Radiator Valve Upgrade in Esher
A homeowner in Esher had old wheelhead radiator valves throughout their property — none of the radiators had thermostatic controls, meaning every room heated to the same temperatur...
Response time
Booked in 1 week
Time on site
1 day
Cost range
£420
Warranty
12 months
The Problem
A homeowner in Esher had old wheelhead radiator valves throughout their property — none of the radiators had thermostatic controls, meaning every room heated to the same temperature regardless of need. The homeowner wanted TRVs (thermostatic radiator valves) fitted to improve comfort and save energy.
The property had 8 radiators, all with old wheelhead valves and lockshield valves. The system was approximately 20 years old with 10mm microbore pipework.
The Diagnosis
We assessed all 8 radiators and confirmed they all had standard wheelhead valves that could be replaced with TRVs. The pipework was 10mm microbore with standard compression connections. One radiator in the bathroom already had a TRV that was functioning.
We recommended fitting TRVs to 7 radiators and leaving the radiator in the room with the main thermostat without a TRV — this ensures the system always has a heat circuit open and prevents the boiler short-cycling. We specified bi-directional TRVs that work regardless of flow direction.
The Repair
We drained the heating system, removed the old wheelhead valves from 7 radiators, and fitted new bi-directional TRVs with matching lockshield valves at each position. All connections were made with new olives and PTFE tape.
The system was refilled with a corrosion inhibitor, bled at all radiators, and balanced by adjusting the lockshield valves to achieve an 11°C temperature drop across each radiator. Each TRV was set to the homeowner's preferred temperature for each room.
Drained system and removed 7 old wheelhead valves
Fitted bi-directional TRVs and lockshield valves
Refilled with inhibitor, bled and balanced system
Outcome & Advice to the Homeowner
All 7 radiators now had thermostatic controls, allowing each room to be heated to its own preferred temperature. The homeowner could turn down bedrooms and unused rooms while keeping living areas warm, saving energy and improving comfort. The system was balanced for even heat distribution.
We recommended setting TRVs to level 3 (approximately 20°C) as a starting point and adjusting from there, and advised keeping the TRV in the room with the main wall thermostat fully open at all times.
Job Summary
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