Check the controls first
Make sure the programmer is on, the room thermostat is set high enough and radiator valves are open. A thermostat in a warm spot – near a radiator or in sunlight – may switch the heating off before the rest of the house is warm.
Look at the radiators
Feel each radiator carefully when the heating has been on a while:
- Cold at the top: likely trapped air – bleed it
- Cold at the bottom: likely sludge – the system may need cleaning
- One radiator cold: possibly a stuck valve or an unbalanced system
- All lukewarm: possibly boiler settings, pump or pressure problems
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Heat loss and radiator size
Draughts, single glazing, uninsulated walls and lofts let heat escape faster than radiators can replace it. Radiators that are too small for a room – common after extensions or knock-throughs – may never get it warm on cold days. A heating engineer can calculate whether each radiator is big enough.
