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TRVs

8 replies

Mum2Fergus · 26/10/2013 16:25

Are they a worthwhile investment? If I fit them throughout the house does it take away need for thermostat in the hall?

OP posts:
Talkinpeace · 26/10/2013 16:35

You still need the thermostat
BUT
yes, yes, yes to TRVs
as then you can control each room
hall stat at 21
bedrooms at 18, spare room at 16 until needed, bathrooms at 19, living room at 21, hall at 17
south facing rooms can have lower rad tems than north facing
TRVs are wonderful things

Mum2Fergus · 26/10/2013 18:52

How much did you pay to have fitted?

OP posts:
Talkinpeace · 26/10/2013 20:17

did them ourselves
not a huge job either time
drain down the system, unscrew, slot them in, refill system

PigletJohn · 26/10/2013 23:55

They are certainly worth having, but if you have to pay someone to fit them, it might cost a few hundred so it will take several years to pay back. If you can do simple plumbing you can fit them yourself, BUT do it in summer when you are not using the heating so it will not matter if a one-day job stretches out into two weeks. DIY materials cost is about £15 per rad. Avoid very cheap valves. Danfoss are the best I know, closely followed by Drayton and Pegler, though opinions differ.

As you have to drain, and later refill, the system, this is a good time (if you have old radiators and especially if you have an old boiler with a feed and expansion tank in the loft) to give it a chemical clean, which is another very easy DIY job the cleaning chemical will cost you about £15 and the new inhibitor about the same.

It is abolutely essential to have a room stat as well.

CarlaBrooni · 27/10/2013 03:55

I have absolutely no idea what a TRV is but as I'm about to start a major renovation project I'm away to check (especially with PigletJohn's recommendation).

The things I've learnt on Mumsnet...

sporktacular · 27/10/2013 04:15

Do you mean the knob on each radiator that lets you turn it up or down in relation to all the other radiators in the house?

If so, yes fit them.

They WILL save you money unless you for some reason replace the radiators before the payback time - and why on earth would you do that?

They mean that you don't have to pay for heating rooms that no one is using (Talkinpeace why do you heat the spare room at all when it's not in use?).

They can help compensate for rooms in your house needing uneven heating due to different insulation, being above the living room/not being above it, someone being out this evening who would normally be in their room, you only having it on for half an hour to get the washing dry, etc. Circumstances.

Best thing since sliced bread and thermal fleece-lined tights, IMHO.

Of course you only make these savings if you understand the controls AND USE THEM. And teach everybody else in the house to use them. But fuel is not going to be get any less expensive, you could save more than current estimate if fuel prices keep rising like they have been.

Note that with some types of boilers, even in the summer when it's baking you need to keep at least one radiator in the house set to less than the coldest setting. This is so that "instant hot water" boilers can release the small amount of excess hot water they produce in between you turning off a hot water tap and them stopping heating the water for it. You will not feel the radiator get warm but you can bugger up your boiler by not doing this. Suggest masking tape over one of the TRVs until autumn = easy fix.

PigletJohn · 27/10/2013 12:28

Thermostatic
Radiator
Valves

You should not have one in the room with the wall stat. If you do, remove the thermostatic head and fit the decorator's cap which is supplied with the valve.

Talkinpeace · 27/10/2013 16:35

spork
simple : cheaper than a tumble drier : airing racks are in that room :-)

our room stat is in the hall and as part of our building work we removed all rads near it so it picks up ambient

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