What a thermostatic valve does
A thermostatic radiator valve, usually called a TRV, senses the temperature of the room and adjusts the flow of hot water into the radiator to match. Set it to a comfortable level and the radiator eases off once the room is warm, rather than running at full blast until someone turns it down by hand.
Fitting TRVs room by room gives you proper control over which parts of the house are heated and when, which is kinder to your heating bills than a single thermostat in the hallway trying to guess for the whole house.
Signs a valve needs replacing
Valves wear out in a few familiar ways. A TRV head that no longer responds, a valve stuck open or shut however you turn it, or a radiator that stays cold even when the rest of the system is hot often points to a failed valve. Our guide to a radiator not heating up helps you tell a valve problem apart from air or sludge in the system.
A valve that weeps water around the spindle or the unions is a different matter and should be dealt with promptly, which our leaking radiator repair page covers.
Replacing a radiator valve
Replacing a valve means draining down the relevant part of the system, removing the old valve and fitting the new one with sound joints, then refilling and checking for leaks. The system is bled afterwards so the radiator heats evenly from top to bottom.
Where the radiator itself is old or the pipework needs adjusting, that can be done in the same visit. Any gas work on the system is carried out by Gas Safe registered engineers.
- New thermostatic radiator valves fitted
- Stuck or failed valves replaced
- Lockshield valves replaced and balanced
- System refilled and bled afterwards
What affects radiator valve cost
The cost of replacing a radiator valve depends on how many valves are being changed, the type of valve chosen, how accessible the pipework is and whether the system needs a full or partial drain down. Swapping several valves in one visit is more economical than one at a time, and a home visit gives you a firm quote.
It is worth thinking about the whole house at once. If one valve has failed through age, its neighbours are often the same age, and having the system drained once for several replacements saves paying for the same preparation again and again.
Booking a valve replacement
If a radiator is misbehaving or you want TRVs fitted across the house, request a free quote or call 07735 852901 and we can talk through what your system needs. Visits are booked Monday to Friday, and most valve replacements are finished within the one visit, including refilling and bleeding the system so you are not left with a cold house overnight.