What side does TRV go on
Nathan Sanders
Published Mar 13, 2026
However, it’s always best practice to fit the TRV on the flow pipe that enters your radiator. If a non-bi-directional thermostatic valve is fitted to the return side of the radiator, it can make a loud vibrating noise when water tries to pass through it.
What side should a TRV be fitted?
The vast majority of new TRV’s are bidirectional and can be fitted to either the flow or return, but it is always good practice to fit them to the flow side. If a non bidirectional TRV is fitted on the return side it will create a vibrating sound as the water tries to flow though it.
Which side of the radiator is the inlet?
Discovering where the valve inlets on your radiator are is fairly straight-forward and is defined primarily by the kind of radiator or heated towel rail that you have. With a heated towel rail, for example, you will normally find that the inlet position is located underneath at the bottom.
Which side of the radiator is the valve?
Radiator Valve Inlet Positions Standard radiators (commonly known as compact radiators) typically have side valve inlets. These are located at the bottom of the radiator too but tend to allow access from the side only (horizontally).Which side is lockshield valve?
The lockshield valve, on the side of the radiator opposite the on/off valve, may be adjusted to balance the output of your heating system. The lockshield itself is the plastic cap that covers the valve to ensure that you don’t accidentally change the setting once you’ve adjusted it.
Do you open both valves on a radiator?
You should open both of the valves on all of your system’s radiator when you are starting the radiator balancing process. You will most likely need to use pliers to open the lockshield valve. … Once this is done your radiator system should be fully balanced and your radiators should heat up evenly and efficiently.
Does TRV go on Inlet?
Where Should I Fit a TRV? Many thermostatic radiator valves nowadays are bidirectional, and you can install them to either the flow or the return pipe of your radiator. However, we would advise you to fit the TRV on the pipe that carries water to your inlet valve – the flow pipe.
What does the left valve on a radiator do?
One valve accounts for the amount of hot water that enters the radiator. The other valve, referred to as the lockshield valve, balances the system by regulating how much heat the radiator gives off.Are radiators directional?
Mistake 2 – Orientation of the radiator Some radiators can be installed in any orientation, but others have to be installed in a specific orientation.It is important to know whether the radiator you have selected.
Which way does water flow through a radiator?Top to bottom. Hot water enters at the top of the radiator, and then the cool water exits at the bottom (where it’s fed back into the engine). Top to bottom is more efficient, since you’re not working against natural convection.
Article first time published onAre TRV heads Universal?
your t.r.v. heads are definety not universal, i carry 3 types, and there are a lot more.
How do you turn on a lockshield valve?
Once the system has cooled down, you will have to open the lockshield valve. To do this, simply turn in an anti-clockwise direction (to the left). You can do so by hand; but if your valves are a bit stiff, use your lockshield valve key, a spanner, or the wheelhead valve cap instead.
Should lockshield valve be open or closed?
When the radiators are cool, switch the heating back on and go to the first radiator on your list. Turn the lockshield valve clockwise until it is closed and then open it by a quarter of a turn. Once the radiator has warmed up, take a temperature reading at the pipework leading to one of the valves (7).
What do arrows on TRV mean?
Until about 1995 all thermostatic radiator valves were uni-directional. They were made with a single-headed arrow which marked the direction of flow. They had to be fitted so that the water passing through them followed the direction of the arrow. This meant that they were normally fitted to the flow pipe.
What is a 2 way TRV?
The MYSON TRV 2-way is the most complete thermostatic radiator valve range available for today’s central heating systems. Incorporating our unique ‘2-way’ engineering, including our patented ‘bonding’ technique, the MYSON TRV 2-way simplifies installation and removes the worry of costly callbacks.
Should radiator valve be open or closed?
Radiator valves, even though they have a handle, are not meant to be closed or half-open. Closing or opening the valve partially, will not control the heat coming from your radiator. Steam radiator valves must remain fully open at all times.
Do you bleed a radiator when it is on or off?
Turn off your heating. You can’t bleed a radiator when the heating is on, as it may be too hot to touch. You could also get hot water spraying out of the radiator. Use your radiator key to turn the valve at the top of the radiator.
Can a radiator be installed backwards?
More About Engine Fans. A word about installation: It is possible to install an engine fan backwards. … That is, if a correctly installed fan draws air through the radiator, an incorrectly installed fan still draws air through the radiator – it does not blow air through the radiator.
Are radiators on a loop?
Single pipe loop Each radiator ‘sits’ upon the pipe with both radiator connections made to the same pipe. As the heated water from the boiler is fed along the pipe, natural convection (hot water rises) causes the heated water to rise into the radiator displacing cooler water back into the pipe.
What is lockshield valve?
Lockshield valves are the covered valves on a radiator, usually by a plastic cap which prevents them from being accidently altered. … When a radiator is taking too long to warm up it might need the lockshield opening to allow a greater flow of water through.
How do you use a radiator valve?
When the two are put together the supply of heat into the radiator is automatically controlled with respect to the temperature of the room. When the room reaches the desired temperature, the valve closes and the radiator stops heating. The room then cools, the valve opens and the radiator begins to heat again.
How should I set my radiator valves?
During the winter, you should really set your TRV to 2 or 3 and leave it. If you go into a room that’s cold and the radiator is burning hot, leave it alone and don’t turn it up to 5. Let it do it’s job and allow the TRV to heat the room accordingly.
Can I just replace the TRV head?
If you are swapping an old thermostatic valve for a new TRV, take the thermostatic head off both valves. You should be able to turn this to remove it by hand.
Are TRV interchangeable?
The JG TRV is compatible with a large number of TRV’s such as Danfoss, Myson, Honeywell, Drayton, Altech and others. Before attempting to fit please check your valve is suitable for use with the JGTRV.
Which way to turn on a radiator?
Operating a Radiator’s Controls. Turn the radiator dial counterclockwise to turn it on. The control valve is located near the bottom of most radiators. On a steam radiator, it is the valve on top of the pipe leading into the radiator.
Why is a radiator cold at the bottom?
A radiator that is cold at the bottom is usually caused by a build up of sludge in the system. … As the sludge is heavier than water, it settles at the bottom which prevents water and heat flow to the bottom of the radiator.
What happens if all lockshield valves are fully open?
On most radiators, this is the valve you can’t turn by hand. By closing a fully-open lockshield valve by a few turns (with a pair of grips or screwdriver), you can slow down the rate at which water enters the radiator and reduce the speed with which it gets hot.
How do you balance radiators with TRV?
- Turn off your heating.
- Open all radiator valves.
- Note the speed each radiator heats up.
- Allow your heating to cool down.
- Turn your heating back on.
- Adjust the fastest radiator.
- Repeat for other radiators.
Do you need TRV on all radiators?
It’s always a good idea to fit some! We recommend you fit a thermostatic valve on every radiator. But there’s no need to fit one in a room with a fixed room thermostat.
Which valves should be open on a radiator?
Open up the valves on every radiator in the house by turning them anti-clockwise. Thermostatic valves or older wheel-head valves can be turned quite easily by hand but the lockshield valve will need a plastic adjuster or a spanner to open it.
Which way do you turn a lockshield valve to open?
For Lockshield valves, remove the plastic cap (instructions above) and turn the metal valve anti-clockwise with a Lockshield valve adjuster or an adjustable spanner.