Changing a thermostatic radiator valve without draining down.
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- Опубликовано: 5 сен 2022
- How to do the quick change (THE SNATCH). Freezer kit not required. No going up in the loft and plugging up the F and E tank with plugs. Save hours draining the whole system and refilling afterwards.
Buy a decent quality Drayton valve here. amzn.to/3hY4s43
Visit Al`s plumbing shop for parts at amazon.co.uk/shop/dereton33 .
Donate with a press of the SUPER THANKS button. 
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This fella is easily one of the best channels on RUclips. I bet all the jobbing plumbers and sparks come here when they want to know the real tricks of the trade! I wish my dad had made videos like this when he was around. 🙏🏽 God bless you Dereton33
Thank you so much Yuri.
I agree he's helped me out so much with couple of things
Explains it clearly & has unbelievable knowledge
I love this site. Got to be the most helpful one on the web. Great bloke, great skills and brilliant knowledge. Covers all those points others seems to miss out. Always come straight back to this one! Brilliant. Thanks for sharing your knowledge in the way that you do. Just wonderful.
Thanks a lot Bob, all the best.
Thankyou saved a good bit of money by doing this so simple task , now on have to learn these basics to avoid constant calling out plumber every single winter , did the balancing radiator too
That`s great well done Kitty.
great ,just subscibed,i no expert but have done plumbing /heating work as a helper,its worth mentioning that the old valve nut may not easily go onto the new valve,have your small hacksaw and flat screwdriver to hand...great videos thank you.
Thanks for the info!
I like to open the TRV and release some of the pressure out of the central heating system. Great video as always 👍
Same here!
thanks for the video Derek really easy to do I had room to change the basic valve over to a tvr with a bucket so any spillage in the bucket 👍
Nice work!
Thanks once again for a live changeover- always nice to know what you are letting yourself in for
Always!
You’re a legend. There’s things available now that better help snatching. Rubble bags, absorbent mats(nappy mats) etc. good stuff fortune favours the brave. I like rubble bags easy to manipulate around pipes etc
Thanks for the tips!
GREAT a lot of plumbers say put bungs in tank iam disabled can not get up in attic no need for that the way you show us Thanks
No problem Henry.
Great snatch Al, well done, I can see you have done that before 👍👍
Much appreciated, thank you.
You bet. Thanks Chris.
Never removed a radiator in my life until last night. I have plasterers coming in a few days time and they wanted it removed. After watching a RUclips video I took the plunge and removed it whilst my heating was switched off. The trouble is once I switched it back on the thermostatic valve end started leaking water. It was quite late and I phoned for an emergency plumber. Call out charge and a minimum hourly rate and "parts" would have cost around £450 + VAT. I told them where to go basically. In the end I shut down the whole heating system at the boiler so have no heat and no hot water except for my electric shower over my bath. Today it is the 16th December. You can guess how cold it is in the house. Hopefully once the walls are skimmed I can get the radiator back up and working again - that is if I survive.
Pity you did not just put a screw cap on the end of the trv . Never mind.
This was very useful. I was only 2:18 into the video before I'd have paid to watch this. Thank you.
You're welcome!
Great job must very fast with water coming out good tips
Thanks 👍
always wanted to do it this way. i just dont have the nerve unfortunately. Great video as always
Ok thanks it`s not for everyone.
Sting is looking great👍
Sure is
Thanks a lot! Brilliant video - exactly what I needed
You're welcome!
Legend, thank you as always.
No problem
You can also drain the radiator by closing both valves and using the drain valve integrated into the lock shield valve. But you have to fully drain the radiator in that case.
I was just showing the quick change method for this video.
A really helpful video thank you! Sadly the two troublesome valves I have are stuck open, so I can't do this. But I wouldn't have known if you hadn't mentioned this in your video. Time to get a plumber out! 🙁
You're welcome!
Are you getting a constant heat from the radiators?
@@rhyanmansfield4005 Yes I am. After further checking I've discovered 2 more that moved but didn't close enough to stop their radiators heating up, they just heated slower so I didn't notice on a quick check. I managed to fix 3 others that were either partially seized or fully seized but loosened up fully after oiling, leaving a few hours, tapping and pressing up and down a lot. When the engineer came he's serviced the boiler and found significant sludge in the system which I guess could be causing the valves to block. Going to get the system flushed on Friday and see what happens.
Like your style, nice job thanks....
Cheers Dave.
@@dereton33 All the best...
You could also put stop ends on the radiator tails and save having to drain the radiator.
Thanks.
Hugely helpful, thank you!
You're welcome!
Brilliant video as ever Del, your tips are worth their weight in gold. I'm swapping a rad for a slightly narrower towel radiator, can I use the "snatch" technique on both sides of the rad i.e. the themostatic and lockshield valves? Cheers!
Yes sure can.
This is just what I was looking for. Thank you 😊
Make sure the pipe doesn't drop down beneath the floorboards when you take off old valve. Best to clamp pipe on to floorboard using a quick release
Always good videos Derek! I’ve seen people cut straight into pipework with the boiler switched off and then stick their fingers over the end of the pipe, obviously once the water has cooled down. Would I be able to do this with a Combi boiler that has pressure of 1 bar? Not exactly sure what point pressure becomes a problem? I used a bike pump and managed to get to 2.5 bar before I couldn’t hold it any longer, but not sure if it’s the same thing?
