Not happy with destroying the tumble dryer with washing up liquid a few weeks ago, last week I have turned my attention to the plumbing. Bleeding radiators!
With the fact that winter is just around the corner, I thought I would purchase a radiator key and set about checking for trapped air. It’s not something that I have never suffered from personally, but my heating system has.
So, waking early yesterday, I decided to carry out this delicate procedure just before breakfast. In order not to wake the enemy, the good lady wife, I didn’t turn on the light or get dressed…apart from a pair of boxers! (All letters of complaint will be answered)
Finding a jug, just in case any water seepage, I inserted the key and turned. No air! Another little turn, and still no air, just luke warm water which I caught in the jug.
So I thought I would give the little metal nipple another tweak, but nothing other than a steady stream of light brown liquid. Another turn! By now the flow of water matched the Tamar at low tide and, none too surprisingly; it pushed the nipple out of the valve and into the rapidly filling jug!
Shoving my finger in the open radiator hole, I managed to stem the torrent for a second, open the window with my other hand, empty the jug and then place it back in the stream.
It then dawned on me…..the nipple…..I had just slung out of the window the only way to stop flooding the entire house! Oh arse! By now my bleating had awoken the enemy who was wondering what the hell I was doing.
‘Hold this’, I said to her nodding to the jug and fled downstairs to rummage among the fallen leaves and gravel. Needless to say the chances of me finding a quarter inch long piece of metal were pretty slim especially as I was interrupted by the postman who
was wandering down the path looking at me squatting in ‘me’ boxers.
‘Morning Fitz,’ he said without even blinking, handed me a bundle of post and was about to leave when he witnessed a cascade of water hit me on the head as the enemy had reached the top of her jug and had had the same ‘out the window’ idea as me.
‘Bleeding radiators!’ I said.
He didn’t answer. Clutching the usual pile of bills and freepost, I ran back upstairs wondering if there would be a plumber available at 07.15am!
It was then that female logic took over. The enemy simply turned off the valve at the other end of the radiator and the water stopped.
I dressed, had breakfast, went to the hardware shop, bought a nipple and promised never to mention the event again….apart from now.
Anyway, that was my week. How was yours?
Your DIY enthusiast
Fitz
