We have the “pipe-radiator” type. When we have it on full setting then its barely warm or not at all. Pretty sure there is something wrong here as some of our neighbours have also the same problem. Does your heating work? Or is it not cold enough yet for the heater to come on full?
Is the boiler switched on?
Those Radiators have a valve, so you can let the air out that got into the system. Back in the day when we had radiators we needed to do that at least once every couple of weeks, as we lived on the top floor.
On your picture those valves are on the top left side of the radiator. Back then our key for the valve was a square nut.
1 Like
different buildings turn on heating on different ‘months’. you should find out if the heating system has actually been turned on, as Fatmanfils said. It may be possible to bleed the radiators, as Baselbieter said.
However, depening on how ‘old’ the heating system is, it may be prudent to contact the bilding management and inform that they heating in more than one apt is not working. They will answer and address the issue.
All the best!
Our building in Basel has geothermal underfloor heating.
When I return to my house in Scotland every October we generally have to bleed the radiators as they sometimes only heat to the top half and we have a very high ceiling in the livingroom with the staircase going up through it so it can feel quite cold. We try to keep the house heated to about 12 or 14c in winter when we’re not there.
What the others mentioned mentioned before. The bleeding looks like this:
2 Likes
just by coincidence I’ve seen these keys in Aldi today, a pack for 1 CHF
the video was very helpful. 
i have an old radiator that is cold. it is older than the other radiators - so old that it does not have a bleed valve. Well, at least i could not find one in either of the upper corners.
it has big hex sized screws (about 6-8cm diameter) on the side, on each top and bottom side. Looks like a hole was drilled in the top and bottom right side of two screws and water pipe run through each hole. top pipe has the water adjustment valve.
Is it possible to bleed those? if so, how does one go about it? Or is it tooo old and needs replacement?
Dont know. Its a rented apartment (ABZ).They did big work putting in this new heating system called"Fernwärme"(no boiler in house-the warm water comes from somewhere in the city) and since then it’s a problem with heating.
Here is what we have.
“The Altstetten and Höngg energy network is a flagship project for the environmentally friendly energy supply of the future. To connect the Werdhölzli wastewater treatment plant to the planned long-distance pipeline network in Höngg, located to the north, an underground connection was created between the wastewater treatment plant site and Höngg using a flush bore beneath the Limmat River.”
Do these radiators fill with warm water when one turns it on. As far as mine is concerned it seems to be empty.
A few questions:
- Is the top of the radiator colder than the bottom? If so - you probably have air in the radiator. Fix: bleed the air.
- Is the bottom (especially the center) colder than the top? If so - you probably have a sludge buildup in the radiator. Fix: Flush the radiator + pipes (not really a DIY thing)
- Is the radiator equally lukewarm? If so - you probably have the boiler set to a lower temperature (common if in a shared building others have underfloor heating, and you don’t). Fix: not sure
- Is your radiator totally cold? Then most likely a block (i.e. no water flowing), or really totally full of air…
Well it seems to be warmer at the top if it gets warm at all. Here the warm water comes from somewhere else in Zurich according to the new system. But I think the apartment owner can adjust the temperature of the water. All very confusing. I will see if bleeding the air helps. Probably not as it seems to be a general prolem for the other apartments here.
Our heating has not been switched on yet. An infra-red thermometer is a great device. With one should be able to track the radiator temperature accurately.
1 Like
there was no air trapped in any of the heaters.
Have you asked the Landlord if he has turned on the heating? I suspect that, although it is a communal system, each building pays a share based on volume taken.
We have called them up (ABZ) and they will look into it.