LOCAL elderly residents are being urged to check that their heating systems and radiators are in good condition as temperatures drop.
Brian Warwick, chair of Melksham Seniors Forum 55+ said, “Please do check that your radiators have been bled and working properly as the cold spell and winter sets in.
“Recent checks on a number of older people’s premises in Melksham have highlighted that many radiators have not been checked for years.
“When the Seniors Forum members carried out a number of checks, they found some older people’s bedroom radiators only had temperatures around 14c, yet were set at the correct recommended 22c as in other rooms.
“We don’t want any undesirable deaths caused by hypothermia over the winter, so please do ensure your bedrooms and lounge radiators in particular are working correctly.
“If you could ensure vulnerable neighbours are not at risk it would be much appreciated. Particular care needs to be taken if you have combination boilers as the radiators need to be checked by qualified plumbers.
“That help is available via Handhelp 0333 400 8299 and for those living in Selwood Housing properties call Selwood for advice.”
Brian has suggested people use Selwood Housing’s guidance on checking their heating systems. The advice is as follows:
• Check what type of boiler you have. Do not bleed the radiators if it is a combination boiler or air source heat pump.
• If the top part of a radiator is cold, this is because air is trapped in the system. Bleeding the radiator releases this air and allows hot water to fill the system.
• Always turn off the heating system before bleeding a radiator, otherwise the pump will draw more air into the system.
• If the whole radiator is cold, make sure it is turned on by checking that the radiator valve is open. If it is turned on, it will need to be checked by a plumber.
• If more than one radiator is cold, the whole heating system will need to be checked by a plumber.
Selwood Housing residents can contact the company on 01225 715715 or at www.selwoodhousing.com
For private tenants or homeowners, see the ‘Plumbing & Heating’ section in our Useful Numbers section on page 28.
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