Radiator valves which one do I turn, what direction, which one is the flow.

#Radiator valves. There seems to be lots of confusion. From what direction to turn them off ? How do I know what valve is the flow ? What is a lock shield valve ? Can I balance the heating system by just adjusting the thermostatic radiator valves ? My valve is not working and so on. In this video I will try to explain all.
Lots more plumbing and heating at my two websites.

[garylunn]

Thanks for this tutorial. Great to understand the thermostat valve. Our house has doubled in size & all rads have thermostats. Balancing the system is a delicate affair. Sadly we have fixed caps on left & right sides. How much of a turn to activate the valve do you advocate? I’ve been told as little as a quarter turn from off? Is that enough? Of do larger rads need more? Cheers. Gary.

[simasoumi]

You are a star! I had all those questions and I got all the answers in one video. Lesson learnt for life will pass it on to my children..thanks very much sir.

[richardgreen]

Thanks for this, I was wondering what that frost symbol was for ages to 😂

[jasondonnelly]

Thanks so much, I finally understand my radiators. You sir are a god send. Heart Emojis * Infinity.

[loafersheffield]

I always refer to non TRV valves as either lockshield or manipulative.
Manipulative as in turn down/off-turn up to max. The ones where the head has hand grippable splines/vertical grooves, to enable a better grip. Lockshields are where there is only a decorative "bishops mitre hat" decorative cover on, that can't be turned without a pair of grips/pliers.
A customer (landlord) decided to supply all manipulative, (non TRV's) on a job that I did about 8-10 years ago. The packaging did not include the bishops hats covers... just the splined manipulative heads. So, after balancing I whipped off the plastic heads from the balancing side, so the rad could only be turned up/down-on/off at one side and the balancing could not be interfered with.
The customer (landlord) refused to pay me as I did not put the plastic heads back on the lockshield/balanced end.
I re-attended and got

Guess what the landlord complained about next?

[simonwilkinson]

Nice video. Helpful. But one question please: How does the thermostatic rad valve 'know' what temperature you've set your system to achieve?

[HektorBandimar]

Best, most helpful plumber on YouTube, thanks for the info. 👍

[ackec-umsekkruch-ekucki]

So you nicked Jan's pot for this demonstration?

I don't think we appreciate how risky your trials become sometimes.

Thanks very much for that!

[lilylou]

Wow this is fantastic, the mists are clearing and it is making sense to me. Thank you so much. 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[Marlo]

Thank you for your contribution to YouTube, I’m a new homeowner, totally clueless and find all your videos so helpful. One question I had was what you do when the caps have been taken off so you don’t know which is the balancing knob and which is not?! The radiators downstairs in my flat (furthest away from the boiler) are not heating up sufficiently. They don’t need bleeding so I thought I could try the technique in this video, but I had all the caps taken off to replace them so don’t know where to start now. They are VERY old radiators. Do I give up and call in a plumber to advise?! Thanks again for all your help.

[jackiehopkins]

I have 2 radiator not heating up..one on sittingroom never really heats one on daughter bedroom could be hot one minute go back later cold.??

[ratchriat]

found the video very informative nice one all.

[jessestrum]

thanks for great videos, does it matter if lockshield valves are not on the return to boiler side

[itisifelix]

Thanks so much for the detailed overview. Really helpful. I’ve now got Tado TRVs in all the four rooms - and really want to just shut off the lock shielded hall rad that seems to be the old school benchmark for temperature. Plan is to leave the mini airing cupboard rad fully open so that it becomes the bypass in case the pump runs with all the TRVs closed (not that it should) - Am in OK / safe to close the hall rad and leave the mini airing cupboard rad to take over the hall’s “duty”? I’m probably being over cautious - but I don’t want the pump to get messed up! It is a pretty modern boiler so I’d hope they’re be no chance of that. But better safe than sorry. With the Tado system I just hate the waste of heat in the hall where we just don’t care if it is a bit nippy! Sorry for the long question. Thanks for all you do with you videos and hoping you get to 100k soon! 🙏

[mick]

Probably going to sound right thick here but can you clear something up about TRVs Al? Can TRVs save you money on heating bills? If so please explain - in really simple 'for dummies' terms - how. A local handyman tells me TRVs are a waste of money as it is the
boiler thermostat that determines the heat to the radiators and will keep doing so even when TRVs are fitted so I'm now really confused. Thanks ....

[HondaCBCE]

Thanks for that well presented and very knowledgeable, enjoy your cup of tea

[johnbeck]

A grand video!
The house I recently moved into is plumbed with JG plastic push fit. The upstairs rads have 15mm pipes and the downstairs rads have 10mm pipes. All rads are fitted with TRVs apart from the Myson double in the D/S main room so I presume that's a bypass rad as mentioned in the video. The boiler is a Vaillant Turbo Max combi, presumably installed when the house was built around 2003.

Just this week I've drained off and refilled adding cleaner to flush the system. I'll run it for a week then drain and refill with anti-corrosion. Screwfix sell a kit for £18 that has both cleaner and anti-corrosion, and also a filler tube.

[alextomlinson]

How do standard radiator valves sense the outside air temp? One would think an electrical thermostatic sensor would be needed to actuate the valve electrically & mechanically.
Does the valve top itself mechanically turn the valve clockwise/off & anticlockwise/on? What is the mechanism of turning the valve on and off if it's not turning anything 🤔

[DeeTeaDee]

What are the numbers for on the right one

God so complicated! 🤦🏻‍♂️

[MrJnr]

hi mate iv having a massive issue my boiler keeps emptying after a about 6 hours while heating and water is being used its confusing me i cant see any leaks or find a leak totally stuck