If you find that your individual radiators have cold spots, this could mean trapped air in the system and you'll need to bleed them. If your radiators are cold at the bottom, this could be caused by trapped sludge and you'll need to flush this out. How can you tell if your radiators are unbalanced?

With all the radiator valves now fully open, switch on the central heating system - if all the radiators become similarly hot in a similar time there is nothing to do and your radiator balancing is completed. If not, and "not" is usually the case, then follow the procedure below: If not using radiator thermometers Turn the heating off Let the radiator cool down for 20-30 minutes so you don't risk burning yourself with hot water.If you have air in your heating system, inevitably it will find it’s way into one or more of your radiators. Once this happens you will get cold spots and even entire areas on a radiator that won’t heat up (normally at the top) as the present air is preventing hot water from correctly flowing.

In this guide we run through the method of balancing radiators and central heating systems to ensure all radiators het at the same rate and to the same temperature. Why do Radiators Need Balancing? The next task, now that we you know what different heating systems and valves there are, is to actually get started and balance your heating system. 1. Draw a Heating System and Radiator Plan Next take a temperature reading of the pipework that leads to your manual or TRV valve, right next to the valve and note this down.Your can’t balance your system when it’s hot or even warn so ensure everything is stone cold before you start. Fit the radiator thermometers to the INLET and OUTLET pipes of the nearest radiator to the boiler. DO NOT fit them to the main flow and return pipes. Before you start balancing it's important to make sure that the radiators have been vented (bled) properly so that all the air in the radiators is removed – if in doubt see Eskimo technical help “venting procedure”. With all your radiator valves open, it’s time to turn on your heating and make a note of the speed at which each of your radiators heat up.

This type of setup is rather dated now due to the fact that it’s quite inefficient and has now been replaced by the more modern and efficient 2 pipe system. It does also help if you have recently managed to bleed your radiators, as your upcoming temperature readings will be more accurate. If your radiators are unbalanced, they will not heat up at the same speed as each other so it's essential you understand how to balance radiators. Now that you have fully balanced your heating system and it is working at peak efficiency it’s best to keep it this way. To begin balancing radiators, all the radiators and heated towel rails in your home must be completely cold. So, you'll need to switch your heating off and allow radiators to cool completely before starting.Radiator balancing is the adjustment of your radiator valves to ensure all your radiators heat up at the same speed. It helps to enlist a few friends or the kids at this point so that you can keep an eye on how fast all the radiators warm up. You'll usually find those radiators nearest the boiler will be faster.