Radiator issues

This article is here to give you basic advice to do the job yourself, if you're happy to do so. To make sure you don't hurt yourself, or damage anything, use the right tools and protective equipment.

What should I do if my radiators aren't working?

What should I do if my radiator's leaking?

If we cover your radiators you'll need to book one of our engineers but in the meantime, you can try limiting the damage with the steps below.

Turn off your central heating.
Turn your mains cold water tap off.
Turn off the valve at each end of the radiator.
Find a container, like a bowl or a towel, to catch the water. If you need to, you can direct the water into the container by tucking a plastic bag behind your radiator.
Wait for the system to drain. Water will keep leaking until it's drained out.

If your radiator has a thermostatic valve

It might open automatically if the weather gets really cold and the room temperature drops a lot. So water will keep leaking even though you've switched the valve off.

If that's the case and you have HomeCare, book one of our engineers online. If you don't have HomeCare, you can still contact us. We'll be happy to help.

What should I do if my radiator air release valve is leaking?

There are a few things you can try, if you're still having trouble book an appointment with one of our engineers.

Tighten your air release valve by twisting it clockwise, but not forcing it. If that doesn't work, try twisting both valves to switch the radiator off. This is because, in very cold weather your thermostatic radiator valve might have opened automatically.
Find a container to catch the water. If you need to, you can direct the water into the container by tucking a plastic bag behind your radiator.

Why is my radiator making a noise?

Whistling

You can sometimes make the whistling stop by turning the radiator valves fully on - you'll need to turn the valves anticlockwise. It sometimes happens when the water flow rate is either too high or too low.

Ticking

A ticking radiator is completely normal - it's just the radiator warming up or cooling down. If it's coming from under the floor, it's probably pipes expanding and rubbing on the floor or joists. It's nothing to worry about.

Tapping or Hammering

You should get in touch with the person who installed it to get them to fix it. It usually happens if someone hasn't fitted a thermostatic radiator valve properly. So if you've moved a radiator or had a new one put in recently, it could be that the valves might have been swapped over by accident.

If you're still worried about a noise, book one of our engineers to take a look.