Trying to turn off a radiator with no control.

[Deleted User]

My elderly relative in sheltered housing is limited to mainly just urgent direct contact repairs at present.   The care staff are allowed to report  and request urgent repairs for residents and non urgent repairs go on a waiting list.

If the heating is working this may not be given priority but worth asking.

[Deleted User]

Just to be clear, you cannot run a central heating system without some form of bypass between the boiler flow and return pipes. In years gone by, installers would run a copper pipe between the flow and return pipes close to the main pump. This would have a tap which the installer would partially close off to restrict but not close off the flow. Heating systems then moved on to leaving at least one radiator fully open so there was still boiler/pump flow if all the TRVs were closed. Modern systems have replaced the ‘Gated Tap’ with an automatic bypass valve that in my case sits in the airing cupboard on a pipe between the flow and return pipes. 

The danger of not having a bypass is that it will lead to premature pump and heat exchanger failure. For this reason, no Landlord is going to agree to make changes to a working CH system. That said, fitting an automatic bypass valve is a 30 minute job for a competent plumber. My suggestion would be: get a quote and offer to pay to have the work done. There is also a small cost associated with fitting a TRV to the open radiator.

[Deleted User]

Tlhank you for that helpful explanation, Dolor.

I am pleased that, although I explainted that it was not urgent or an emergency, the Council are coming today to check my system.

They are visiting another person in this Sheltered Housing Complex today and can see me when they are here so I am really pleased.

Understanding that one radiator must be on/open could I ask for the TRV to be removed from my main living room radiator and put on to the hall radiator?  This would give me better heating in my living room without having to heat the hall?

Retired_Saver

MWT

[Deleted User] said:

The thermostat in the living room is the only one although (apart from the hall radiator) all the other radiators have TRV's.

Generally you would want the open radiator and the thermostat to be in the same space...

Also sounds like there is flow problem to the rad in the living room if it is not getting as hot as the one in the hall even with the TRV fully open...

[Deleted User]

Thank you all very much for your interest and for the helpful replies.  The Council Heating Engineer has just left and he was so helpful.   He explained things to me and my boiler heat has been adjusted.  He checked everything thoroughly and completely closed off the hall radiator.Although I don't know exactly what he did, he took the cover off the living room radiator and adjusted something there too.

With the changes the gentleman made the heating in my living room radiator is much better already and there is now no heat at all coming through the hall radiator.  Although I don't understand exactly what changes were made everything is so much better now.

Thank you all, once more, for all your interest and very helpful replies.

Retired_Saver

Verdigris

Always nice to have a happy end to a story.

BUFF

Dolor said:

. Modern systems have replaced the ‘Gated Tap’ with an automatic bypass valve that in my case sits in the airing cupboard on a pipe between the flow and return pipes. 

The danger of not having a bypass is that it will lead to premature pump and heat exchanger failure. For this reason, no Landlord is going to agree to make changes to a working CH system. That said, fitting an automatic bypass valve is a 30 minute job for a competent plumber.

many modern boilers have an integral automatic bypass e.g. my 13 year old Worcester does.

Retired_Saver, congrats on a happy resolution.