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Bleeding an oil boiler consists of draining heating oil from the boiler to remove trapped air from the system. Bleeding a gas boiler requires bleeding individual radiators to remove air trapped inside the internal heating system. Bleeding your boiler is important in order to keep your boiler running efficienctly. If you have any doubt or are not sure how to bleed your boiler, always consult a trained boiler professional.
Oil boilers work slightly differently to other types of boilers as you have to bleed the oil boiler itself as opposed to the radiators as is the case with gas oil.
Before starting to bleed your oil boiler, make sure you have everything you need:
In order to bleed your boiler, follow these steps:
If in doubt about which bung you should remove, and you can’t find the instructions, then consider asking the oil delivery person to help you. They will normally do so for free.
Bleeding an Oil Furnace
Most homes that use oil for their heating system will use a boiler that heats water, whereas a furnace heats air. Bleeding is only necessary to remove trapped air from the water, and therefore not necessary for an oil furnace.
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There are two main reasons why you would need to bleed your oil boiler:
Running out of heating oil can indeed require bleeding your boiler. Here's why:
If the pressure in the boiler is too high or fluctuates a lot, it can be an indication of air trapped in the system. It might not require a full boiler bleed and one of the following might help to reduce the pressure in the heating system:
Residue and Dirt in the Fuel Line
Letting your fuel tank run dry can lead to residue in the fuel line as the dirt that often collects at the bottom of your oil container will be drawn into the fuel line. If your boiler becomes clogged with residue, contact a professional boiler technician to clean your fuel lines or replace your filter.
Here are some common boiler noises you may come across and how to quickly fix these issues yourself:
Turn Your Boiler On Over The Summer
It is good practice to turn your boiler, even a biomass, on once or twice during the summer. This will prevent sludge and dirt from accumulating inside, and save you from having to get an engineer to power flush the system in winter.
Knowing how to check your boiler pressure is the first step when bleeding your boiler. Here are the steps in knowing what to look for when checking the boiler pressure:
For gas boilers, including condensing and combi boilers, which are connected to your radiators, the solution is to bleed your radiators to remove air from the closed circuit heating system. Here are the quick, easy steps to bleed your gas boiler:
Do I Need To Bleed An Electric Boiler?
Electric boilers are similar to gas boilers in that you will have to bleed any trapped air from the radiators themselves. This can be done by following the same steps as to how to bleed radiators connected to a gas boiler.
Boilers work by heating water contained within the internal heating system, which is then spread to the radiators around your house and in turn heating it.
Any heating system with air trapped inside works less efficiently, meaning you’ll end up paying more on your energy bill for less heat. If you notice any of the following, it may be time to bleed your boiler:
To bleed your radiators, you will need a radiator key, which can be bought at any hardware store. If you don't have one, you can also use a screwdriver, but this may damage the radiator valve.
Aside from bleeding your radiators, repressurising your system, or thawing a condensate pipe, do not attempt any DIY gas boiler repairs.
Never open up your boiler - this is incredibly dangerous. It will also void any warranty, and may also void your home insurance cover.
It's good practice to keep an eye on your boiler and take note of any strange noises or actions it may be making, but for anything beyond that we recommended contacting an RGII registered gas installer to carry out any service or repair work on the boiler.
To find a Registered Gas Installer in your area, you can use the RGII offical website to search for an RGI in your county.
Are There Boiler Grants in Ireland?
No. There are no longer boiler grants available in Ireland. The government is also planning on phasing out gas and oil boilers by 2025. However, there are grants available from the SEAI for heat pumps and solar water heaters.
Having your boiler serviced regularly can save up to 15% on fuel costs and keep your boiler running in top condition.
Some providers even offer boiler service:
For more information about Bord Gais and Energia's boiler service, you can find more information through the following links:
Boiler cover will generally cover parts replacement (up to a certain amount), emergencies, callout service, and maintenance. When an RGI is called out to your house, they will also check for proper ventilation and whether the flue has degraded.
Selectra's Boiler Tip
"A faulty boiler can produce carbon monoxide which when exposed to can cause illness or even death. It's an ouderless, tasteless gas so invest in a carbon monoxide alarm and place it near your boiler and make sure to have your boiler serviced annualy"
The services and products mentioned on this website may only represent a small selection of the options available to you. Selectra encourages you to carry out your own research and seek advice if necessary before making any decisions. We may receive commission from selected partner providers on sales of some products and/or services mentioned within this website. Our website is free to use, and the commission we receive does not affect our opinion or the information we provide.
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