radiators with valves

60BOWENS

Hi
The house we bought has working radiators with connected pipes etc but with no valve or lock shield on top.They seems to have gone missing.
Is it just a matter of buying few radiator valves and lock shield to put over them or does it need more than usual spanners to do the job(plumber)?

ThisIsWeird

Photos, please?

molerat

You mean there are no plastic tops on the valves ?  Or no thermostatic heads on the valves ?  As above, pictures needed.

60BOWENS

here they are on either sides of radiator

FreeBear

You have regular radiator valves. You can decide which one to use as a lockshield, and use the other to turn the radiator off. However, it would make sense to drain the system down and fit TRVs to most of the radiators (and don't forget to put some corrosion inhibitor in when refilling).

The system will need balancing afterwards - Time consuming, but not that difficult.

ThisIsWeird

Good photos - thank you.

The simplest solution is to buy new caps/heads/handles/wheels for them. That will allow 'manual' control - ie you turn anti-clock' if you want more heat, and clock' for less or off. The other end is meant to be 'set-and-forget', and is used to balance the radiator; ie ensure it's getting the right flow in relation to the other rads.

So, you can get handles that will push on to these spindles, tho' you appear to have two different styles. This, for example, would appear to be the correct one for the second pic. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/226137858996

But, to not fit TRVs would, I think, be remiss. The only room you don't fit TRVs is the one with the wall-mounted thermostat - I hope you have one?

How DIYish are you?! This is perfectly doable, but not really ideal for a plumbing newbie. You certainly wouldn't do it until Summer comes along! In essence, tho', it involves draining down your CH system, removing all these valves, and fitting new TRVs and lockshields. It can be straightforward provided the dimensions are similar.

Worth a watch of a few videos

Or, get a few quotes from plumbers - they'll likely be busy right now, but should hopefully be happy to do a day's job like this later on. TRV + L/s around £20 a set for a decent quality. Labour, around one day. A few other sundries.

Worth thinking through your whole CH control system until then - are you happy with what you have? Is it a Prog Stat? Is it Smart? Would you like it to be?! Would you like to be able to control the temps in bedrooms remotely, so they aren't always on, for example?

60BOWENS

thanks
can the new thermostatic valve and lock shield caps just slot it?

Albermarle

60BOWENS said:

thanks
can the new thermostatic valve and lock shield caps just slot it?

If you look at the picture in the link .
Drayton TRVs | Screwfix

The Top ( white part) just easily screws on to the bottom ( metal part) .
However the bottom part has to be fitted on to your radiator in place of what you have now.
So that is why the system has to be drained first and really you will need a plumber.

For the remaining valve on the other side of the radiator, this can be left as it is and will be the lockshield valve.

 You can get a simple plastic cover just so it looks a bit nicer.

FreeBear

Albermarle said:  You can get a simple plastic cover just so it looks a bit nicer.

A word of warning - Valves do vary in size, so a plastic cap from one manufacturer may not fit yours.

Got one lockshield with a draindown here, and the caps from the Drayton valves are slightly too small to slip on.

ThisIsWeird

60BOWENS said:

thanks
can the new thermostatic valve and lock shield caps just slot it?

Not the TRV. That needs a different type of valve body, where the 'spindle' is pushed down (by the TRV head) rather than turned with a knob.

The lockshield, tho', 

is a set-and-forget valve, and can be adjusted by a spanner. Once correctly set, you can just place a decorate cap over it - these cost pennies. Better, tho', would be a proper-fitting cap that can also be used to adjust it - a bit easier than using a spanner. The cap I linked to above looks correct, but as FreeBear says it could be slightly different!

So, to fit the TRVs - and you really should - the system will need draining.

FreeBear

ThisIsWeird said: Once correctly set, you can just place a decorate cap over it - these cost pennies. Better, tho', would be a proper-fitting cap that can also be used to adjust it - a bit easier than using a spanner.

If you fit a cap that can be used to adjust the lockshield, can guarantee some little [****] will fiddle with and throw the balance out. Plain caps on the lockshields and keep spanners/pliers/knobs in the toolbox.