1. Clear the gutters

2. Jet wash the patio

3. Wash the curtains/nets

4. Clear out and clean the kitchen cupboards

5. Go through your winter wardrobe and recycle anything you haven’t worn in over a year. Pack up and store ready for next winter.

6. Clean the BBQ thoroughly

7. Paint/varnish external doors

8. Make sure your radiators are free of air and bleed them if not

9. Plan your garden for the coming season

10. Dig out the patio furtiture and give it a good clean

I’m sure there are hundreds of things you could add to the list, but to be honest this is enough for anyone. It’s always best of course to ensure you have a regular maintenance plans in place but for many of us it’s enough to keep up with the daily and weekly tasks of running a home. If you can’t fit these things in on a regular basis then plan them in over a number of weekends so that it doesn’t seem so daunting. I like to have a project list and each weekend try a tackle one of them. Even if it’s sorting out 1 drawer in your bureau by doing a little bit often you will soon be on top of everything and have time to actually enjoy your home inside and out.

Image supplied by Ambro

So let’s take the two different valves in turn:

Aladdin HV30C

The HV30C use Hygroseal™ technology (patent pending) to ensure that your radiators stay free of air. They have a long life and are leak-free and ensure that you don’t need to manually bleed your radiators on a regular basis. Not only does it save you from having to carry out this task, they also ensure that your radiators run more efficiently which in turn helps to reduce your energy usage, saving you money.

The HV30C has a 1/2″ BSP thread, this is the hole in the tapping at the top of the radiator and is approx 20mm in diameter. You should be able to fit your index finger inside tha tapping. In the tapping there will be a plug which is a chrome hexagonal valve or a plug with a square hole inside.

If this doesn’t sound like your radiators then you need the Micro.

Micro

The micro works using the same concept, basically the valve opens when there is air in the radiator. Once the air has been forced out the valve will close. This is why we can state that they do not leak. One of the other benefits is that you do not have to drain your system to fit them and anyone with confident DIY skills can perform the installation.

The micro comes with an adaptor included so that it fits a wide range of radiators, it doesn’t sit flush to the radiator as the HV30C so isn’t as aesthetically pleasing but they tend to be used mainly in older style radiators and so actually they fit in quite well.

For most people, if the HV30C isn’t the right valve then the micro usually is. There are rare occasions where a non standard radiator has a slightly different requirement and in these cases we are unable to help.

Find out more about self bleeding radiator valves from aladdin

The increase in fuel has caused many areas to go up in price from your petrol bills to the cost of food, in fact anything that requires transportation. Now if you need to get to work saving money on petrol for example can be quite difficult, the idea of car sharing is great in principle but not necessarily from a practical point of view.

So one area you can save money is on your heating bill, so dig out your old jumper turn those landing lights off and snuggle under the blanket. Here are some top tips:

Don’t just keep turning up the heating, put extra layers on and make sure that if you aren’t at home your heating is turned down. In the workplace, encourage staff to wear thicker clothing and keep the temperature down to a reasonable level.

Make sure that you don’t obstruct your radiators, they have to work so much harder to heat the room up if you have long curtains in front of them or a piece of furniture blocking the heat.

If you have a spare room that isn’t used very often, install a TRV to your radiator and keep the temperature lower in this room, this is true of any space which isn’t in constant use.

Install self bleeding radiator valves to keep your radiators working efficiently without the need for manual bleeding.

Make sure your boiler is checked on a regular basis to ensure that it is working properly, an efficient boiler can save you money so don’t skimp on your annual service it will more than pay for itself.

The thermostatic radiator valve will limit the flow of water to a radiator to keep it cooler or increase it to increase the heat output. The valves monitor the temperature of the room and when it falls lower than that required the valve inside is triggered and warm water enters the radiator. As the required temperature is met the valve will close and inhibit the flow of water. It’s an incredibly simple but effective concept.

Not only do thermostatic radiator valves have a practical benefit, there is also an environmental one. If you are controlling the temperature properly you can run a much more efficient system and only have the heat output as you need which means that you can save money on your heating and help reduce your carbon emissions too, both of which are incredibly important to people.

There are different types of valve and it can be difficult to decide which ones to go for, the price range is enormous and quality and style tends to increase with price. Having said that we would never recommend cheap products that are unlikely to work as well and therefore become a bad investment. We only advocate high quality products that balance design and function alongside price.

Here are some of the ways to prevent this from happening:

Make sure your pipes are well insulated, you can buy sleeves that fit over the pipes easily that do this.

Ensure that they are not exposed to these temperatures. If it is common for the weather to dictate sub freezing temperatures on a regular basis where you live a; then it may be worth investing in getting any exposed pipes moved. For most of us this won’t apply.

The most important thing is to ensure that your home is adequately heated, even if you are going away. If you are away then set your heating to constant and turn your thermostat down low, this will cost very little but will ensure that there is enough heat to stop your pipes from freezing.

If you are travelling for some months and do not wish to leave your heating on then an alternative would be to drain the system completely so that there is no water to freeze.

