Souped-up Radiators

Energy Efficiency Week 2021 / Tuesday

 

Level 3: Soup-up your radiators with some thermostatic valves

Thermostatic radiator valves (TRV) are the best way of getting the heating in your home just right! They adjust your heating perfectly and you won’t end up with some rooms being overheated and others being too cold. If you don’t have any TRV’s, we recommend that you get some fitted so that you can enjoy a more comfortable home, lower heating costs and a smaller carbon footprint.


Will you be getting thermostatic valves for your radiators?

 

A room thermostat monitors the temperature of the room it is located in. These are usually found in the hallway or living room. When the room reaches the set temperature, your boiler will stop firing. Fitting TRV’s in all other rooms means that you can control how much heat they get while the boiler is firing. For example, you may want your bedrooms to be slightly cooler than the living room.

Adjusting TRV settings

Settings are determined using simple numbers instead of degrees Celsius. Twist the valve to the number that corresponds to the level of warmth you want. It’s a matter of trial and error. Once you find the setting that works best for you, you no longer need to adjust it.

Some tips on how to get the best result

  • Remember that the room thermostat is the boss. It tells the boiler when to stop and start. Once the temperature you require in a specific room is reached, all the radiators will go off, whether their thermostatic valves are open or not.
  • Most homes only have one main thermostat, often located in the hallway or living room. The temperature in these rooms will determine when the boiler comes on and off.
  • Avoid constantly adjusting the TRV settings. If you’re cold, opening the valve fully won’t help you heat up faster. In fact, until the level of warmth required has been reached, the valve will be fully open.
  • The work of the TRV is limited to stopping the temperature from going above a certain level. It only closes the valve when the required level of comfort has been reached.
  • If someone in your home goes away for a while, you can set the TRV in their room to * (frost protection mode) so that you do not waste heat while they are away.

 

Will you be getting thermostatic valves for your radiators?