Thermostatic Radiator Valves.

Not easy if it's not a direct swap, can you use one of those freezing sprays and an insulating collar ( my friend says use pipe insulation it's better than the thing that comes in the freezing kit

I'm sure we've all had those mements where we're stuck with our thumb over a pipe shouting to wife to fetch a bowl, turn the water off, abandon ship etc.
I've never tried the feezer thing, how long does it take to freeze a pipe?
Del

I don't know.

Screwfix says it lasts 35 mins. It only needs to last long enough for you to put in a service valve on flow and return, so you can take off your old rad and put in your new at your leisure.

<...how long does it take to freeze a pipe?...>

Not long, and the ice plug should last about 30min, which is usually enough to change a valve, put a pipe cap on, etc., if compression fittings are in use. And no need to drain-down either. The challenge is as always getting the freeze jacket installed around the pipe; no problem if the floorboards are up, though doing a stub coming out of the wall 50mm from the valve is a bit dodgy.

Some possibilities:

• Use the put-the-thumb-over-the-end technique to change the valve; at least three hands are needed to do this properly (been there, done it, got wet too!) and most people only have a maximum of two, which can cause problems with wallpaper in the room below and divorce proceedings. Dunno about cats.....
• Use a cast iron bath to capture the water

Right chaps, I'm going in, wish me luck, cook me a kipper I'll be back for breakfast.
Del

Del, i do believe that your radiator is set up for tea.

if i pour you cup that is friendship,

if i add you milk that is manners,

if i stop there claiming ignorance of taste then that is Tea.

Thermostatic radiator valves can be temperamental. They are particularly susceptible of exposure to uncovered body parts, especially by people who believe they are fully clothed but are actually not. Claustrophobic vanity may also be a factor here, due to tiny washroom constraints.

I thought my aging thermostats had died, but the problem was solved after replacing rusty valves on the furnace:

In case of sweltering, there may be another heat source causing the problem. Have you checked how many people are lolling around in the tub...

Del, when redoing plumbing, there are a few good rules to follow I feel:-

1) wherever possible put in larger rads (double or triple) than theoretically required. The speed at which the rooms heat up will appeal to all, plus you don't have to run such a high boiler temperature if you don't want to!!

2) Always have an isolating valve on each rad, in conjunction with the thermostat, you can remove any rad for redecorating or repair even with a running heating system.

3) Add extra isolation valves so that you can isolate various areas of the heating system. Mine is broken up into 4 areas that can be isolated off individually even when the heating is running. Bedroom and kitchen at back, bedrooms at front, cellar, bathroom.

4) have isolators for the boiler, so that you can have hot water at least even if the rest of the system for heating is not for one reason or another available....work in progress....

5) Have a second form of at least air heating, I have a pellets burner in the kitchen, so even with no heating system, we don't freeze!! This supplies in the winter, the main part of the warm air in the house to reduce gas usage.

We like it warm and we are at around €600 total heating and hot water costs per year.....house is around 140 square meters.....well insulated.

Indeed, good tips, most of which are already in place.
I'm rather smug as I've just checked in the garage and found that I can isolate the heating circuit from my solar hot water as I put in a couple of gate valves. This means I can drain all the upstairs rads/pipe etc, and still have the solar hot water (no CH type hot water, but we should be ok for sun at the mo')
I'm going to have a look at it this afternoon, I know there's a horrid mix of copper nad plastic, it's deciding how much to do.
If it was just me and Mrs Cat I'd re-do the whole upstairs.
Del

Sounds like you have got/had the right ideas already!!

I concur my furry feline friend.

Thermostatic rad valves (TRV) tend to be in the wrong place to control tempertaure effectively. Being low down and close to the source of heat. Drafts in the room keep the temperature fluctuating. Danfoss have a rad valve with a remote sensor (done via a capillary tube so no wiring etc) which enables you to position the sensor higher up with more consistent results.

http://heating.consumers.danfoss.com/PCMPDF/Remote_temp_adjust_VI33T100.pdf

You may be interested in the Honeywell which has an RF system which allows you to control valves more accurately and time-controlled too.

http://www.inspiredheating.co.uk/acatalog/HONEYWELL_CM_ZONE.html

Note that you should always leave at least 1 uncontrolled rad in your system to provide heat-leak for your boiler. This is frequently in the bathroom, which can lead to large temperature fluctuations in this room.

Interesting, the Danfoss thing looks like an improvement.
But RF? I've never met a wireless anything that worked right...that Marconi was now't but a troublemaker.

What's required is a neat looking latching solenoid valve it would only need a tiny amount of power to switch off or on, then you could have a thermostat or timer for each room.
CH controls are pretty much state of the Ark technology.

(Actually I've just looked at the honeywell link, it looks pretty slick...but a bit pricey.)
You get a GA for being the only person to pay the slightest attention to the OP.
Del

Here in Germany, we either have a special mixing valve or we simply make a connection between the supply and the return, with a valve in the middle.

This valve is then adjusted to give a small amount of bypass in the case where none of the rads requires hot water.....the returning hot water then turns off the boiler.

We do not put a "rad" in this circuit for the very reasons you just mentioned......that would be a total waste of money (for the rad) and (heat) energy.

With modern Radio Controlled valves and a master controller (from ELV for example), the bypass is not really needed (can be left in place) as if no rad needs hot water, the boiler is not turned on, neither is the pump.....at least one rad must need hot water for the boiler and pump to start running.....