Radiator Installation in St Helens
The right radiators make a big difference to how warm your home feels and how hard your boiler has to work. We handle radiator installation across St Helens, from straight swaps to full upgrades, and Matthew finishes every job by bleeding and balancing the system. We cover the whole borough, including Windle and Eccleston.
Radiator Replacement
Old radiators rust from the inside, develop pinhole leaks along the bottom seam and fill with sludge. If one is leaking, cold at the bottom however much you bleed it or simply looks tired, radiator replacement is usually the sensible fix.
Where possible, we fit a new radiator to the same pipe centres so there's less disruption. If the old valves are seized or weeping, we replace them at the same time. If several radiators are full of sludge, the rest of the system probably is too, and a power flush before the new ones go on will protect them.
If you're having a new boiler fitted, it's a good time to replace any tired radiators too. Doing both together means the system is only drained once, and the new boiler starts life on clean, efficient radiators.
Getting the Size and Output Right
Radiator output is measured in BTUs or watts. Too little and the room never gets properly warm, too much and you're paying to heat a radiator you don't need. Matthew works out what each room needs from its size, the windows, outside walls and insulation.
Upgrading output doesn't always mean a bigger radiator. A double panel radiator with fins (a type 22) gives out much more heat than a single panel of the same size, which helps when wall space is tight.
Radiator Installation for St Helens Renovations
Planning a new kitchen, knocking through or fitting a new bathroom? Radiators often end up in the wrong place. We can move radiators to a new wall, swap a horizontal one for a vertical one to free up space, or add radiators to an extension.
It's easiest to do this while floors are up and before the decorating starts, so let us know early. If your project includes a new bathroom, our bathroom fitting service can take care of the plumbing for the whole room.
Designer Radiators, Vertical Radiators and Towel Rails
A radiator doesn't have to be a plain white panel. We fit:
- Designer radiators in column, flat panel and coloured finishes
- Vertical radiators for narrow walls, hallways and kitchens with little free wall space
- Heated towel rails for bathrooms and en suites, in chrome, black or white
- Dual fuel towel rails that run off the central heating in winter and an electric element in summer
One thing to check with designer radiators is output. Some look great but give out less heat than you'd expect, so we always compare the figures before you buy.
TRVs and Balancing the System
Thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) let you set each room to its own temperature, so bedrooms can stay cooler while the living room stays warm. We fit TRVs to new radiators and can add them to existing ones.
Balancing means adjusting the lockshield valve on each radiator so hot water reaches them all evenly. If the radiators nearest the boiler are roasting while the furthest ones barely get warm, the system needs balancing. We do this on every installation. For bigger problems with your heating, see our central heating repairs.
Bleeding Radiators and Fixing Cold Radiators
Bleeding a radiator is a simple job most people can do. You'll need a radiator key, available from any DIY shop, and an old cloth:
- Turn the heating off and let the radiators cool.
- Hold a cloth under the bleed valve at the top corner and open it a quarter turn with a radiator key.
- Close it as soon as water appears instead of air.
- Check the boiler pressure gauge. On a sealed system, top it back up to the level in your manual, usually around 1 to 1.5 bar.
If a radiator is cold at the bottom, it's sludge, not air. If it's cold all over, check the TRV pin hasn't stuck and the lockshield valve is open. If it's still cold, give us a call. A radiator or valve that's dripping onto the floor needs attention sooner, and our leak repair service can help.