Bleeding Radiator Cost

Want to find out how much bleeding a radiator costs?

Everything you may want to know about bleeding your radiators is covered in this guide, including the labour costs and time frames you should expect.

To give you a quick idea, the average cost to bleed a radiator is usually about £100.

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How Much to Bleed Radiators?

What does radiator bleeding cost?

You can expect to pay around £100 to have your radiators bled.

How often should I bleed my radiators?

Radiator bleeding should happen every 1 to 2 years, depending on how the radiator performs and your yearly heating costs. If your heating bills are high, it might indicate that it's time to bleed the radiator.

What does "radiator bleeding" mean?

Bleeding the radiator is simply draining the water out slowly.

This not only helps to reduce moisture and condensation levels, but it's also going to improve overall performance. Your radiator won't be as noisy, it'll be able to operate more efficiently, and you won't have to worry about a pool forming below it each time you turn it on.

Air bubbles or cold spots tend to form over time. When these cold spots form, they prevent the radiator from being able to produce its maximum heat levels. You'll not only feel uncomfortable in colder weather, but the radiator will have to work harder to heat your home.

This means you'll end up paying more to operate the system, as it will make your central heating system work harder.

Radiator Bleeding Prices

To put these radiator bleeding costs into context:

• Small flat/1-to-2 bed house - 5 to 7 radiators
• 3-bed semi detached house - 8 to 10 radiators
• 4-to-5 bed detached house - 12 to 15 radiators

Radiator Bleeding Timescales

Let's take a look at how long radiator bleeding will take depending on the number of radiators you have:

Emergency Radiator Bleeding Costs

If you need to bleed your radiator urgently, then the cost of an emergency plumber is usually around £200.

This price is based on the fact that most plumbers automatically charge a call-out fee of approximately £75, followed by £60 per hour to do the actual work.

However, if it's outside of regular hours, it's standard to be charged more.

In the event an emergency call out becomes a whole day's work, you may be charged a day rate instead (normally around £400 per day).

If you live in a hard-to-reach area, or a major city such as London, where day-to-day costs are higher, there's a potential that charges may be even higher.

Factors That Impact the Cost of Bleeding Radiators

When bleeding the radiators around your home yourself, the only real added expense is your time.

However, without any expert advice, you can never be certain that you've done it correctly. This is why we recommend hiring a plumber.

Here are the cost factors to bear in mind when hiring a local plumber:

• Number of Radiators - The bigger your home, the higher your radiator bleeding costs.
• Location - Expect plumber labour costs to be higher in London and the south east, where the cost of living is higher than the national average.
• Ease of Access - Hard-to-reach radiators? Expect your labour costs to be higher as a result.
• Unforeseen Issues - If your plumber uncovers issues with your home's heating, such as a faulty valve or a boiler overheating, you can expect your labour charges to rise.
• Emergency Call-Outs - Plumbing emergency? Your call-out costs could reach £400 in some cases.

So, even though the task of bleeding a radiator may appear to be a quick and easy job, it's always good to prepare for the fact that there may be additional cost factors involved.

Additional Radiator Bleeding Costs

Bleeding a radiator is a relatively inexpensive job, but depending on your home's plumbing, you could encounter further costs:

Additional Plumbing Costs for Period Properties

Period properties come with inherent charm - but they can also house a number of plumbing issues depending on how well the system has been maintained. Here's what you might need to budget for:

• Central Heating Installation - Period property without central heating? The cost to install central heating is around £4,250.
• Installing a New Boiler - If you've got an outdated boiler, it's worthwhile swapping it for a modern system to optimise your home's heating, while reducing your energy bills. New boilers cost £2,400 on average.
• New Radiators - Finding your radiators still aren't working, even after bleeding? Installing new radiators costs around £200 per radiator, and can transform your home's warmth.

Additional Plumbing Costs for New-Build Properties

There are (usually) fewer large-scale plumbing projects required in a new-build property. Here's what you may want to consider to optimise your home's plumbing:

• Moving Radiators - Radiators in inconvenient places? The cost to move a radiator is around £275 per radiator, and can be a useful expense to improve heat distribution.
• Boiler Service - The average cost for a boiler service in the UK is around £100, and is integral to ensure your boiler's warranty is upheld.

What To Consider When Bleeding The Radiator

While it's possible to bleed your home's radiators yourself, there are a few factors that may mean you'd prefer to hire a professional:

• Radiators and pipes can be hot. You should be careful not to get burned by the hot water or any excess steam.
• Incorrectly bleeding a radiator can lead to blockages, creating pockets of air that may affect the overall performance and efficiency of your central heating.
• Over-bleeding a radiator can cause negative impacts, such as reducing your water pressure excessively so that your heating doesn't work.

Finding a local plumber is a cost-effective and reassuring way of ensuring it is done properly, and for someone who already knows what they are doing, it is a straightforward process.

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Doing it Yourself

Bleeding a radiator is often considered a simple job, with many homeowners happy to do it themselves. However, it can be a time-consuming process, and one that shouldn't be rushed.

While it can be completed as a DIY task, hiring a professional has its advantages:

• A qualified plumber can assess the entire heating system, not just the radiator, potentially diagnosing and fixing any wider issues.
• Work can be carried out efficiently, using the correct tools.
• Plumbers will follow the correct safety precautions to reduce the risk of injury.
• Any work carried out should come with a guarantee.

If you're in any doubt, it's always worth hiring an experienced professional.

Checklist: How To Find and Hire a Plumber to Bleed Radiators in the UK

Here's what you need to do when the time comes to hire a local plumber:

• Gather at least 3 quotes from nearby plumbers using MyJobQuote.
• Ask for itemised quotes to see exactly what's included in their costs.
• Look for a local specialist who will fully guarantee and warrant the work they perform.
• Take a look at their past customer reviews, making sure they align with your needs.

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