How Do You Balance A Towel Valve On A Radiator?

How to balance radiators

1. Get to know your heating system. First things first, you need to get to know your heating system.
2. Turn off the heating.
3. Open the valves.
4. Turn the heating back on.
5. Turn the heating back off.
6. Turn the heating on, again.
7. Turn the lockshield end to balance the radiator.
8. Check the temperature.

Should towel rail valves be fully open?

A standard heated towel rail / towel radiator is designed to come on and off with the central heating system, like any other radiator. If the valve is fully open, the maximum amount of hot water will be entering the radiator and heating up the rail to the temperature set for the whole central-heating system.

What are the 2 valves on a towel radiator?

One valve accounts for the amount of hot water that enters the radiator. The other valve, referred to as the lockshield valve, balances the system by regulating how much heat the radiator gives off.

What is a balancing valve on a radiator?

Radiator balancing is the adjustment of your radiator valves to ensure all your radiators heat up at the same speed. If you find that your individual radiators have cold spots, this could mean trapped air in the system and you’ll need to bleed them.

How can I balance my radiator without a thermometer?

On only the hottest radiators close the balancing valve to just over half-way open (~60%). To do this, count how many full turns it takes to fully close it and then open it by just over half as many turns. For example, if it takes 2.5 turns to go from open to closed, then close the valve and open it by 1.5 turns.

Should radiator valves both open?

You might therefore think that all valves on all your radiators should remain fully open all the time in order to allow the free flow of water. However, while this sounds good in theory, this could lead to an imbalance in your heating system whereby some radiators get hotter than others.

Which valve turns on a heated towel rail?

Radiator valves
Radiator valves are an essential part of how a radiator, or a heated towel rail, functions. They control the flow of water through the pipes and ensure that your radiator heats up effectively and efficiently – keeping you, your home and everyone in it, nice and comfortable and warm.

Should lockshield valve be open or closed?

When the radiators are cool, switch the heating back on and go to the first radiator on your list. Turn the lockshield valve clockwise until it is closed and then open it by a quarter of a turn. Once the radiator has warmed up, take a temperature reading at the pipework leading to one of the valves (7).

Where is the lockshield valve on a towel radiator?

britishblue New Member. A lockshield valve is the valve on a radiator that has a plastic cap covering but not connected to the adjusting spindle. If you turn the cap it doesn’t adjust the valve. To adjust the valve you have to remove the cap and turn the spindle with pliers.

How do you adjust a radiator lockshield valve?

Flow valves or thermostatic valves (where fitted) are set to the fully open position and lockshield valves on all the radiators by turning them anti-clockwise. The plastic cap on the lockshield valve is removed and a small spanner or an adjustable spanner is used to adjust it.

What does a lockshield valve do?

A lockshield valve is the valve on a radiator that is usually covered with a plastic cap.A lockshield valve will balance out each radiator within your heating system, ensuring they all heat up at the same rate. To learn more about balancing radiators, check out our titled guide, How To Balance A Radiator.

Which way do you turn a radiator valve to turn it off?

Turn valves clockwise to turn your radiator off and anticlockwise to turn it back on. Turning your radiators off is easy.

Which way do you turn a radiator valve to open it?

Step 3 – Open All Your Radiator Valves
Open up the valves on every radiator in the house by turning them anti-clockwise. Thermostatic valves or older wheel-head valves can be turned quite easily by hand but the lockshield valve will need a plastic adjuster or a spanner to open it.

Which side is flow on a radiator?

left
The flow of a radiator is typically on the left as you look at it stood up or attached to the wall.

Why do we need 12 degrees when balancing radiators?

Then on the other side of the radiator check the temperature of the pipe leading into the secondary valve or TRV. The goal is to achieve a temperature difference between the two figures of 12 degrees where the lockshield valve temperature is 12 degrees higher than the exit valve’s temperature.

Which way do you turn a lockshield valve?

Once the system has cooled down, you will have to open the lockshield valves. To do this, simply turn them in an anti-clockwise direction (to the left). You can do so by hand; but if your valves are a bit stiff, use your lockshield valve key, a spanner, or the wheelhead valve cap instead.

How do you balance upstairs and downstairs radiators?

Balancing radiators: How to balance the radiators

1. Bleed the radiators.
2. Fully open all lockshields and thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) and turn the central heating on.
3. After 20 minutes, feel each radiator.
4. Check all radiators again.
5. Repeat the process until all radiators feel the same temperature.

Can a radiator have two lockshield valves?

As long as there is other radiators on the system and they aren’t all closed down you shouldn’t have a problem.

How do I rebalance my heating system?

Follow these 10 steps to balance the radiators in your home:

1. Bleed your radiators.
2. Turn off your central heating.
3. List all the radiators in your home.
4. Open your radiator valves.
5. Identify the fastest heating radiator.
6. Turn the heating off and then on again.
7. Turn the lockshield valve on the fastest heating radiator.

How do I adjust the temperature on my radiator?

1. Locate the main boiler for the radiators.
2. Turn the boiler thermostat up to a higher temperature.
3. Adjust the temperatures on the individual radiators by turning the wheel valves counterclockwise to raise the temperature, or clockwise to lower the temperature.

Do you need a lockshield valve?

A lockshield valve helps to balance out that radiator and ensure the whole system is in sync, with all radiators heating at the same rate. It is therefore every bit as important a valve as without the system being balanced, there is often little point adjusting an individual temperature valve.