A radiator is usually something that works in the background to create an ideal temperature at home. When you decide it’s time to turn on the heating , you might notice that your faithful heating accomplices have started to whistle a bit. This is not usually something to cause alarm, but it can point to a few smaller issues that might compromise how effectively your radiator heats your home.
The most likely reason that you’re hearing your radiator whistle is because the water flow rate is too high. This can cause the heating valve to whistle, and the best thing to do is to turn the radiator valve on completely. You may not want to heat your room to maximum temperature, but allowing the water to flow fully will stop the radiator whistling - you can turn it down later and the whistling usually stays away!
Another reason why you’ll notice your radiator making noise is because of air trapped in the system. This can happen after your radiator has been off for a while, and when you heat the system, the air travels through it with little clicks and whistles. A whistling radiator might also be due to a loose bleed screw, which, if left unattended, could end up causing a leak. If you hear a hissing close to your radiator, check the bleed screw. If it keeps hissing as you unscrew it further, you’ve got air trapped in the radiator. This is not a big deal – just stay by the radiator until you see water trickle out of the radiator, and then close the bleed screw. The heating should stop whistling now.
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If you’ve checked for air and the water flow rate trick didn’t help, you might need to replace the radiator’s air vent. This can be done with a replacement part from your local hardware store - you’ll need some plumber’s tape and graphite packing, too. The best is to hire a professional to help you stop your radiator whistling. This will cut out a lot of the work you need to do, and they might just spot something you missed.
If all the tips above haven’t helped you solve why your radiator is whistling, it might be time to call in professional help. A whistling radiator is distracting and could point to something wrong with your system – although this is unlikely. However, your radiator not working can mean that it is harder to keep the house warm. It is possible to heat a house without central heating for a while, but getting someone round to fix the problem is a better solution in the long run!
We hope that our article has been helpful in solving your radiator problem. If you need any more help, check out the DIY section on our website.