HOW RADIATOR VALVES WORK AND HOW TO SET THEM - TRV/Thermostatic

How radiator valves work and how to set them. TRV's or Thermostatic Radiator Valves have numbers on the sides that correlate to the temperature in the room...not the temperature in the radiator. In this video explanation, I demonstrate this common misconception. Show this to any family member who keeps playing with the radiator valves. Properly explained!
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[@plumberparts]

Please consider subscribing - Uploading still today! *PLUMBERPARTS AMAZON TOOL SHOP* www.amazon.co.uk/shop/plumberparts *Please Follow my Vlog, TimesWithJames* kzbin.info

[@chililucas5483]

Fantastic video. Should be compulsory viewing for all UK Home owners.

[@benjamindagg1043]

I’ve always had a understanding how it works roughly but this really set it in stone and it’s great looking how it actually does it’s job for better understanding. Thank you James 🙂

[@yislam1]

That's great. Now do a tutorial on how the indicator lights on a car work and how to activate them. This will benefit many drivers.

[@loafersheffield]

Oi! You're not referring predominantly about women drivers are ya? You sexist, misogynistic, patriarchal oppressor! If you are, can I join your club. ;-) LOL! Even the most obstinate woman will still try and argue that you have got it all wrong. Even though you fitted the new boiler and removed the manipulative wheelhead valves for fitting trv's, they'll still ramp 'em up to max. Worse still, they will dial down the target temperature of the heating flow at the boiler, (on days when there's a 2 foot covering of snow outside) so that the heat exchanger gas modulates down or turns off entirely. The boiler will continue to cycle..on, off..on, off/ fire up-> modulate down-> go off-> fire up-> mod down- go off ad infinitum, which is not efficient at all. Then, with their next breath they'll boom, "turn that light off, we're not made of bloody money!" Like some modern day version of Air Raid Warden Hodges from Dad's Army, but with female logic, on speed and with pre-menstrual tension. Aaaargh! (Loafer)---------------------> pub!

[@ThePoushal]

As a BMW driver, I refuse to learn how indicator lights are. Tyvm.

[@GrahamTriggsUK]

Learning to use indicators will help *pedestrians* too. I am sick and tired of how many drivers only bother to use indicators when they see other cars on the road, when people crossing the road (and cyclists too) are looking not just for the presence of cars, but also looking at the indicators to know where they are going. Indicators aren't just there for other motor vehicles. *Always* use them.

[@andybryson5061]

At last, a thorough explanation of a TRV. Won't forget that now. Thanks.

[@Kasia_Ska]

Thank you James! Bathroom sales designer here and I feel called out (as the person who just can't get this knowledge into my head). The more I learn the more questions I ask. Thanks for explaining how it works! I often get customer who ask how the thermostat works and until now I could not answer any of them.

[@appletos]

1:40 in and the question has already been answered for me. In all my years I've never known how TRV's worked, Thanks!

[@hpevans03]

Great video James, your informal style makes learning fun and demystifies the world of plumbing. Yes please more videos on plumbing basics

[@plumberparts]

Will do guys!

[@RogerWakefield]

Another great video. I love the quality of your camera and what all you are doing!!!

[@plumberparts]

Thanks dude! It's good to see what you guys get up to in the states!

[@GrimCellar]

Just had new valves fitted so finding this video is quite pertinent. Probably like most people I didn't realise that is how they work, so thank you for the explanation. I will be trying my new valves out with all this in mind!

[@waldiludwikowski697]

Dude anothet great stuff. Thanks to your videos I moved radiator across the room, installed exposed shower and now understood why my rads are cold on 3 when the room temp is 23. Keep up like this. You are making life easier.

[@spks-nj7kl]

Good vid. My granddaughter's thermo valve is behind her bed. Now I know why the rad didn't work to good.

