With cold weather sweeping across the UK, many households will be using their heating throughout the day.

Chilly rooms in the home are unpleasant, especially when the heating is on full, which could indicate there is a problem.

Plumber Zhelyazko Yanchev from Fantastic Services said: “Water heating systems circulate hot water through pipes and radiators throughout your home.

“There are plenty of ways to make radiators hotter and heat up faster, without buying a new boiler and using expensive or specialist tools.

“Hot water radiator systems are very simple and the problems are likely as simple, too.”

1. Clear up

The first thing households should do is remove any objects on or underneath the radiators.

According to the expert, radiators work on the principle that hot air rises by natural convection.

“Any objects placed on or under them will almost certainly interfere with this process, so be sure to keep your radiators clutter-free,” said the expert.

2. Dust

Large clumps of dust and lint can obstruct the vanes of a radiator, reducing the efficiency of the heating.

Vanes are vertical tubes carrying cooling water and can easily be cleaned using a long, thin duster.

3. Balance radiators

The expert said: “If one room is always colder or its radiators take a long time to heat up, you may need to balance the radiators.

“Doing this ensures that they heat up, regardless of how close they are to the boiler.”

4. Radiator fans

Radiator fans are small electric fans that either sit on top or the bottom of the radiator.

The plumber said: “By drawing air through the radiator’s vanes, they help it emit as much heat as possible.”

If you still experience issues with radiators and heating after following the expert’s steps, a professional may need to be called in to find out what is going on.

Yanchev added: “If your radiators are not keeping your house warm in the winter, there may be several causes for this.”