It’s always a good idea to fit some! We recommend you fit a thermostatic valve on every radiator. But there’s no need to fit one in a room with a fixed room thermostat.
Are thermostatic radiator valves universal?
However this in not the case now and most, if not all, TRVs are universal, meaning that the flow can be either way through them without making and alterations to them. This means that there is no restriction to which side of the radiator they can go.
How do I know which radiator valves to buy?
Side connections with pipes coming up from the floor = you need angled valves. Underside connections with pipes coming up from the floor = you need straight valves. Side connections with pipes coming out of the wall = you may choose between angled or corner valves.
Are radiator valves different?
There are a range of different valves that are available, these are typically known as thermostatic, manual and lockshield. In addition to this, these valves also come in a few different styles, depending on the access to the radiator and pipe.
Are all thermostatic radiator valves the same size?
What Size Radiator Valve Do I require?15mm valves are the only size you‘re likely to encounter, since 15mm copper pipes are the most common. There are also other sizes, from 8mm to 28mm, and there are accompanying adapters.
Can you mix and match radiator valves?
Don’t mix and match Need to add or change a radiator? Stick to the same type of metal. Introducing more than one type of metal radiator into your heating system can increase the risk of corrosion.
Do both radiator valves need to be open?
You should open both of the valves on all of your system’s radiator when you are starting the radiator balancing process. You will most likely need to use pliers to open the lockshield valve.Once this is done your radiator system should be fully balanced and your radiators should heat up evenly and efficiently.
Do all radiators have valves?
It’s worth noting that if you buy a new radiator they will not normally come with valves. This is because you need to pick the radiator valve to suit your own individual pipework. Often, people forget that both a lockshield valve, and a manual or TRV valve is required, for each new radiator.
Do towel radiators have thermostatic valves?
However, it’s always recommended to have at least one radiator in your home to have manual valves, without a TRV. It’s common practise for this radiator (or towel rail) to be in the bathroom. The reason one radiator in your home needs to be TRV-free is as a safety mechanism.
Can radiator valves be fitted horizontally?
You can fit either way, the only difference between horizontal and vertical TRV’s is which way the display will be shown.When I first fitted mine 2 of the rads had vertical valves and those are the TRV’s I brought, several months later I turned the valves so they are now horizontal and they work just fine.
What do the two valves on a radiator do?
The two radiator valves on a radiator work in the same way as taps, affording the user control over the level of heat they emit. The other valve, referred to as the lockshield valve, balances the system by regulating how much heat the radiator gives off.
What is the quickest way to balance your radiators?
How To Balance Radiators
- Turn off your heating.
- Open all radiator valves.
- Note the speed each radiator heats up.
- Allow your heating to cool down.
- Turn your heating back on.
- Adjust the fastest radiator.
- Repeat for other radiators.
What size are radiator bleed valves?
Castrads bleed valves can be used with a wide range of cast iron radiators. Most steel multicolumn radiators use half-inch 21mm BSP bleed valves.
What size valves do I need?
In most cases, adding 15mm to the height of the rim is a reasonable rule of thumb when it comes to deciding on a valve length. That extra 15mm is important because it provides enough length to fit any pump head.
Are all radiators 15mm?
The right connection size
Be certain to ask the person who is fitting your radiator what kind of pipework they’re going to be using. Most standard pipes are in 15mm copper, but every now and then an installer might wish to use 22mm. On older properties, such as churches, you might even come across 28mm sizes.
Which side of a radiator should a thermostatic valve be fitted?
return side
However, it’s always best practice to fit the TRV on the flow pipe that enters your radiator. If a non-bi-directional thermostatic valve is fitted to the return side of the radiator, it can make a loud vibrating noise when water tries to pass through it.
Should all radiators match?
But it doesn’t need to be like that, and there’s no reason that you have to have the same style of radiator in every room.Every room is different, so why not mix and match designer radiators and traditional radiators to suit each room.
Should thermostatic radiator valves be on flow or return?
The vast majority of new TRV’s are bidirectional and can be fitted to either the flow or return, but it is always good practice to fit them to the flow side. If a non bidirectional TRV is fitted on the return side it will create a vibrating sound as the water tries to flow though it.
Do you need to balance radiators with thermostatic valves?
A TRV is a proportional controller, i.e it adjust the flow through the rad according to the difference between actual and desired room temperatures. A TRV will act as an on/off switch if the pressure drop across the valve is too high. Balancing is needed to make sure the mean flow rate through the valve is correct.
What happens if all lockshield valves are fully open?
On most radiators, this is the valve you can’t turn by hand. By closing a fully-open lockshield valve by a few turns (with a pair of grips or screwdriver), you can slow down the rate at which water enters the radiator and reduce the speed with which it gets hot.
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.
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