[@slatecat]

Great info, thanks for the full explanation I learned something here... Also its great to see Bradley Cooper taking time out from filming for this. :)

[@laughatfootball]

I always thought I was physically turning the TRV to open and close the pin in the rad. This morning I woke up and for some weird reason my brain told me that would just slow down the time it taken to fill with water. I had no idea there was a temp sensor and heat related switch in there! Brilliant video, mind blown.

[@Jabber-ig3iw]

Great explanation on how TRVs work, now all I need is TRVs on my radiators.

[@simonstrudwick5006]

Brilliant...the amount of times I have to explain to a customer how a trv works!!!

[@jamilmo2070]

Really Simple and concise way of explaining how TRV works. Well done

[@BinBombBush]

After having a new boiler and trv fitted I couldn't think why one of my radiators was off all the time (in the room where the gas fire is always on). Now I know, and I can manage it properly. Thanks 👍🏻

[@tonyhughes7792]

Very good demo for those that don`t have the foggiest of how TRV`s function.

[@plumberparts]

Cheers Tone!

[@tonyhughes7792]

You are welcome, keep up the great work.

[@johnmorris-qt3gz]

As a plumber I have had many a discussion on why two radiators in the same room both set the same but one stays hot longer than the other. My explanations range from the valve being in a restricted air space, behind curtains, furniture or other objects like coats hung on the end covering the valve. I also explain that a radiator on a outside wall or under a window may detect cooler air from outside than a radiator on an inside wall. draughts from windows, doors and vents add to this problem. The position and setting the valve can also be a factor, horizontal or vertical will give different readings which is made slightly worse if the valve is feeding the top of the radiator instead of the bottom. A top inlet vertical valve picks up the heat coming off the supply pipe where horizontal valve is not is not in the direct air flow. The last thing is certain valves come setup to be fitted as a horizontal valve and if fitted vertically they don't work properly. On some of these, on the valve body there is an adjuster with arrows showing the direction of flow. (Danfoss valves were the first I noticed set to be used horizontal) A couple of symptoms of this can be knocking and/or premature closing and late opening on temperature rise and fall. I would love to see you set up some experiments to show these effects.

[@lawrencejeyaraj8787]

Thank you very much for this lovely video and the demonstration. It was very helpful for me to understand TRV and how the valve work.

[@prasannaxd]

Very very knowledgeable and eye-opening video.

[@plumberparts]

Glad you think so!

[@Lord_Williams]

Thank you, very informative. Did not have a clue to use these valves in the past but now I do. Thank you so much.

[@georgelippitt7362]

Nice one mate the amount of times ive spoken to customer's about this my head could blow off with my own heat.

[@mybrokenharp]

Genuinely thought our new boiler was overworking and trying to kill us... Turns out my GF wouldn't stop playing around with the TRVs... so helpful thank you dude!

[@ThePhilandPam]

That’s really well explained and well presented, I think we’re all a little wiser, excellent 👍

[@plumberparts]

Thanks guys!

[@loafersheffield]

@ThePhilandPam.. You two keep popping up in various comments sections of other content creators to whom I subscribe. Just curious as to why? I've got an excuse.. I'm just trolling James. He doesn't dunk his bourbon cremes until ultimate crumble-point.

[@ThePhilandPam]

loafer sheffield Hi loafer I hadn’t really thought about it like that, I think we always pop up between projects when we can get a bit done on videos and can catch up with everyone we follow and everything that’s going on KZbin. We’re just waiting on this last project going through at the moment, it always feels like ages and we can’t move on anything new until it completes 😀👍

[@millomweb]

No it wasn't - he was forever fiddling with it - precisely opposite the point of the video !

[@SandeepSharma-iu1jb]

Thanks it was really helpful

[@allsearpw3829]

Hi , thanks for your explanation , just waiting for you to put a blow lamp on it , to warm it up . Your like a bottle off POP , CUSTOMERS kids must love it when you walk in . Until their parents get the bill . L O L . Keep going mate , the world needs plumbers like you .