I personally have always done my best to try and conserve energy in my I think it stems from being brought up not to waste anything (I also can’t help buy clear my plate at every meal time but that’s a whole other subject) and so from the moment I stepped in the door of my very first home I always vowed to try and do my bit.

So I am the one turning the heating down and putting on a jumper, making sure we recycle whatever we can and stomping around the house turning off lights, I have three children and trust me this is a full time job on it’s own. So when I came across NLB Engineering the people that invented the self bleed valve I was intrigued.

You see their valves ensure that your heating system runs more efficiently because it removes the air from your radiators. The more air you have the more it costs you because the tendency is to just keep turning the heating up when your radiators aren’t working as well as they should. Instead by fitting these valves you can rid your system of air and actually save money on your heating bills. Let’s face it it’s a bonus to have a little financial incentive as well as an environmental one.

Still not convinced? Why not read our article on how the micro valves work.

If your radiator is making banging noises or it feels cold at the top despite the heating being on full pelt then it is very likely that you have air trapped in your radiator. The only way to get rid of this air is by bleeding the radiator. There are two different ways of doing this, the first way is to fit an aladdin self bleed radiator valve which will automatically vent the air from your system. You can find out more about those by clicking on this link if you have modern radiators or click on this link if you have older style radiators.

But if you prefer to manually bleed the radiator yourself, then the steps below will help you along the way, remember though if in doubt call in the experts.

1. Turn your heating off to stop any more air entering your system before you start to bleed your radiator.

2. Locate the bleed valve and protect the area underneath it as you may find that some water leaks out, a cloth or small bowl or plastic container should be sufficient.

3. Be aware that any water that escapes could be very hot so protect your hands too.

4. Use only your radiator bleed key for the next step, if you do not have one then they are easily purchased in the major chains  DIY shops such as Wickes or Homebase.

5. Insert the key into the valve and turn it anti-clockwise, but carefully does it you shouldn’t neto turn it very far, you should hear the air escaping quite quickly it tends to make a kind of hissing noise.

6. When the air stops and the water starts, this usually means that all of the air has been forced out of the radiator. Simply tighten the bleed valve, clean up any water making sure again that you protect yourself as the water can be VERY hot. Then turn your heating back on again.

If the problem doesn’t go away and air returns quickly to the radiator then you may have an underlying problem, so if in doubt call in a plumber who can identify the problem for you.

So there are a few things you can do to help save money on your heating, here are just a few suggestions:

• Turn your thermostat down by 1 degree, it really will make a difference
• Check your home is properly insulated, the Government has a few different grants available which can help pay towards the cost of ensuring your home is retaining as much heat as possible.
• Put a jumper on!!
• If you have some capital, install solar panels there are currently feed in tariffs available which can actually make you money longer term.
• Ensure you have efficient radiators installed in your home
• Fit Aladdin Self Bleed Valves to your existing radiators to ensure they run more efficiently
• Shorten the amount of time you keep the heating on

Hopefully these will give you a few ideas, obviously i’d love for you to opt for the self bleed radiator valves, I have them in my home and we have seen marked reduction in our heating bills. They are a fairly cheap way of helping you save money.

Always try to fit the valve to the hotter, flow side of the radiator as you HV30C will start to work much more quickly.

You will need an adjustable wrench to fit.  We also recommend an old cloth to dry the radiator tapping.

1. Switch the central heating system off and allow to cool.
2. Isolate the radiator.  Avoid flooding by closing the radiator valves at the bottom of the radiator – at one end this will be a lockshield valve with a plastic cover – remove the cover and turn the spindle clockwise using the adjustable wrench.

At the other end will either be a wheelhead valve, which can be turned off by hand, or a thermostatic radiator valve which should be turned to 0’.

1. Remove the old manual vent.  Unscrew the old manual vent plug using an adjustable wrench.  Mop up any spillage with a cloth.
2. Fit the valve.  Screw the valve into the radiator tapping, nip tight with the adjustable wrench.  Ensure that the cartridge in the middle of the valve is screwed all the way in (use the ‘U’ shaped insert tool across two of the vent holes).
3. Turn the valves back on.

It really is that easy, but if you have any questions or concerns then please do not hesitate to contact us and we will be only too happy to help.

• Tap water contains about 17% air by volume
• Where systems aren’ t particularly well designed in the first place or radiators have been replaced air can enter the system
• Corrosion can mean that gasses form inside the system

By removing air from your radiators you will be increasing the overall efficiency of your heating system, this has it’s own benefits. By fitting Radiator Bleeding Valves that automatically vent air from the system you will help extend the life of the parts that make up your system as this helps to reduce the amount of corrosion that takes place.

Also, by removing air from the system your heating will run much more efficiently which means that you are not only helping to conserve energy but you will also be helping to reduce your own heating bill. These valves are suitable to use with existing radiators and new installations alike. They do not require you to completely drain the water out to install them and it takes just a few minutes to fit.

Find out more about our range of radiator bleeding valves