Customers of energy giants such as British Gas, OVO, EDF, EON, and Octopus who are anxious about the upcoming energy price cap can actually cash in on a significant saving: by spending merely £4, they stand to gain £344 back. Amid concerns related to Ofgem’s new £1,771 price cap which kicks off from October 1, customers have the opportunity to shave a hefty 20 per cent off their bills.
This saving can be unlocked by acquiring a simple radiator bleed kit for £4. Mitchell Wray, a home heating expert at National Insulation Supplies, underlines the importance of often-overlooked household tasks like bleeding your radiators: “There are often household maintenance tasks that can be neglected or forgotten, and for lots of Brits bleeding your radiators might be one of them.”
Wray emphasises that while a lot of guidance is usually given concerning central heating and boilers, not enough attention is paid to radiators themselves, something which could lead to unnecessary expenditure: “Lots of advice often is focused on the central heating and boiler itself, but often money is wasted by not checking your actual radiators, and in some cases, can impact your overall central heating.”
He details the process of bleeding a radiator as a means to release trapped air that hinders efficient heating and causes increased energy use, thus inflating costs: “Bleeding your radiator means freeing air that has become trapped in your radiator. This is a problem because the radiator won’t heat up as effectively. Your boiler needs to use more energy to fight the air, costing you more money”.
For those looking to undertake this cost-saving task, Wray advises switching the heating off before starting. It is also prudent to prepare a cloth or container to catch any drips.
Locating the radiator bleed plug is the next step. Using a radiator key, open the valve by turning it anti-clockwise until a hissing sound indicates the start of the bleed.
Once the hissing sound ceases, close the valve. Repeat this process for all radiators in your home.
After completion, switch your heating system back on and monitor the pressure using your boiler’s gauge. If you encounter any issues with your pressure, boiler, radiators or hot water, professional help and boiler servicing are available.
Amazon offers a variety of radiator bleed kits suitable for all standard radiators online, with prices starting from just £4.