[@skynetdrones432]

You're my number 1 go to guy for for all this plumbing shit. LOVE YOUR WORK

[@nonshatter7]

This is an excellent demo. I'll show this to my family if they ask.

[@inspire8963]

This is quite useful as 99 percent of people dont know about this and how to use a TRV valve.

[@litch1990]

Do these TRV's rely on your heating always being switched on? Please clear up any misconceptions I make but if your heating is switched off and the TRV detects the room is cold it will allow more water flow into the radiator, but won't that water be cold if your heating is not already switched on? Would it only benefit once the heating system was in use? I ask this because obviously not many households will have their heating on 24/7. Great video, really helpful

[@patriciakelly1550]

Brill explanation and demo of how these work Thanks

[@martinfine416]

Hey James. Thank you. I really appreciate this. Well done on a crystal clear explanation.

[@grahamdodd1377]

A great demo. Some of my rads get very hot on frost setting. I’m thinking the TRV is not working.

[@domr8100]

Shared this vid no end on fb. Very informative 👏

[@plumberparts]

Cheers!

[@domr8100]

I'm still resharing this on our energy support group on fb. It's helping people so thank you for the content

[@Graham94]

Messiah!! I've been trying to get the Mrs to understand how these work for 6 Months, never listens. You managed it in 5 minutes😂😭

[@danny20297]

Thanks for that,really well explained and great demo. So for most people set your TRV on 3 and leave it be.

[@hoomanhajiabadi3420]

Thanks, knowing this makes me relax 3:00 in the morning. I just sleep in a new house and having nightmare because of radiator acting weird. 👍

[@JustinGreenwoodDelgado]

Gald to know how they finally work wasn't sure if the numbers meant the water was that temp or what, keep them coming!

[@Proactivity]

Could do with a follow-up video on TRVs in conjunction with a room thermostat, best placement for a Nest, etc. For instance, my Nest is in my living room which has two big rads and warms up quickly, but my bedroom is usually too cold. When the heating's on, the temp goes up to the Nest setting and shuts off, but the bedroom hasn't warmed up yet, and the air brick cools it down too quickly. So, do I whack up the temperature on the Nest and tweak down the living room TRVs to give the bedrooms a chance? Do I move the Nest? If I put it in the bedroom, the motion sensor will think I'm out all day and put the heating on eco! Confused...

[@exwhyz33]

great video. you should have also shown how the plunger/pin on the valve works and that it can get stuck and how to free it up.

[@jordanames3705]

Hi James. Loving both your channels! Could you do a video on the perks of being a self-employed plumber rather than working for someone else? I am thinking of taking the step myself but would like to know more of the up and down sides. Cheers!

[@richardowen2159]

Did you take the jump?

[@richardc316]

I've leant a lot from this. I'm still a bit unsure about how these TRV's work alongside the main thermostat control. I always keep my thermostat as low as possible to try and save money, and when it reaches the temp the whole system goes off. So, why do you need TRV's? unless you want different temperatures in different rooms. Why does it matter if all TVR's are set to 5, if they'll all switch off when the main thermostat reaches the set temp?

[@andygrichting]

that's amazing, haha, how simple yet smart these things are... and I was about to get a "Smart" TRV, now that I know, I simply need to set it correct, problem solved of having too warm in my room.

[@sjs202able]

But if you have your heating set to manual, and have set your favourite temperature on your zone controllers, the TRVs should all be left fully open, right?

[@millomweb]

No. TRVs should be either set to max preferred temp or preferred temp. That way you control the room temperature with the TRV as this will control individual rads. If you have single rad zone and electric thermostat, don't fit TRVs.

[@nicnak4475]

Excellent explanation James , George is a star ! :o)

[@mervvnparker873]

Good to hear from you again and thanks

[@A14b19]

God the amount of time i have tried to explain this to my aunties and I thought I was alone thank youuuuuu.

[@millomweb]

Have you considered setting the limits so they can't fiddle with them to extremes ?

