Trying to turn off a radiator with no control.

[Deleted User]

My Sheltered Housing Heating System (I am told for safety reasons) is never warm enough.  The radiator covers keep it cool to the touch and one radiator in the hall reaches a wall temperature of 27 degrees centigrade and it only goes off when the central heating goes off.

I am in the position of wanting my living room (where I spend most of my time) warmer and the hall radiator either completely off or turned down 'extremely low' because the hall is not used at all.  When I come out of the bathroom (radiator there is off) the heat in the hall hits me on the face it is so warm.

I seem to be told that:  " It is the safety system" and nothing can be done about it as all the Council Sheltered Houses here are the same.

Thankfully I have no debt but, with very expensive heating costs not, I would prefer to have most heat in my living room and none, or very little, in the unused hall where the radiator cannot be turned off.  It seems to be a huge unnecessary waste of expensive gas/electricity to have not choice but to heat an unused hall.

Any help to enable me to understand how to explain to The Council that I do not want to heat an unused room and would love to have my living room warmer - without also increasing the already very high temperature in the hall - would be great.

I understand about safety but it is too expensive to heat an unused room to such a high temperature when my main living room is not as warm as I would like.  I can increase the living room temperature but this sends the hall temperature even higher that it is already - 27 degrees centigrade when living room is 18-19 degrees centigrade.

I'll be so glad of any information or help to explain to The Council, please.

Retired_Saver

Verdigris

Unfortunately you must have one "open" radiator in a modern central heating system.

What setting is the living room radiator set to? (I'm assuming thermostatic radiator valve) Does the living room radiator get hot at the top? If it doesn't, it need to be bled, then you'll be warmer.

Carrot007

Verdigris said:

Unfortunately you must have one "open" radiator in a modern central heating system.

Not true most modern boilers have a bypass if you are giddy enough to try turning it on with all radiators off.

Either way though OP having that one in the hall where most heat loss will occur and heating it is rather pointless is quite frankly a stupid idea.

However even if that was the way it more sounds like no one has balanced the radiators properly and the hall one could also be too big and be taking all the heat. These are fixable (even by yourself if you have a few hours to spare fiddling with valves and something to measure the temperature)).

[Deleted User]

Verdigris said:

Unfortunately you must have one "open" radiator in a modern central heating system.

What setting is the living room radiator set to? (I'm assuming thermostatic radiator valve) Does the living room radiator get hot at the top? If it doesn't, it need to be bled, then you'll be warmer.

Thanks Verdigris.  The living room radiator is set to maximum 4 and the wall thermostat (the only one in the house) is set to 20 degrees centigrade.  The living room radiator gets warm (not hot) at the top and the hall radiator (a smaller one) also gets warm (not hot) at the top.  The hall is small, square with doors off it and the temperature (when the living room is 19-20 is always 27 or 28 degrees centigrade. 

The hall is very much too hot and, because it is not used, I feel it is wasteful.  There is no way of turning it off as it has no 'knob' and is fully enclosed in it safety cabinet.

Although the tops of the radiators are warm it seems to be the safety case/cover that keeps them cool otherwise.  I hope this makes sense.  I would love the hall radiator to be off (but understand from what you say this may not be possible or allowed.)  Would it be possible, if The Council would come and access the radiator cabinet and reduce the temperature inside (like the knob on the outside of the other radiators) to the lowest setting?  Thank you for any help.

Retired_Saver

[Deleted User]

Carrot007 said:

Verdigris said:

Unfortunately you must have one "open" radiator in a modern central heating system.

Not true most modern boilers have a bypass if you are giddy enough to try turning it on with all radiators off.

Either way though OP having that one in the hall where most heat loss will occur and heating it is rather pointless is quite frankly a stupid idea.

However even if that was the way it more sounds like no one has balanced the radiators properly and the hall one could also be too big and be taking all the heat. These are fixable (even by yourself if you have a few hours to spare fiddling with valves and something to measure the temperature)).

Thanks Carrot007.  I feel that it is wasteful (and expensive now) to have the hall radiator heating (outwith my control) to such a high temperature.  The thermostat in the living room is the only one although (apart from the hall radiator) all the other radiators have TRV's.  I have all the TRV's turned off apart from the living room where I spend most of my time but, as explained, the hall one is always on 'too high' when my central heating is on.

I don't have the experience or skill but would worry about tampering with The Council's Heating System.  I hope they can help - but it sounds doubtful.

Thank you for replying.

Retired_Saver

Verdigris

It sounds to me like the system needs to be bled and re-balanced.

Insist that the council do this, because you are unable to adjust the pertinent controls.

It sounds a bit like the system was installed by a contractor who didn't bother to balance the system properly because it was a "Council job".

[Deleted User]

I'll 'phone The Council tomorrow and try to be tactful in asking for the system to be bled and re-balanced/if the hall radiator could be turned down.  Is that likely to be a big job?  I know the Council are dealing  with emergency rather much more than addressing routine repairs just now.

I'll report back whether successful or not.  I don't want them to think that I'm pleading poverty but, I agree, it seems pointless having such a high level of heating in a hallway where no one sits or spends time in when the living room (especially now that we are all facing much more expensive fuel bills) could be warmer and more comfortable. 

Your replies really are very much appreciated, thank you.

Retired_Saver

Verdigris

Is that likely to be a big job?

Not especially, but it needs somebody who cares what they are doing. Assuming that it is a condensing boiler, make sure they set it up to acheive return flow temperature of no more than 54 degrees, to ensure maximum efficiency.

FreeBear

The OP said "Sheltered Housing Heating System" - From that, I kinda assume it is some sort of communal boiler.

There will be a valve on each end of the radiators. The business end quite likely hidden under a plastic cap that should just pull off. In which case, pop the cover off and turn the valve clockwise (as you look down on it).

[Deleted User]

Thanks for replying FreeBear and for explaining but the boilers are individual to each house.  It is a Sheltered Housing Complex and each home is independent of the other with own front door, own gas and electricity meters and there is no communal boiler.  Each home has its own 'Combi' Boiler.  The Boilers are serviced annually by The Council and the cost of servicing (not the fuel bills) is included in the rent.

Support is provided by a non resident (very helpful) Sheltered Housing Officer on site and, when off duty, by accessing, if necessary, a pull cord emergency call system.

For safety reasons we are not allowed to remove the protective radiator covers.

Retired_Saver

BUFF

[Deleted User] said:

Support is provided by a non resident (very helpful) Sheltered Housing Officer on site 

can you get him to come around & experience for himself what you are currently experiencing & what you want?