2. TRVs – radiator valves

TVRs – Let’s find out what you really know. Tick all that apply:

Look further down to find out the answers.

◻︎   I know what these are. TRV stands for thermostatic radiator valve and they’re the funny little knobs at the side of the radiator with numbers round them.

◻︎    They have something to do with controlling the water temperature in the radiators – don’t they?

◻︎    I guess the numbers around them are there to make them look like they’re a bit of proper engineering kit and don’t really mean anything much.

◻︎    The plumber very kindly set them all to ‘3’ when they were fitted throughout the house many years ago – I mean why would I want to change them to a different number?

◻︎  Why would I want to waste my time doing a web search by manufacturer just to download the user guide to their TRV’s?  I mean there can’t be that much to a knob you just twiddle.

 

Let’s hear it for TRVs – your helpful friends!

Temperature controls and Thermostatic Radiator Valves (TRVs).

•If you already have TRVs throughout the house, check they’re working so you can set them appropriately room-by-room.
•TRVs are really clever as those numbers on them are calibrated to the actual temperature of the room.
•Turning a TRV down to say ‘3’ (with Honeywell TRV’s this corresponds to 16 degrees), the radiator will only come on when the room temperature drops below this.
•By setting the TRV for an intermittently-occupied bedroom to 16 degrees instead of 20 degree you are massively reducing the heat loss through the outside wall here.
•Repeat this room-by-room through the house and the cost savings will really mount up. Even if you set the main thermostat control to 20 degrees, only the rooms with TRV’s turned up higher will heat up to that temperature.

Getting to know my house

We’re going to start you off on your BLOW A HOLE journey with a bit of a DIY Survey.

What rooms have TRV’s fitted to the radiators?

Do these all turn freely? How many are ‘stuck’ or broken?

Can you identify parts of your home where a room temperature in the winter of say 16 degrees would be OK for you/your family? And think especially of rooms such as bedrooms which are only used intermittently or even just occasionally.

Would you now turn your TRV’s to higher/lower numbers during the day and evening?

Have you downloaded your TRV User Guide yet? (Be honest).