Radiators and Gas Safety Checks: What Inspectors Look For

Radiators play a vital role in a home's heating system. They are connected to the boilers through a pipe network. The pipework runs throughout the home from the boiler to radiators, supplying hot water, which warms the rooms' internal atmosphere.

The sole function of the radiators is to provide heat for warming the room. That's why the radiators must perform perfectly during the winter. Like any other appliance, the periodic servicing and upkeep of a radiator is crucial. Similarly, their regular inspection, especially before the start of the winter, is as important as the gas safety inspection of the boilers.

Though not a compulsory part of the annual gas safety check, the radiators should be inspected, as a part of the whole heating system of the home. Unlike gas safety checks, any person, including gas-safe registered engineers, can inspect and maintain a radiator. However, a gas-safe registered engineer can only inspect the boiler and its connection with the radiator pipework.

Role of a Radiator in the Heating System of a Home

You expect your boiler to heat a room during the colder parts of the year. However, the boiler's role is restricted to heating water, which provides warm water in washrooms and kitchens. Another important role of this heated water is to warm your rooms and other home parts. This is done through a network of pipes that terminate at the radiators, installed at different locations within the home, per your requirement.

So, the appliance that warms your room is not a boiler but a radiator. A radiator uses the water heated by the boiler to provide warmth in the rooms. The quality, quantity, and efficiency of the warmness of a room largely depend on the type, size, and performance of the radiator installed therein.  

How a Radiator Works

Radiators are meant to heat the room. The process through which a radiator warms the room is known as convection. To be more precise, the heating process is a mix of convection and radiation, where radiation plays a minor part.

Here's a brief description of the working process of a radiator:

• It starts with the boiler. A boiler is the basic part of the heating system of a home. It is connected with the radiators through a network of pipes.
• Boilers heat water. Gas-fired boilers are mostly used in the UK. Whatever the type of boiler, its basic function is to heat water.
• Heated water is transported to the radiators through the allied pipework. The number of radiators may vary with the size and requirements of the building, but each room should ideally have at least one radiator.
• The heated water enters the radiator through the inlet valve and circulates through the tubes and fins. A radiator is made of metal, which is known as the best conductor. Hence, the hot water circulating through its tubes makes its metallic body hot. The heated surface of the radiator transmits heat in the surrounding area mainly through convection and a minor part through radiation.
• Heat is transferred to the nearby air through radiation and conduction.
• Then comes the process of convection. The air near the radiator's surface gets warm, which causes it to rise upwards. Resultantly, the cold air takes its place, creating a continuous convection current that warms the entire room.
• On the other hand, hot water gets colder while passing through the tubes and fins of the radiator. This water is transported back to the boiler, where it gets heated and sent to radiators. This cycle continues uninterruptedly to make the room cozy.
• The cycle continues until the room temperature attains the pre-defined level controlled by the thermostat. When the desired level of warmth is achieved, the boiler stops transporting hot water to the radiators.

Important

The surface area of a radiator plays a vital role in its efficiency in heating the room. The greater the surface area, the more heat it transmits in the room. Hence, radiators are generally fitted with fins and folds, which increase their surface area, thus increasing their efficiency. 

Radiators and Gas Safety Checks

Under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 provisions and its further amendments, landlords are legally required to conduct an annual gas safety check on all gas appliances installed on the property. This includes boilers but not radiators.

The radiators can be installed and serviced by any competent engineer, not necessarily the one registered with the Gas Safe Register. Anyone can do this work including installation of radiators and allied pipework. However, the gas-safe registered engineer must make the final connection of the radiator pipework with the boiler, as required by the above-referred gas safety law.

So, the radiators are not included in the annual gas safety check, as required for all the gas appliances installed on the property. However, it is highly advisable to get the radiators inspected regularly along with other gas appliances, while conducting the annual gas safety inspection. Though not compulsory but recommendable to get it done by the same engineer who conducts the gas safety inspection on other gas appliances.

What Inspectors Look For

Whether you include it in the overall gas safety check on your property or not, radiators require safety checks at least once a year, preferably before the start of the winter season.

Radiator inspection comprises three major checks, bleeding the radiators, checking and fixing the leaks, and valves adjustment. The radiator is not a standalone equipment; it is a part of the central heating system of your home, which starts from the boiler. Hence, you need to have a complete knowledge of the locations of each component of the central heating system. This may help get the radiators checked for safety so you get trouble-free heating during the winter.

Here’s a summary of the safety checks of a radiator:

• Radiator Pressure

The first thing an engineer will have to check is the radiator pressure. It is the most important thing that regulates the working and performance of the radiator. The radiator needs an optimum pressure to perform efficiently. Low pressure would be an indication that there is a leakage somewhere in the radiator or the pipework. High pressure, however, is a warning sign, as it strains the valves and other parts of the radiators. Consistent high pressure may result in leaks. So, maintaining the desired pressure is one of the key components of a radiator safety check that an engineer should take care of.

• Adjustment of Radiator Pressure

Generally, the pressure gauge contains a color pattern. If the needle on the dial is within the green area, it indicates the correct pressure and, hence, needs no action. If it comes down from the green area, it indicates low pressure. The inspecting engineer will top the pressure to the desired level through the filling loop. If the needle goes above the green area, the pressure is higher than the desired level. The engineer will fix this through bleeding.

• Thermostat and Its Adjustment

The thermostat is the gadget that controls the temperature of the room. It protects against overheating by stopping the boilers from sending hot water to the radiators. During the annual inspection of radiators, the working of the thermostat needs proper attention. First of all, it needs to be cleaned and cleared from any dust or debris. The engineer will then check its performance. This can be done by changing the temperature level of the thermostat. Setting it at a lower temperature should immediately stop the heating process.

On the other hand, setting it at a higher temperature will keep the radiator functioning. In this case, you must wait for some time and examine whether the radiator keeps functioning. If the thermostat fails to respond, as expected, it might have developed a fault. The engineer will try to fix the problem by re-calibrating the thermostat. If recalibration fails to resolve the problem, he may have to replace it.

Further Inspection

Apart from the above main inspections, the engineer should also check the following:

• Check that the valves of the radiators are working properly.
• Check if there are any signs of corrosion.
• Check for any blockage in the radiator tubes and the allied pipework.

Cleaning the surfaces of the radiators for dust, dirt, or debris is also an important step during the annual inspection.

Conclusion

The radiators are one of the key components of the central heating system of your home. Hence, their upkeep, maintenance, and timely service are very important. Radiators need a thorough inspection at least once a year, the best time being just before the start of the winter. Any professional plumber can do this, but it is advisable to make it a part of the annual gas safety check, which needs to be done by a gas-safe registered engineer. The most important part of the annual radiator inspection involves checking for leaks and pressure. The engineer should also check for the optimum performance of the thermostat and valves.