Thermostats on radiators

Where can you buy them, how easy are they to install, do I need a special gas company person to put them on for me?

Nothing to do with gas- but you will need a plumber or other competent persons to replace them. "Drayton" do an excellent valve which is good value for money; the valves are available from hardware stores and plumbers' merchants- avoid the DIY warehouses as they are likely to cost much more. Installation is not difficult but it's not really a DIY job unless you have the confidence to do it.

Hi Maura, what you're looking for are bi-directional Thermostatic Radiator Valves, commonly called 2 way TRVs, and they should set you back no more than €20 a pair (i.e. per rad).

Thanks ohpinchy and carpenter for your helpful advice, much appreciated.

OhPinchy said:

Hi Maura, what you're looking for are bi-directional Thermostatic Radiator Valves, commonly called 2 way TRVs, and they should set you back no more than €20 a pair (i.e. per rad).

Click to expand...

I bought Drayton 2 way TRVs from a plumbers' merchant for less than €13 a set (ie TRV and matching plain lockshield valve). Some other brands include one half of the valve set only and cost more. My hardware supplier wanted €16 for the same valve so price around. The Drayton valve are smaller and neater than the Myson equivalent and cost less.

When you buy radiator thermostats for the entire house then check also heatmerchants and the other plumbing supliers. Most thermostat manufacturers offer "family packs" , half a dozen or more in a pack. That might enable you to buy a good quality for the price of a no-name manufacturer.

Thanks heinbload and carpenter, will check out Chadwicks ( only plumbers merchants i know) and heatmerchants. I like when I don't appear thick buying these types of things.

I had a visit from a plumber last week (3 rads not working) -was told I need three new sets of valves for these, which he said he will come back with, and he will have to drain the whole system to put them onto the rads-meantime the heat is on all the time in these rads. He charged me E95 for coming and looking and removing the valves. He said it could be E500 to do the whole job when he returns in 2 weeks (too busy to do it sooner). Am I being a complete idiot? is this a rip-off?

This does sound expensive- replace 3 pairs of rad valves only? I would have figured about €275, including materials and bleeding system on completion. At the top end €350 would be ok. A job like this shouldn't take longer than 3 hours or so.

About 2 years ago I had a plumber:

1) drain system,
2) switch original TRVs on all bare 1 rad as they were not bi-directional and original plumber was a cowboy!!
3) Install 2 motorised values for the CH and hot water supply
4) Make the system a closed//presurrised system
5) Add fluid to system to prevent corrison

If I recall correctly it was €500. You should try and also get step 5 done, it shouldnt add no more than €20

Excuse my ignorance but how do thermostats work on radiators. My radiators are always very hot and I am not sure how to turn them down. I think there should be a thermostat on the oil burner (its a relatively new Firebird) but I cant see it. Its encased by sheet-metal too cos its outside. Can I just get thermostats for the radiators so ? How will these thermostats "communicate" to the oil burner to burn less ??

here is a simplified explanation. The boiler is set at say 70%c. When the water in the boiler reaches that temp it switches off. the stats on the radiator can be set to close at a cetain teamperature so water will not enter and will get back to boiler quicker and hotter as it has not lost heat on way round. Boiler switches off.

However you should have a thermostat in the house as otherwise the boiler will keep on cycling ie re-heating the water.

noah

To cibby : Yes, it's a rip-off. Contrary to carpenters opinion I would reduce the alloweable working time to replace three termostats to 1-1.5 hours, draining , replacement of corrosion inhabitator and refilling included. Unless the water has to be brought in by the bucket due to lack of mains pressure. But consider also the time for the cost estimation . Consider that this plumber is incompetent - one does not have to take the valves off to find out they are not working , you should not have been charged for that either .... Since the heat is back : why do you need him anymore ? For about €25 for a DIY booklet and a set of cheap spanners ( the large ones from size 16 - 28,or a flexible plumbers plier ) you gain more capabililty within 3 hours than your plumber ever had. I hope you still have the thermostats, these can/should be be set individually to make them work to demand, the DIY booklet will tell you about. Usually the people who install these thermostats are not able to set them.

On this subject,

Just found out my motorised value is leaking and the body needs replacing. Is it necessary to drain the system to replace the value? I might be dreaming here, but is there a compound product that can be applied to pipwork so that at that cross section the water freezes, thus allowing pipework to be repaired without drainage?

Thanks

Mike

Nitrogen spray might be the stuff you're looking for, but let the heating system cool down and switch off the pump. And you better look for more competent advice then mine, I haven't used it myself and it could burst your water filled pipe when over used.