Bleed those Radiators

Here on Chicago’s North Shore a winter chill has set in over the last couple of November days, with the temperature struggling to get to 40 degrees. For many of us that means our boilers have kicked on in earnest for the season. As a general rule, the higher up the radiators sit in the home, the more likely they need to bled. Start by feeling the temperature of your radiators on the 1^st floor with your hand – there should be a certain uniformity of warmth from each radiator. Any radiator that is not as warm as the others should be bled. Most likely you'll find the radiator(s) on the 3^rd floor where you've stashed your two boys, cooler to the touch than the radiators downstairs. Bleeding the radiator is simple, get a radiator key from your local hardware store, a small pan, a rag for any spilling and insert the key in the valve at the top of the radiator and give it a turn. You'll hear a hiss, catch a whiff of some foul air trapped in the radiator and when the water hits the pan just turn the valve off and your done.