Effective maintenance of your heating system is important to keep it working efficiently. Poorly maintained heating systems will translate to more money escaping your wallet because of increased utility or energy bills. Whether you have a steam heating or forced-air system, it is always important to have it inspected by a professional at least once or twice a year. This doesn't mean that you should wait until you call a professional, and therefore, to ensure that your heating unit lasts longer, regular maintenance is essential. Radiators are significant components of most heating systems so maintaining them means proper functioning of your heating unit. Therefore, here are things you should look at to maintain the radiators.

Inlet Valves

The positioning of the inlet valves is an important thing to consider. Partially closed or open valves will affect heat regulation and may often clang or knock. Therefore, your inlet valves should be all the way shut or open. To take care of this, simply turn them into closed or open positions.

Leaks are also other possible problems that can occur with your inlet valves. Leaky valves are often caused by a leak in the cap nuts (nuts at the horizontal and vertical connections). This shouldn't worry you because the remedy is simply to retighten them, which should take you just about a minute or two. To accomplish this task, get two wrenches, one for holding the valve and the other for tightening the cap nut. If the leak is coming from under the handle of the valve, you can remove the valve head and tighten the gland nut (uppermost nut).

Vents

Blocks in the vents of your radiator can compromise the efficiency and service life of your heating unit. You should check for rust, corrosion, and paint that can block these vents, preventing proper escape of air. The trapped air keeps steam from entering the radiator, which prevents your unit from heating and functioning correctly.

If the vents are blocked, simply get a new one from your local store for replacement. This replacement is an easy task because all you have to do is turn off the heating system to let it cool for a while, unscrew the blocked vent and replace it with the one you bought.

Slope

The slope of the radiator towards your steam pipe should be gentle. If there's no slope at all, you can add about a 6mm wedge of wood (or any other available material) under the feet at the end of the vent. This should provide a slight gradient that will prevent your unit from making clanging noises.

For assistance, talk to a radiator service.

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