[@Ali.McL9]

Great video mate! Spot on with informing family 😤😂

[@Danny-jv7lg]

Good video, funny too mate. I cant believe I never knew how a TRV worked properly

[@rebusak47]

Thank you, you have saved me having to call a plumber, now I know.

[@jay9986]

Love it , l am a lady & now understand thankyou 😁

[@andybailey3888]

Very informative, thank you 👍

[@petersplumbing29]

😂😂 nice one. No matter how many times I explain this to customers I know when I leave they turn them all back up to 5!

[@alandavies4577]

Great video James.

[@Brown969]

Yes! Finally a video that explains what I've been trying to say! Thank you

[@elgar44]

Thanks very much that was Exceptionally well done.Well thought out and well presented.

[@markjones5485]

That was excellent. Just one question our main thermostat is in the hall? What temperature should it be set at to ensure all rooms are controlled properly by the TRVs?

[@ibrarkhan3972]

Between 18 and 21 which u find comfortable

[@anoopkarir9988]

Top video mate. How can we work work out how open the Lockshield should be in conjunction with the TRV? Feel like I'm always having to p1ss about with them both.

[@SharmaYelverton]

This is revolutionary. I didn't even know those things were thermostats. I assumed they were just graduated taps.

[@Vyker]

my family wouldnt make it 12mins to get the info, the brilliant info. We need a family friendly version that's only 3-4mins long..

[@TrackItYT]

James, I'm DIY for plumbing but give it all a go. Would love to see a video on planning a central heating install. We have a lovely old Thorn floor standing boiler with a single pipe CH system and need to start from scratch. There is zero good content on this anywhere....I had to try a book...shudder! Anything would be better than what's out there. Even if it was simple such as sizing rads for strange places like stairwells, things to consider when moving a boiler, how to plan for future extensions, hiding pipe work etc. Cheers G

[@plumberparts]

MATE...I'm adding this to the list!

[@andyhunt457]

I was told by a very experienced plumber to put the trv on horizontal so it doesnt get radient heat from rad and minimal from the supply pipe to the rad as it is no longer below it.

[@reaper060670]

Brilliant video mate. Ur videos are always very well thought out.. I'm constantly learning lots of new information from ur channel.. I have a question for u though my friend. What if u don't have these Valves on every radiator?? Are they easy to apply? What I mean is could I do it myself and if so do u have a video to show me how to carry out the job myself? Thanks pal.

[@margaretbowker3468]

Yep, you should be on cbbc! Really clear information. Thanks

[@petecroxford3277]

🇬🇧🇬🇧 Well done buddy I’m going to show my wife this video hope she understands now how they work we can only hope cheers mate🌟🌟✨✨🍻🍻👍👍👍

[@johnmillis]

How did it go showing your wife? I am currently in the TRV battle with my wife trying to explain that setting them all to 5 ain't gonna achieve much or what she thinks, but I think showing her useful information like this is like lighting the blue touch paper! I will need to run fast!

[@dieselbushcraft1299]

This is a pet hate of mine, well explained I might just share this with people that I know

[@plumberparts]

Please do mate!

[@millomweb]

In spring, what month/date do you turn your central heating off - and in the autumn, on again ?

[@MrMagsimus]

Thank you pal that’s a fantastic video really well explained , thanks for taking the time 👍👌

[@brntuk]

Brilliant video! Just one question. If you have lots of radiators, (in different rooms,) at different pressures how does that affect the general pressure on the feed pipes from the first radiator to the last?

[@hvacdesignsolutions]

If all your rads have TRVs, you should install an auto bypass valve at the boiler.

[@Steve-st5ji]

Absolutely brilliant!

[@tomfoxtrot9609]

Great video mate! Would welcome more of these.

[@davidmachin1710]

Excellent video Sir...Now we understand.

