All radiators that are installed in central heating system, whether of a domestic or commercial type, they will nearly always be fitted with two types of control valve. The first, is one that is fitted to open and close down the amount of water which is allowed to flow through the radiator. The second has a different function. This valve is called the lock-shield valve. This valve is always covered by a white plastic dome shaped cover or cap to tell everyone that it should not be adjusted until certain circumstances happen. Charlton Plumbers can fit radiator valves. The TRV:This valve manually opens and closes as mentioned earlier manually or is thermostatically controlled by the water temperature, this is the TRV or (thermostatic radiator valve).Note: The original professional who installed the system usually chose one or the other valve.The current building regulations now state that TRV’s must be fitted. A manual valve is only now fitted to a radiator in a room in which a thermostat is fitted. The TRV shuts off the water flow to the radiator as the desired temperature in the room is achieved, and is good for less fuel and heat waste.Lock-shield valves:This valve is fitted directly opposite the TRV and has its own specific job which is to control the volume of water flowing through the radiator. It is the same as the manual valve, however it has been pre-adjusted to a setting using a spanner at the time of installation and used during system balancing. A Charlton Plumber can balance a heating system.Balancing:To make sure that the first radiator in a heating system does not take all the hot water flow from the boiler, because it is the closest, this lock-shield valve will be partly closed. When this valve is open only half a turn, the water has to carry on along the heating circuit to the next radiator. Therefore every radiators lock-shield valve is also adjusted in the same manner to guarantee a balanced water flow to and heat from all the radiators.
Valves on Radiators