by 
The Curious Bag
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Radiant heat is a cost-efficient and effective way to heat a home. With the development of radiator covers, radiators are no longer intrusive in a room. However, radiators need to be maintained so they function properly. The most basic maintenance on a radiator is bleeding the air from them.
How Air Enters
A radiator system is a closed system that circulates water between the hot water heater and radiators. Air gets into the system when water enters it. The water pump impellers create small air bubbles when they spin. These air bubbles will gradually rise in the radiator system to high points, which tend to be the radiators.
Recognizing Air In the System
If you notice a radiator is not producing as much heat as it normally does, the problem may be air in the system. You can verify this by touching the top and bottom of the radiator. If there is a noticeable difference in the temperature, with the top being cooler than the bottom, you probably have air in the radiator.
Bleeding the Radiator
Make sure the heating system is turned off before bleeding a radiator so you don't risk drawing air into the system as you bleed it. You will have a bleed key for the radiators. It fits into the bleed valve, a slot or hole usually found at the top and end of a radiator. Turn the key a half turn clockwise while holding a towel or cloth underneath it. You will usually hear air hissing as air escapes. When water begins to come out (the cloth will catch it), turn the bleed key back to the closed position.
After Bleeding the Radiator
When you have bled all of the radiators that need it, you can turn the heating system back on. You will also need to increase the pressure in the system (if it is a sealed system) because bleeding will have reduced it. Check the radiators after a few days to see if there is still a difference in the top and bottom temperature. If so, you may need to bleed to radiators again to entirely rid the system of air.
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