 potential causes:
- Switching on: have you checked that the heating is switched on correctly? It may seem obvious, but sometimes we set the times and temperatures and forget to switch the system to its winter settings;
- Boiler pressure: a second, simple problem that you can solve yourself is when the pressure in your boiler is too low; check on the front of your boiler that the pressure is correctly showing between 1 and 2 basr and, if it is lower, raise the pressure by adjusting the valve in the back;
- Diversion valve: if the hot water gets to the the pipes but not the radiators, perhaps the problem is the diversion valve which is not set properly - call a technician to resolve this problem;
- Radiator control panel: if your boiler is working fine, then perhaps the problem is located in the pipes on the way to the radiators; check that the thermostat is set correctly and, if it is, the cause could be a fault in the control panel - again, in this case, you will have to seek the help of a technician.
A single radiator is malfunctioning
If only one radiator isn't working, the problem is not with the heating system:
- Air locks: the first thing to check is for the presence of air in the radiator. At the beginning of winter, you should check that the radiators are free of air bubbles and you can do this by bleeding them (using the release valve). Remember to check the boiler pressure after doing this;
- Debris: if only the lower part of the radiator is not heating, the cause could be the accumulation of debris such as mud, limescale and rust inside it; in this case, it may be necessary to have professionals clean out your system;
- Thermostatic valve: if the entire radiator does not heat up, the problem could be with the thermostatic valve. Make sure this is set correctly and, if it is, try removing the cover and checking that the pin is not stuck in the off position;
- Leaks: even a leak can be the cause of a malfunction; you can easily solve this by tightening the connection nuts. You will have to call out a technician, however, for leaks caused by corrosion or accidental breakage.
Now you are ready to face the winter!