are trv's necessary?

[JohnD]

JohnD,

I searched again and found that I got the TRV information from www.miketheboilerman.com. He has a heading entitled Thermostatic Valves.

Yes, I see he says "Another (technical) drawback is that they need the boiler to be on all the time making hot water available for the TRV to draw as and when it is needed. This rather defeats the fuel efficiency claimed for them in my opinion."

I'm a bit stunned, if he really means what he appears to be saying, that he doesn't use a room stat so he has the boiler running even when no heating is required. It's not a technical drawback at all.

It would be much more accurate, and simple, to say "the boiler needs to be on whenever heat is required from the radiators" (doh!) and, obviously, the boiler does not need to be on when heat is not required from any of the radiators (double doh!) so a room stat will achieve that, simply and economically.

 

[bludger]

I'm pleased to say that I have found a recommended building firm in my area. He has electricians, a good heating engineer, and all the usual other trades on staff. The working boss and I met to discuss what we want to do with the house and will have the heating engineer assess, with me, how best to improve heating system in place.

Looks like I may be on the way. Thanks to all your postings and this forum I can now talk about weather controlleded heat only boilers, trvs, makes of boilers, and probably more. I feel so knowledgeable now that I may be bold enough to make suggestions.....

I'll let you know how I get on. I do have to go away tomorrow for a fortnight unfortunately, but I won't forget.

Many many thanks to you all.

 

[bludger]

Back home again and have met the heating engineer on site. A nice, sharp young man who put me right on a couple of things immediately. I did mention trvs, the subject of my original post, and he puts in a bypass to solve any problems with them.

He changed my mind on removing the kitchen radiator and putting in underfloor heating instead, to free wall space. He pointed out that a kickspace radiator would be much cheaper and more flexible. I didn't know they existed! Nothing like a pro, is there?

Many thanks to everyone who posted in what turned out to be an interesting thread. I'm going to be alright with the heating now.

 

[mysteryman]

You should have one radiator somewhere with lockshield [permanently open] valves, this can be in the main hall or a bathroom.

 

[oilboffin]

To comply with part p build regs you should have trv,s room stat and auto bypass on systems and yes no trv on the bathroom rad please use a rad not a towel rail they are a waste of space unless you fit a massive one to be honest I've passed hotter farts than the heat you get from a towel rail

 

[bludger]

Yes, the plumber's quote will include putting in a room stat and fitting trv's to all rads except the one in the hall. He's not including a towel rail as I'm having some bathroom alterations done which haven't been finalised yet. So I'll have new rad when the time comes. Thanks for that tip.

I will get on to him again about weather comp control and not having a bypass. Hope he knows about those things.....

 

[Nige F]

To comply with part p build regs you should have trv,s room stat and auto bypass on systems and yes no trv on the bathroom rad please use a rad not a towel rail they are a waste of space unless you fit a massive one to be honest I've passed hotter farts than the heat you get from a towel rail

Best cut down on the curries