[@shootingzen28fav]

Hello mate! Nice one, going to sit my family down to watch this video because they're always fiddling with TRV's. Just one thing, does it matter which side of the radiator the TRV's are fitted? Got one rad that doesn't have one. Nightmare was the best btw, cheers! 😉

[@grahammawdsley4864]

Amazing. What temperature should I set my thermostat to on the boiler? If I have different temperatures in different rooms Love the video very helpful 👍

[@richardpike9881]

Do TRV’s expire/become less effective with age? Just thinking the ones I have are about 20 years old. Are they also interchangeable or do you have to change the valve body as well as the head?

[@kurtjakes]

Change both. They do wear out in the end they just won't turn off. Do try and make sure the trv head is fully screwed down though as that can cause it. Turn it to its highest setting and tighten it down.

[@nineteen-sixty-nine9373]

The reason they expire is the pin inside that pushs down and closes the valve sticks and stays pushed in as they get old,Best to change the whole thing (Complete valve top & bottom)

[@madgebishop5409]

@@nineteen-sixty-nine9373 if the pin is stuck just get some pliers and move it up and down till it works itself free

[@millomweb]

They usually creep warmer over the years but most can be internally adjusted to compensate. Stuck valves can be another problem - tends to happen where one has been screwed shut for a long time. Better to turn a rad off for unused rooms at the other end valve. If you're lucky, stuck valves can be freed without removal.

[@annieb105]

Sometimes my friend, one needs to explain it to the husband! BTW thanks for the informative info.

[@1over137]

My last place had TRVs. Set them to 3. The radiator got hot, the valve got hot, the radiator shut off... the room was freezing. Lovely and warm beside the radiator, freezing in the rest of the room. 20 minutes later it turned the radiator back on again for 5 minutes and shut it off again. Took hours to heat the room. So I set it to 5. I don't care how many times people try to sell me these things as "room thermostats", they are not, they do not do that, they regulate the temperature *beside the radiator*. I don't care what temperature it is beside the radiator, I care what temperature it is on the sofa and the TRV will not know that. So in my new house I am fitting thermo-electric valves and I will control them with a room thermostat so if the room is below set-point temp the radiator will be on, regardless of how hot it is beside the damn thing. /rant.

[@1over137]

Excuse me while I add a little. I'm not contradicting the video. I think he is trying to show that turning up the valve does not turn up the radiator. I get that. What I am less convinced about is how isolated they are from the 60*C radiator right beside it. Everyone has stood beside a radiator on a cold day to get warm, but when you walk away from them you feel much cooler. The TRV is right beside the radiator so it will shut off long before the room gets to the target temperature. Left long enough the radiator will oscillate on and off and eventually the room will get somewhere close to the target temp, but it will take a LONG time. This is absolutely fine if you are the type of person who just runs the heating constantly while home. However if you shut it off while out at work on a winter day the TRV will be resisting your attempts to warm the house back up by shutting the valve off when the radiator gets hot and it will take longer as a result. The same applies to electronic valves. If you disagree with me, do an experiment in your own home. Note the temperature near the radiator and the temperature in the middle of the room. When the radiator is on there will be a 5-10*C differential depending on how cold the room is. So setting your valve for 25*C near the radiator will result in 20*C in the room, but a lot of valve oscillation before it gets there.

[@lovingitlots]

Loved showing my wife this, despite her saying "yes i know" during it 😆

[@Gemma19501]

That's a brilliant explanation thanks

[@lewbur7926]

Nice video. I’ve not really understood TRVs until now. Could you explain why a radiator makes a tinkling and a whistling noise? These go away when I fiddle with the valves. The rads are bled correctly too. I currently live in a fridge because I can’t stand the noise!

[@AbyssAsics]

Great video - thanks. But I wonder if I have thermostat and open valve for like set 3-4 what would have a priority and how ? Thanks again

[@dongune5074]

thanks for the knowledge.

[@stormytempest3907]

Good video, very well explained.

[@donnasfix-it3861]

Gorgeous. Thank you!

[@BurnzyRaps]

This helped me to understand a lot more thanks bro!

