Beanz is very chuffed with himself!

[bodminman]

After a lousy start to the day I wanted a challenge to take my mind off things.

 

So the good lady tells me to get on the phone and start getting plumbers round to quote us for installing Thermostatic Radiator Valves x6 and top up the inhibitor in our central heating.

 

I left messages for 3 plumbers (who haven't yet returned my calls) and whilst waiting for them to ring I thought, I'll pop to the plumbers merchants down the road to see how much the valves etc cost so that I know the plumber isn't going to rip me off.

 

Anyway, 20 minutes later I walked out with x6 TRV's, Sentinel Inhibitor, PTFE tape, Drain Easy Kit (2 stoppers) and some back of the envelope destructions on how to install the TRV's without having to drain the system.

 

I'd never atempt anything like this normally but the excellent advice given made me think why not. So nearly 5 hours later I've installed x6 TRV's and topped up the inhibitor.

 

I'm chuffed to bits with my days work! :o:o

[rad]

Cool well done, things are easier when you know how!

[featured_spectre]

Well done Sounds like a productive day

[tech_guy]

Are you available for hire? I need someone conversant in the dark arts of central heating lol - my system was laughed at by the last heating engineer. It's a mint 1977 install.

[SpuffMonkey]

Good luck with that - its not hard - just a bit messy - here's good page Plumbing FAQ if you haven't seen it. Not sure how you're going to do it without draining the system, unless you have in line valves fitted. Do have a stab at rebalancing the radiators - its well worth the effort - plenty of pages if you google.

[bodminman]

Hi there,

 

as our heating is open vented I basically made sure the rads were free of air and then switched off the pump and boiler. After that I blocked the cold water feed and the expansion pipe using the drain easy kit I got and then I went to the main drain off point downstairs. I attached a length of hose to this and stuck the other end in the outside drain. I then opened up the drain point and about a pint of water came out and then stopped. Vacuum created!

 

Working on one rad at a time I I cracked the nut connecting the rad to the valve and slowly unscrewed it, a small trickle of water came out and then stopped. I then undone the bolt attaching the old valve to the feed pipe and popped the valve off. I then just added the new TRV and tightened everything up again.

 

Working on one joint at a time enabled the system to keep the vacuum.

 

I did have to drain one radiator as I had to replace the tail bit that screws into the radiator.

 

I'm sure I've prob missed something out but that the jist of what I done.