How To Bleed a Radiator

After a summer of inactivity radiators often fail to provide the heat they should. If your radiators are warm at the base and cool at the top, you need to bleed your radiator.  Occasionally air gets trapped inside keeping the hot water from providing the heat throughout.

Bleeding a radiator is easy to do, all you’ll need is a radiator key and a piece of tissue/cloth.

1. Locate the radiator value
2. Place the tissue/cloth just below the valve
3. Open the value with a quarter turn anti-clockwise
4. Wait until water drips on the cloth; the air is now out
5. Turn the key clockwise to close

It is worth checking periodically if your radiators need bleeding, simply feel for a difference in heat between the top and the bottom when the heating is switched on.  If there’s a difference you know what to do.

After bleeding the radiator is cold

If you have thermostatic radiator valves and you find that one radiator is completely cold when the rest of your radiators are on, it could be that the pin on the radiator valve has become stuck.

Unscrew the head of the valve with the temperature controls - you should be able to do this by hand.  Once removed you will see a small pin, take a pin-head hammer and give the pin a small tap which should release the blockage and let water into the radiator.  You may be able to hear the water entering the radiator, wait a few minutes and the radiator should start heating up.

If you radiator is still not warming up contact your local London Plumber.  Affleck’s friendly and qualified plumbers are available 24 hours a day on 0800 316 9595 / 0208 971 7000.

Roofing: Choosing Between Natural and Man-made Roof Slates

Many home-owners when building a new roof are faced with a common decision, choosing between natural slates and man-made roof slates.  There are quite a few factors to consider, longevity, aesthetics and availability but most often the key one; price – isn’t as different as it might first appear.

Natural Roof Slates

Natural roof slates tend to be the most expensive option on the market with natural Welsh slates often being sold for over £3 per tile – however there are cheaper natural slate alternatives. We have just retiled the new Affleck office with machine-cut Spanish slates, which we were able to buy as little as £1.20 per tile.

Natural slates tend are already millions of years old and have fantastic durability and are less brittle than alternatives.  Most slates are likely to last at least 50 years although it is not uncommon for them to last 100 or more.

Although the slates are smaller than some alternatives, they often require less labour to install so on a smaller roof may only be marginally more expensive overall.  When maintenance costs are factored in natural slates offer the best value for money and will add significantly to the value of your home.

Man-made Slates

There are various types of man-made slates, some entirely synthetic some blending ground-down natural slate which is then mixed with a synthetic resin.

For people looking to economise man-made slates seem like the natural choice given their greater area and lower cost.  When first laid man-made tiles look very good however are prone to deteriorate over time; the colour fading with the effect of UV rays.  Man-made tiles are usually guaranteed for about 25 years

After exposure to the sun man-made tiles tend to become more brittle, which adds to the maintenance cost and potentially hazardous water damage.

Roof Tile Cost Comparison

	Natural Roof Slates	Man-made Slates
Cost per tile	£1.20 (Spanish) to £3 (Welsh)	£0.80
Size (inches)	10 x 20	12 x 24
Longevity	50 - 100 years	25 - 30 years
Strength	Stronger	More brittle/fragile
Colour / Aesthetics	Natural Grey	Start looking good but gain whitish fade over time
Slate Cost (Typical Front of Pitched Roof: 25m2)	c. £510 - £1275 (425 Slates)	c. £240 (300 Slates)
Labour Cost (25m2)	c. £950	c. £950
Total Cost	c. £1460 –£2225 + Sundry items	c. £1190 + Sundry items
Conclusion	Natural Roof Slates are the clear winner, better looking much longer-lasting and only costing a small amount extra	If you're very tight for cash and looking for a short-term solution man-made slates may be better

Expert Roofer Opinion

If the condition of your roof is causing a problem with selling your house, man-made tiles offer the lowest cost solution.  However long-term, the savings made on the initial investment will be lost with higher maintenance and the need to replace. We would almost always advise our clients to opt for natural roof slates.