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

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We're an agency and this is such a helpful video to share with our tenants, (especially those in house shares). Keep the basic knowledge videos coming please!

I was today years old when I figured out how my thermostat (TRV) worked. Thanks for the great explanation!

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.

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.

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 🙂

Your Videos have been invaluable, and gave me the confidence to do some necessary housekeeping on my system. I have found a few tricks, that if you think are sensible to make videos on, would be appreciated: Tip/Vid 1: To find the last RAD, (Which you will drain from), open all Lock Sheer valves and TRV's fully, including downstairs, heat the system up for a 1 hour or so, and the last Rad should be cold. I found this out btw after I had done my work, but doing it before will help I think. I labeled it "Last Rad". Tip/Vid 2: When replacing a 3 port valve, always set the old valve you are replacing to "M" this will make sure you take the top water from the cylinder out of the system when you drain. Use some LS-X silicone around the original olive when replacing, I left it 12 hours to cure , so wrap up warm! and so far...after refilling (touch wood) no leaks. Tip/Vid 3: After you have refilled the system, and you have bleed from downstairs to up, worth advising if you are cleansing the system first before inhibiting, is to close the last RAD valve before refilling contrary to your advice , then follow the bleed process.... that way you don't loose the cleaner. It meant more bleeding, but I'm confident it's in the system for a few weeks before I do the whole process again to then add inhibitor. Lastly add to that, keep the ball cock open in the header tank, as if that drops significantly whilst your bleeding air, you will suck more air in, I heard it filling all the time, but was paranoid about the level going too low. Anyway thanks again for your vids.... they are amazing and will subscribe...I'm no plumber!! but there is NO WAY I would of done this task with out your great vids !!!..

I've just moved from a freezing cold flat to a house that actually stays warm and was wondering why the radiators weren't heating up clearly the rooms are warm enough and don't need to be on. This is explained perfectly now I understand completely

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

even knowing how the valve works it's still awesome to see the valve work in action, watching the flow of water slow down till it stops as you are heating it up is very cool. love your videos, as i have just finished learning beside a plumber and now on my way to work solo, your videos are very useful.

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

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.

Absolutely brilliant, mate! A video like this should be a link to on the front page of the manual for every bloody central heating system in the world.

Brilliant demo James, and close to my heart. So many switch between 5 when they are cold and back to 0 when they get too hot! This should be part of the National Curriculum!

I've been a fan of your videos for a few years now, always entertaining, informative and educational. Then in this one, out of nowhere you mention Knightmare, my favourite tv show ever from my childhood? Well you sir have just ascended to another level of awesomeness!

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!

Thank you so much for this. The numpty who fitted my radiators told me the numbers just effected the flow in to the radiator. I've set them all to 3 and will tweak it when it gets cold tonight.

This fella is bang on, explains things so easily, which I've just shown a Tennant an she understood straight away

I have said it before, and I will say it again, THIS GENTLEMAN IS BRILLIANT ! He has a great personality and surely there could be room for a television slot for him featuring practical plumbing for dopes like me ! Thanks again for a great informative video. 😁👍

Hi James - Just wanted to say a huge thank you for all the plumbing videos. We've had a bit of an autumnus horribilis this year with plumbing problems, and the fact that I am now sitting in a warm house with hot, balanced, airlock-free, inhibitor-filled radiators (and correctly set TRVs!) is largely down to you. Good job... Thanks.