[@johnstewart1011]

really good video, thank you BUT in the interest of fairness can you do a follow up video in your cold area but this time with boiling water running through the pipe/ TRV fully open with the heat rom the hot water in the TRV rising to demonstrate /prove the heat from the hot water doesn't cause the wax to expand and close the valve. thanks john. ALSO please comment on; recently in the news there have been an increasing number of occasions where a PEN electrical supply cable has failed, removing the suppliers Neutral conductor so the incoming live connects to the earth to find a return path so everything continues working BUT any metal work now becomes live, in one case a substantial amount of current trying to get to earth, went through the gas meter, the heat caused the gas to ignite and blew up the house. so as well as connecting main bonding to the customers side of the meter we should probably also extend it to the incoming side of the gas meter if the gas supply pipe is not yellow poly

[@abyshepherd6944]

Absolutely brilliant. Many thanks. 👏

[@williammitchell6210]

Great Video. Ovens are the same. People turn the thermostat up thinking it will heat up quicker. It does my nut in!

[@ESBNN]

Thanks a lot Regarding manual radiator valves, does it make difference turning each one of them in different number of turns? ie, do inlet and outlet have to be evenly opened or it doesn’t matter?

[@PinkSilver]

This is great thank you so much but does that mean all rooms separately because got the thermostat on 20 & all radiators on 3 & the thermometer says living room temperature is 17 degrees the living room rad is red hot & the 1 in the front bedroom & the front hall is slightly cooler but all the rest are cold also cant change the living room one at all as no trv so why are all the other rads cold also those rooms are colder & living room is quite a bit too warm was hoping to leave on low all day so house doesn't get cold at all also by tweaking up a notch do you mean from like 3-4 or just up like 3.1 thanks in advance

[@waddac2]

My radiators seem to click and make noises when heating is turned on. What could be the issue?

[@warwickbowen2755]

Thanks, great video as ever. One radiator is either on (max) or off, can this be rectified or do we need a new TRV?

[@evieemaya88]

Absolute great video made the Mrs watch too lol. I have a question like most I had radiator s in bedrooms under a window (new build house). Should I have my curtains closed behind the rad or closed in front of the rad at night for most heat circulation?

[@mattbarr510]

Good vid, told me something I didn't know. I'm in a new build and one of my rads hasn't got a TRV on it, whys that? is that wot I believe to be a thermostat radiator?? Or that's wot I've been told. Thanks matt

[@Dean.44]

Very good video 😊

[@lawaladekunleolusegun8409]

Thanks a bunch. Was really helpful. You're cat really looks cute. :)

[@johnconeyworth5786]

Great video if only i could find the TRV's anywhere, I have looked on your Amazon site also but cannot find the DanFoss RAS B2 anywhere for sale

[@sorencoppard6386]

My ex used to regularly wind the room stat up to it's highest setting. Once, I was about to tell her it was fairly pointless, as with the exception of the hall (where the room stat was) the TRVs, which she left set about 3, would cut the radiators off. Thankfully, I thought to shut my mouth in time!

[@plumberparts]

Haha! Saved you there mate!

[@loafersheffield]

@River Wensun There's a name for people like you. Misogynistic, patriarchal, oppressive "mansplainers" All men must bow in fear at the feet of She, who must be obeyed! Mansplaining. Just in case you're not familiar with that word, this should explain it all. Very funny but wiv roooood words. Y'av been warned! kzbin.info/www/bejne/q2rTdoagqdxpfaM

[@petermartinaitis8166]

What happensif the house stat is set at 22 and all the trvs set at 20 won't the bolier stay constantly on as the room temps never reach 22 ?

[@TheMrsmartiekid]

So what does the other valve do? its either really loose but can be tightened on my radiator? My radiators take up to an hour to warm up and even with 4 turned off the £ per hour seems to stay the same in my flat

[@michaelsimmons8791]

Thanks, really sensible and perfectly explained….