I have little or no heat coming from just one radiator. The pipe feeding it is hot so I know there is hot water there. However the radiator is hardly warm. I have bled the radiator and opened up the valve as much as I can using the plastic top. Is there something else I should be doing? Should I get a spanner onto the valve?

PT, February 2009

If the control valve is a thermostatic type they sometimes suffer from the control pin sticking in the closed position. If yours is a TRV take off the plastic top and gently pull up on the central brass pin with a pair of pliers to release it - then reasssemble.

If you don't have a TRV make sure that the inlet and outlet valve on the other side (lock shield valve) are both open (anticlockwise).

If the radiator still remains cold consider removing it and washing out any sludge that may have built up inside.

Peccavi, February 2009