The house of a friend is fully centrally heated but none of the
radiators are fitted with thermostatic control valves. The system was
fitted about 15 years ago, possibly longer.

The house has three bedrooms and a bathroom upstairs and the
downstairs comprises a hallway, large lounge, dining room and kitchen.
All spaces are fitted with radiators including the hallway. The
system is controlled by a simple thermostat in the lounge. Hot water
is by an indirect cylinder.

I was thinking the most appropriate plan is to install TRVs to all the
radiators except those in the lounge, where the thermostat is sited,
and to change the thermostat to a programmable type.

I will appreciate guidance whether this plan is sensible or whether
all radiators should be fitted with TRVs.

On Sun, 22 Jan 2006 11:03:09 +0000 (UTC), Edward W. Thompson
wrote:

The house of a friend is fully centrally heated but none of the
radiators are fitted with thermostatic control valves. The system was
fitted about 15 years ago, possibly longer.

The house has three bedrooms and a bathroom upstairs and the
downstairs comprises a hallway, large lounge, dining room and kitchen.
All spaces are fitted with radiators including the hallway. The
system is controlled by a simple thermostat in the lounge. Hot water
is by an indirect cylinder.

I was thinking the most appropriate plan is to install TRVs to all the
radiators except those in the lounge, where the thermostat is sited,
and to change the thermostat to a programmable type.

I will appreciate guidance whether this plan is sensible or whether
all radiators should be fitted with TRVs.


Completely reasonable. You don't want a TRV in the space where the
thermostat is sited.


--

..andy

On Sun, 22 Jan 2006 11:03:09 +0000 (UTC), Edward W. Thompson
wrote:

|The house of a friend is fully centrally heated but none of the
|radiators are fitted with thermostatic control valves. The system was
|fitted about 15 years ago, possibly longer.

Look at the feeder fittings on the radiators. Old ones are sort of semi
hemispherical. New ones are an imitation 15mm pipe. If old, you may
have to remove the radiator to get the fitting out and replace it with a
new one.

|The house has three bedrooms and a bathroom upstairs and the
|downstairs comprises a hallway, large lounge, dining room and kitchen.
|All spaces are fitted with radiators including the hallway. The
|system is controlled by a simple thermostat in the lounge. Hot water
|is by an indirect cylinder.
|
|I was thinking the most appropriate plan is to install TRVs to all the
|radiators except those in the lounge, where the thermostat is sited,
|and to change the thermostat to a programmable type.

Some would argue that the best place for the thermostat and non TRVd valve
is in the hall, and some not.

|I will appreciate guidance whether this plan is sensible or whether
|all radiators should be fitted with TRVs.
--
Dave Fawthrop dave hyphenologist co uk
17,000 free e-books at Project Gutenberg! http://www.gutenberg.net
For Yorkshire Dialect go to www.hyphenologist.co.uk/songs/

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Edward W. Thompson wrote:

The house of a friend is fully centrally heated but none of the
radiators are fitted with thermostatic control valves. The system was
fitted about 15 years ago, possibly longer.

The house has three bedrooms and a bathroom upstairs and the
downstairs comprises a hallway, large lounge, dining room and kitchen.
All spaces are fitted with radiators including the hallway. The
system is controlled by a simple thermostat in the lounge. Hot water
is by an indirect cylinder.

I was thinking the most appropriate plan is to install TRVs to all the
radiators except those in the lounge, where the thermostat is sited,
and to change the thermostat to a programmable type.

I will appreciate guidance whether this plan is sensible or whether
all radiators should be fitted with TRVs.

You don't say whether the system is fully pumped, or whether it is gravity
hot water and pumped central heating. If gravity, you should either convert
it to fully pumped or - at least - fit a zone valve and tank stat in the HW
circuit in order to provide independent control of HW and CH as well as
providing a boiler interlock. [Come back if this needs more explanation].

Fitting TRVs to all but one radiator is entirely reasonable. The rad nearest
the room stat should have two lockshield valves (and no TRV) so that it
can't be turned off without using tools.

Assuming it's a vented system, you *could* have a problem with pumping over
when most of the TRVs are closed, depending on how the fill and vent pipes
are connected. If this *is* a problem, it will need to be addressed. You
could also consider swapping the pump for one with automatically variable
output - such as a Grundfos Alpha - which will reduce the noise when most of
the TRVs are closed.
--
Cheers,
Set Square
______
Please reply to newsgroup. Reply address is invalid.

On Sun, 22 Jan 2006 12:24:04 +0000, Dave Fawthrop
wrote:

On Sun, 22 Jan 2006 11:03:09 +0000 (UTC), Edward W. Thompson
wrote:

|The house of a friend is fully centrally heated but none of the
|radiators are fitted with thermostatic control valves. The system was
|fitted about 15 years ago, possibly longer.

Look at the feeder fittings on the radiators. Old ones are sort of semi
hemispherical. New ones are an imitation 15mm pipe. If old, you may
have to remove the radiator to get the fitting out and replace it with a
new one.

FWIW, I found them surprisingly easy to remove with the appropriate
tool.

|The house has three bedrooms and a bathroom upstairs and the
|downstairs comprises a hallway, large lounge, dining room and kitchen.
|All spaces are fitted with radiators including the hallway. The
|system is controlled by a simple thermostat in the lounge. Hot water
|is by an indirect cylinder.
|
|I was thinking the most appropriate plan is to install TRVs to all the
|radiators except those in the lounge, where the thermostat is sited,
|and to change the thermostat to a programmable type.

Some would argue that the best place for the thermostat and non TRVd valve
is in the hall, and some not.

The best place for the non TRV radiator is the room with the room
stat. Ideally this would also be the hall.

sponix