A radiator that will not heat is annoying at best and a warning at worst. Cold across the top usually means air; cold in the middle or at the bottom usually means sludge; a radiator that stays cold while its neighbours glow often has a stuck valve pin. We diagnose the fault first, then repair what is worth repairing and tell you honestly when a radiator is past saving.
The radiator faults we see most
Air is the common one: the top stays cold because air has collected there and the water cannot reach it. Sludge, the rusty black sediment that forms inside steel radiators, sinks to the bottom and chokes the panels, so the middle goes cold and the room never quite warms. Valve faults come next: a thermostatic valve whose pin has stuck down after a long summer, a wheel head that will not turn, or a joint starting to weep onto the floor. Gurgling pipes usually mean air is moving through the system where water should be.
How a radiator repair works
We start by working out which of those it is, because the fixes differ. Bleeding releases trapped air and takes minutes. A stuck thermostatic pin is freed with the valve head off, gently, so the pin is not damaged. Sludge in a single radiator can often be cleared by lifting it off the wall, rinsing it through outside and refitting it with fresh valves; when several radiators are sludged, the honest answer is that the system needs a proper clean rather than spot treatment. After any work we rebalance the radiators and repressurise a sealed system, so the whole setup runs evenly. We do this in flats in Canary Wharf and Victorian terraces in Bethnal Green alike.
When repair stops making sense
A radiator leaking from the body itself is corroding through, and sealant is not a repair; at that point areplacement is cheaper than repeated visits. Rusty water and repeated cold spots across the house point to corrosion throughout the system, which is where a flush or a look at the wider heating setup earns its keep. We will always tell you which situation you are in before spending your money, with a written quote for whatever we recommend.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my radiator cold at the bottom?
That is usually sludge: rusty sediment settled at the bottom of the radiator that water cannot push through. We can flush the radiator through, and if the whole system is affected, a power flush is the better fix.
Why does my boiler lose pressure every few days?
Repeated pressure loss usually means a small leak somewhere on the heating circuit, sometimes inside a radiator or a valve. It is worth tracing before it turns into something bigger.
Do you guarantee your work?
Yes. Our workmanship is guaranteed for six months, and our engineers are Gas Safe registered.