Is it okay to shut of rad?

[veedee]

The first radiator in my central heating system is a towel radiator in my bathroom.

It gets very hot and because nobody is in the bathroom long, I would like to shut it off or at least lower the heat output.

Is it okay to completely shut off the towel radiator at the valves but keep the central heating running in the other rooms?

I was told that you should not completely shut off a radiator when the central heating is running as it over works the boiler?

Is there any truth to this?

Would almost shutting off the valve, lower the heat output?

The towel radiator does not have a TRV.. all of the other rads on my central heating system (3 more) all have TRV's

 

[CBW]

Here’s a solution that may work, but ultimately could disrupt the balance of the system, Close the valves off completely then re-open just a fraction until the heat comes through. You can turn if off altogether, but depends if they’ve used the rad as a bypass.

 

[veedee]

Here’s a solution that may work, but ultimately could disrupt the balance of the system, Close the valves off completely then re-open just a fraction until the heat comes through. You can turn if off altogether, but depends if they’ve used the rad as a bypass.

Will closing the valve off completely then re-opening just a fraction lower the heat output from this radiator?

Also I remember doing this in the past and radiator sounded horrible.. like water was struggling to get through

Will opening just a tad, affect the boiler in anyway?

Is there any issue with completely shutting it off but keeping the central heating running? (apart from balancing issues)

 

[CBW]

Will closing the valve off completely then re-opening just a fraction lower the heat output from this radiator?

No it won’t

Will opening just a tad, affect the boiler in anyway?

No it won’t

Is there any issue with completely shutting it off but keeping the central heating running? (apart from balancing issues)

The only issue I can comment on really is it could affect the dampness in the room. Regards the noise, it might just want opening a smidge more.

 

[JohnD]

Will closing the valve off completely then re-opening just a fraction lower the heat output from this radiator?

Yes

 

[veedee]

Will closing the valve off completely then re-opening just a fraction lower the heat output from this radiator?

No it won’t

Yes

Looks like we have a debate here

Who's right?

The only issue I can comment on really is it could affect the dampness in the room. Regards the noise, it might just want opening a smidge more.

@CBW are you saying that you are not sure whether there is truth what I was told i.e. shutting a radiator completely off at the valve is a bad thing for the boiler when the central heating is running (and the other rads are all open)?

Or is this nonsense too?

 

[JohnD]

Will closing the valve off completely then re-opening just a fraction lower the heat output from this radiator?

Try it, and then send a pound to RDA in Warwickshire or your local branch.

 

[Dereekoo]

Yes

+1

 

[ianmcd]

No it wont, the temp of the rad is controlled by the temp that the boiler is set at not what any valves are set at, valves simly allow water in or dont they have absolutely no control over the temperature of the water

 

[JohnD]

If a radiator is full of water at 30C, and you allow a pint of hot water into it per hour, it will not get very hot.

If you allow 50 litres of hot water per hour to pass through it, it will get considerably hotter.

 

[ianmcd]

absolute rubbish