Thermostatic radiator valve thingys...?

s@sha

I mean those valves that you can fit on the radiators to alter the temperature of each radiator in particular.

I'm thinking of trying these, as I live in a little house with an open plan staircase leading straight off the living room to the upstairs landing. I can't seem to turn off any of the radiators individually so when the heating is on they are all on, in every room.

As a result I find all the heat from downstairs rises upstairs....leaving my living room cold and my bedrooms absolutely boiling. Then I end up either having to turn off the heating about 7pm, so that the bedrooms can cool down by bedtime...but then I have a cold bathroom, or I have to keep open the windows in the bedroom which feels like wasting the heat. And again, in the cold mornings I need the heating to come on to warm the bathroom, but by the time that is warm, we are both way too hot in bed!

I thought if I have these valves I can at least turn my bedroom radiators off, leaving only my bathroom & living
room to warm up & I wouldn't be wasting the heat by opening the bedroom windows every evening.

Are these valve things expensive to buy & are they easy to fit...I'm talking someone who's knowledge of radiators only extends to 'bleeding' them every so often?

Haggis_n_Neeps

Cost should be about £5-10 each for a TRV.

As for fitting then, it depends on your level of DIY competence as it's likely to require a drain down of your system. The actual valves are actually relatively easy to fit (for a Novice DIY'er). Depending on the type of TRV, be careful not to interfere with the 'needle/pin' on it.

I am not a plumber, but it is usual to leave at least one radiator without a TRV (something to do about the boiler/heating system continuing to operate if all the radiators are off - best take more advice from one of our plumbers on here. I'm sure there will be one along in a while with mucky hands and dirty boots/overalls. Thankfully appearing only on your monitor not on you carpets....... ;D ;D).

MATH

I had TRV's fitted to 8 rads about 4yrs ago. They cost me about a fiver each and the plumber charged £100 for fitting. They should be ideal for cooling upstairs. If you keep the upstairs doors closed this may also minimise the heat drift.

Boohbah

There are ways of fitting TRV's without draining down the system but, not recommended for a novice.

I don't understand why your unable to turn the rad valves off.

Doing it this way will cost you nothing.

There should be a plastic knob each end, one you can turn down by hand and the other you cant.
The one you cant turn by hand, take the plastic cup off, theres usually a little screw to remove first.
This will reveal the valve. Turn it right down so its shut off.
Now turn it one revolution. (back on). Do this with all the rads upstairs.
Then leave it a while and see if your heating is balanced better, to your liking.
If its not warm enough, turn the same valve's another one revolution, keep doing this till your happy with balance of heating.

Hope thats clear to you.

ps that should have been done when the system was originally installed.

If you decide to let a plumber drain down the system and replace the valves, make sure he puts Fernox Protector Alphi-11 in when toping up.
It will help protect your system.