Thermostatic radiator valves - best use?

SaveSomeMore_2

All my radiators have thermostatic radiator valves (TRV) and I have a Worcestor Bosch boiler with a temperate control (cold - 7). I have no central thermostat.

Now I understand the radiator controls sense the ambient temperature and adjust the flow of water through them accordingly. So lowering the TRV just slows the flow of water to them to cool them (the same energy is used regardless of if they are 1 or 5 as the boiler will still be heating)?

I had a plumber tell me the best way is to just keep them all on 5 (so the flow is kept free and heat loss is minimised) and to choose the temperature on the boiler.

This is what I've done and the boiler is at a comfortable 2.5/7 (only when I'm in the house of course), but is this the most efficient way? Or am I completely wrong and is 5 putting more demand on the boiler (due to increased flow and more water passing through)?

tacpot12

The plumber is wrong. Setting the TRV will prevent the room getting too warm. Have a room too warm is wasting money because heat leaves the building more quickly the greater the differential betweem the temperature in the room and outside the room.

SaveSomeMore_2

tacpot12 wrote: »

The plumber is wrong. Setting the TRV will prevent the room getting too warm. Have a room too warm is wasting money because heat leaves the building more quickly the greater the differential betweem the temperature in the room and outside the room.

Thanks.

Can I ask what is the difference between having the radiators maxed and boiler down low as this also prevents the room getting too warm surely (as the boiler is limiting the max temperature)?

Are you saying it is more efficient to put the radiators on low but up the boiler to compensate?

Norman_Castle

SaveSomeMore wrote: »

Now I understand the radiator controls sense the ambient temperature and adjust the flow of water through them accordingly. So lowering the TRV just slows the flow of water to them to cool them (the same energy is used regardless of if they are 1 or 5 as the boiler will still be heating)?

The TRV is an on/off switch for that radiator. When the room reaches the temperature set on the trv it switches the radiator off. When the temperature drops it opens allowing the room to heat up. The boiler will adjust its heat output to what is needed so if less heat is needed due to trv's shutting off individual radiators it will be cheaper to run. Most boilers sound like they are running when often it is just the pump and fan which is running.

The halfway setting on trv's is 70 degrees. Set yours to this then adjust up or down in small amounts over a period of time to keep individual rooms at a temperature you want.

Its pointless fitting trv's and then leaving them set to maximum.

reeac

The best tactic depends on the design of your heating system. If you have an adequate radiator area which can dissipate all the heat output from the boiler then you can manage by adjusting the TRVs. Try setting the boiler to a midway position first and then start with the TRVs on max..Then reduce their settings and see what gives suitable temperatures in the various rooms. If you need to keep them on max then increase the boiler setting. The plus point of a highish boiler setting is a quicker warm up from cold but if it's a condensing boiler then there's a possibility of it working to less than max efficiency if the return water is too hot.