How to bleed radiators without a key

How to Bleed your radiators? What is a radiator key for a bleed plug? How do you keep a radiator from leaking? Open the plug by turning it counterclockwise and let the steam escape.

Close the plug as soon as the steam turns into a stream of water. There is only one type of bleed key for modern radiator, but there is also a four-way key, used for turning drains or valves on and off, a double-ended key, used for installing or removing valve tails, and a universal key that can be used on blanking plugs.

Make sure that the heat has been shut off. You will need to have your radiator as cool as possible for this job. Step - Try a Screwdriver. Understand What Not to Use.

If there is air in the system, you should only slightly undo the bleed screw and you will hear a hissing sound without any water coming out. As soon as water starts to come out, tighten the screw back up.

Idea is not to let any water out if you can help it. AIR IN THE RADIATORS will not make your boiler noisy as such.

If the boiler is making loud thumps thats called "steam hammer" normally means hot spots or lack of water flow.

With a bleeding key. The task is to get rid of the air trapped in the System. Open with the key and let water out until you see it is fluid without air.

Radiators give off heat when hot water is circulated through them. Removing this trapped air from a radiator is called bleeding, which is done by opening a radiator valve to allow the air to escape.

Usually, a tool called radiator key is used to open the valve and allow the radiator to bleed. However, for any reason, if you do not have the key, still you can open the radiator valve and make the radiator bleed. Keep reading this article to know how you can bleed a radiator without a key.

Use a cloth to catch any sputtering coolant, then re-tighten the valve when the valve releases a steady stream of coolant. At the top of the radiator at one end. All the other radiators have valves (one had a huge amount of air in) but this one in the bathroom has me stumped. In this case, place the blade of your flathead screwdriver in the groove.

Then rotate slowly anti-clockwise a quarter until you hear air hissing out. For most steel radiators, it will need a radiator key or screwdriver. Place your bowl at the end of the radiator under the bleed valve, ready to catch any drips or leaks. If using a radiator key, attach it to the bleed valve.

If you don’t have a bleed key or have lost yours, but your radiators need bleeding, then you could use a flat-head screwdriver, a spanner or pair of pliers. Should your radiator have a hexagonal socket, then you might be able to use an Allen key or failing that a flat-head screwdriver.

Take a look at the end of the square shaft and check if it has a slot cut into the end of it.

If so, you can use a screwdriver to carefully turn the shaft and open the valve, instead of using a Radiator Key. To begin the bleeding process, you’ll need either the radiator key discussed above, a flat screwdriver, or a point socket set, depending on your radiator. All of these are available from DIY stores. Simply insert the key or driver into the valve, which you will find at one end of the radiator, either at the top or bottom of the unit.

Most radiators are bled using a radiator key but if you’re not sure, find a bleed valve. They’re located on the left or right side of the radiator at the top. A bleed valve on an older radiator looks like a hole with a square bit in the middle.

On some newer radiators, the bleed valve has a straight groove for a flathead screwdriver. You can’t bleed a radiator when the heating is on, as it may be too hot to touch. Turn off your heating. You could also get hot water spraying out of the radiator.

Use your radiator key to turn the valve at the top of the radiator. Attach the key to the square groove in the centre of the valve as shown in the diagram and turn it slowly. A quarter to half a turn will be enough, never open the valve fully because once you bleed air from the radiator water will come rushing out.

Continue this process, holding the radiator bleed key until the air stops coming out. When only water is dripping from your radiator, then you have completed the bleeding process. This can vary with the size of the radiator and the amount of air trapped inside.

Simply carry on bleeding the radiator until the hissing noise has stopped and water begins to run out of the bleed valve.