Households urged to do one simple task before October falls to save money

Energy bills are rising in October, but one simple check could help households save money

Homeowners are being urged to carry out a simple radiator check this month before colder weather arrives and energy bills increase in October.

With many households preparing to switch their heating back on more regularly, plumbing experts say September is the ideal time to make sure radiators are working properly by bleeding them.

Ofgem has confirmed that the typical annual energy bill for a household paying by Direct Debit will rise by four per cent from October 1, increasing from £1,663 to £1,723. Gas prices under the energy price cap will also rise by around 8.7 per cent, from 7.33p to 7.97p per kWh.

With costs set to climb, experts are encouraging households to make sure their heating system is working as efficiently as possible before they begin relying on it every day.

Ryan McNicholl, plumbing expert at boiler spares provider Spares Direct, said September is a good time to bleed radiators as it gives the opportunity to identify problems before the heating is needed regularly.

He explains: “A lot of people don’t think about their radiators until they turn the heating on and realise one of them isn’t getting properly warm.

“September gives you a chance to check them before you really need the heating. If the top of a radiator stays cold while the bottom warms up, that’s a common sign that air is trapped inside and it may need bleeding.”

Trapped air inside a radiator can prevent hot water from circulating properly, leaving cold patches and meaning rooms take longer to heat up. This can be frustrating as households may be tempted to turn the heating up to compensate, potentially using more energy in the process.

The expert states: “If half the radiator isn’t heating properly, turning the thermostat up isn’t fixing the problem. You’re asking the heating system to work harder while that trapped air is still there.

“Bleeding the radiator allows the air out so hot water can circulate through it properly. It’s a very small maintenance job, but it’s worth doing before you start paying to heat the house every day.”

Ryan also recommends briefly testing the heating before the colder weather sets in and carefully checking each radiator once it has warmed up.

“If you’ve got cold patches at the top, or you can hear gurgling from the radiator, those are the things I’d look out for,” he says.

However, households should make sure the heating is switched off before they start to bleed the radiator. The expert said: “Turn the heating back off and let everything cool completely before you bleed anything.”

Bleeding a radiator is relatively straightforward. Once the radiator has cooled down, a radiator key can be used to slowly open the bleed valve and release the trapped air.

The valve should be closed again once water begins to appear, before checking the boiler pressure. For those who don’t have a radiator key, they can be purchased from Screwfix and Amazon for less than £3.

Homeholds with a sealed central-heating system should pay particular attention to their boiler pressure after bleeding radiators, as releasing air can cause the pressure to drop.

Ryan explains: “Don’t finish the job and forget about the boiler. Check the pressure gauge afterwards against the manufacturer’s instructions.

“If it has dropped too low, the system may need repressurising. If you’re not comfortable doing that, you’re unsure about the correct pressure or it keeps dropping again, that’s the point to get a qualified heating engineer involved rather than guessing.”

Carrying out the check now could help households avoid discovering a problem when temperatures drop and the heating is being used every day.