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Bleeding the radiators in your home is a straightforward task, but one that helps keep their efficiency high and your heating bills down.

A small amount of air will gradually enter any heating system over time. This occurs naturally and is not harmful, but if left unchecked will reduce the efficiency of the system. Air bubbles become trapped in radiators, reducing the efficiency of the water flow and thus the heating efficiency.

To bleed a radiator you will require a radiator key, a jug or other container and an old cloth or tissue. Before you begin, ensure that the heating system has been off for a few hours, as there may still be very warm water in the radiator pipes.

Every radiator has a small valve at the top, which resembles a square-headed screw. To loosen these valves, apply the radiator key and slowly turn in an anti-clockwise direction. This usually does not take a great deal of force. As you loosen the screw, ensure that you have a container beneath to catch any escaping water. Do not completely unscrew the valve; just loosen it enough to release any trapped air. When all the air has escaped, the radiator water will begin to seep out. At this point, the radiator has been bled so you can tighten the valve once again.

You should repeat this process with every radiator in your home, in order to maintain the efficiency of the heating system. This type of maintenance should be conducted on a regular basis, every few months or so.