A very important part of a radiator is the thermostatic valve. On the valve, you will find 5 settings that are achievable by twisting the valve. Depending on the situation, you should choose the setting you are happy with and the higher the number, the hotter the room.

Your valve & room temperature

When the room temperature has gone below your setting on the valve, the valve will open, allowing warm water to flow into the radiator, thus heating the radiator and the room. Once the room has reached the desired temperature, the valve will shut and stop water from going into the radiator.

You may get a situation where you walk past a radiator and find that it is cold. That is normal and shows the valve is doing it’s job. There is no need to change the setting on your valve. Leave it as it is and you should be fine.It is also important to note that the valve gauges the temperature by the testing the air immediately around it, so please do not cover the valve with a curtain or place furniture too close to it. A passage of air must be available around the valve for it to function correctly.

Install your thermostatic valve

Now that you understand how a thermostatic valve operates, you may wish to install some on your existing radiators. In order to facilitate this, you will need a radiator bleed key, an adjustable spanner, a pair of grips and possibly an allen key to change the radiator tails.

Firstly, you will need to completely drain the system of all the water, then remove the caps to give yourself more room and then supporting the valve with a pair of grips to avoid damaging the pipework. Next, loosen both nuts with a suitable spanner. Make sure you use a cloth or towel underneath the radiator as although you have drained the radiator, there will be some drips that will run out.

Changing the radiator tails

Sometimes you need to change the radiator tails to match the new valves and you will probably need to use an allen key to unscrew them. When fitting the new tails, be sure to wrap the threads with PTFE tape as this will stop any leaks. Refit the new tails by hand first and then and ideally finish off with a suitable ring spanner as the corners are easily rounded if you are not careful.

Before fitting the new valve, make sure you put some mortar jointing compound onto the old and new joints. It may be necessary to lift the radiator slightly on it’s brackets to get the new valve in.

Screw the nuts on by hand first and when finally finishing off with the spanner, support the valve again with the grips to avoid damage to the pipework. With the new valve fitted, the system needs to be refilled and also bled.

One radiator should not have a thermostatic valve fitted

Please note that 1 radiator in your house should not have a thermostatic valve fitted to it. The most common place to have a radiator with a non-thermostatic valve is in the bathroom (or the room where the thermostat is fitted). If all the other radiators are turned off then having at least 1 open allows water to flow through. This can potentially stop any damage from occurring to your boiler or pump.

Energy regulations & notification requirements

As a commitment to energy efficiency, the government introduced a series of new building regulations in 2006 and these are worth bearing in mind when you think about installing thermostatic radiator valves.

The contractor you get in to do the work must have a qualification in energy efficiency and upon completion of the work, they must fill out the correct notification forms to ensure they are in compliance with the building regulations. For more information on this issue, please check with your contractor.

You can view our range of Thermostatic Radiator Valves here…>>

Giving an old radiator a fresh coat of paint can often give what was once an eyesore, a whole new lease of life. If you are going to paint an old radiator, then you will need suitable solvent-based radiator paint, a chunky paint brush and a dust sheet to avoid getting paint on your carpet or flooring. If your radiator has been painted before, then you may need to use some sand paper to give it a rub-down first to get rid of any lumps and bumps from the previous layer of paint..

Make sure your radiator is cold

Before you start, make sure your radiator is turned off and completely cold and if necessary, sand it down. If the radiator has never been treated previously then you can move on to giving it a clean. You can use a cloth with some hot water and optional mild detergent to clean the radiator to ensure it is free from grease, dirt and dust and any other loose materials. Then spread your dust sheet underneath the radiator to protect the floor from any paint splatters.

Use radiator paint & take your time

The paint you use should be suitable for metal and preferably heat-resistant as standard gloss or emulsion will simply peel after the first couple of uses of your radiator. Mix your paint according to the manufacturers instructions and please give the tin a good shake to make sure that the paint is fully mixed. To get the best results when you apply the paint, use a good quality paintbrush (it’s worth paying a little extra) and apply the paint vertically in the direction of the grooves. It is best to paint in sections (for example, 3 grooves at a time) and slowly moving across the radiator, slightly overlapping until you reach the end.

Use an angled radiator paint brush if necessary

When dipping your brush into the paint, don’t be tempted to overload the brush, as you will want to avoid unsightly drips and runs from forming on the radiator. Once you have painted all the central grooves, go back over the very top and very bottom of the radiator and ensure you paint any other visible surfaces. It is possible to buy special radiator brushes that have a long handle and angled bristles. These are very handy for painting any hard-to-reach areas.

Decide if your radiator needs a second coat

When you have finished painting your radiator, leave the paint to dry in accordance with the instructions on the tin. Err on the side of caution and go with the more conservative estimates. Once dry, take a look at the quality of the finish and apply a second coat in exactly the same way, if necessary. If you are happy with the coat, then double-check the paint is dry before turning the radiator back on. The first couple of times you have your central heating on after painting your radiator, you may experience a fairly strong paint smell. However this is usually to be expected and will not last long.

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