Yes you should be able to hold one bar. It will still make a bit of a watery mess so have some towels handy.
Thank you very helpful video, i am very tempting to do this myself, but just quick question, is there anyway to avoid the water situation? I’m pretty new, is there anyway to know if there will be lots of water ? Thanks
There will be unless you follow what I have done in the video. It is very easy to panic when there is live water. If you have not done it before.
You’re a braver man than me.
Ha ha thanks Ash.
Love it thanks alot sir
Most welcome
Great video thanks! What causes the pressure? Would there be less pressure if the main water was off?
No still the same pressure. Whether you have a combi or a F and E system. The pressure is either from a combi pressure vessel or a small tank in the loft for F and E systems.
I'm going to give it a go my friend.
Good luck with it.
Great videos! Would this be the same for the lock shield side? Basically, i want to replace the radiator and both valves.
Yes it will
Great video Der what if you had Leakey oliv on trv side would you still had to drain system down
No.
Stay sharp mate
Will do.
Nice video
Would releasing the pressure through the bleed valve be easier then block the rad with some rag after releasing nut so you don’t have to drain the Rad or shut off the valve.
Yes but very akward to do.
😊
You can use Plum Thumbs, it’s a plastic threaded lever, same thread as the valve. That will hold the water in the rad.
Brilliant
Thanks.
I plan on doing this but the valves I want to change look a bit different. The current TRV seems to fit with a spring where you turn the black collar to remove the head part. The new one have the metal ring you tighten. As I am removing the whole unit, does this make any difference?
Not if you are renewing the whole thing.
Don't see that much pipe snatching nowadays, great job
Thanks Pall.
I have just changed my TRV but the pressure of water coming out of the pipe was like a jet wash. I removed the radiator to redecorate a while ago and have used the heating since then, and replaced the valve before refitting the radiator, will that be why the pressure was so high? I have a combi boiler and it was on the radiator furthest away from the boiler on the ground floor
It would be because it was on the ground floor.
Is there anything you can do to guard against a leak at the nut below - PTFE round the olive for example?
Yes PTFE or boss white.
Nice share, May i know another option shutdown the boiler before start the work is for beginner ?
Well yes do not attempt the swap with the heating on.
Just had a plumber round today to fix a radiator valve. 5 hours later it's done🙄2 hours to drain/then old pipe was crimped so it leaked everywhere carpet ruined. Then couldn't get boiler working. 5 friggin hours. Jeeez
One quick swap and it`s all done.
What if it’s the other value that need changing? The first one u turned off? That’s the one that leaks for us at the bottom and I brought a new one but do I follow same steps u did for this one?
The same yes.
Here s one are u able to help us by perhaps showing how we could go about fitting solar panels ourselves or similar to save money
Have an old video using solar to heat water in the hot water cylinder. .ruclips.net/video/OhTc0l-zJ_s/видео.html
Hi mate. The TRV on my rad is leaking from the nut connecting to the pipe. Will this mean changing the TRV, or just a quick tightening of the nut?
Try a quick tighten first.
Hi AL I’m gunna be changing 5 trv’s around my house shall I do each rad without draining and I pull a vacuum or shall I drain the whole system down?
The vacuum does prevent air locks. All though I prefer a complete drain down in case the vacuum fails.
Hi. My Boiler failed it’s service today. Apparently carbon monoxide coming from flue on top. Not hot water and he can’t do it for 2 weeks.
Sorry to hear that Kim.
Hi Al, would these steps be the same for replacing a lockshield valve?
I have a leaking lockshield on a radiator that has a TRV installed on the other end, but I'm not sure if water will come rushing out when I remove the lockshield!
If you turn the TRV full off to zero that will stop the water one side. Do be aware you will still get water from the lockshield valve when you remove it.
@@dereton33 Thanks for the tip! Is yours a pressurised combi system or a gravity fed one? That seems to be a lot of water rushing out the moment the valve was removed at 8:15!
He does it again, saving British DIYers £millions.
Ha ha. Maybe
I'm at my mums, she's in a psychiatric hospital with depression so got an opportunity to completely makeover her living room and brighten it up (like black hole of Calcutta lol), both radiators are 35 yrs old, one's badly corroded so have ordered new ones+ TRV's and lockshields. It's on 8mm microbore and a pressurised combi system. I need to replace both valves on both radiators so ideally need to remove the olives from 4 pipes to do this? Or could I get away with re-using the existing nuts/olives with some Fernox White Jointing Compound, assuming the old nuts fit the new valves???
I'd ideally want all new fittings but never worked on a combi system before and am concerned that if I remove the valve and carefully cut the old olive it's gonna leak everywhere in the time that takes.... a mini rubber bung would be ideal ?? Is there any way of ensuring the water stops coming out of the pipe?? (BTW I've replaced a radiator before- Uponor nightmare pipework mated to conventional fittings, had a vented gravity fed header tank but did it like you- popped the old valve and got the thumb over it! but there were no olives the uponor is O-ringed where it goes into the 15mm fitting)
O rings are best not to try fitting new valves on. If you have olives on when you take off the old valves you may find the nuts and olives fit the new ones , worth a try. If not then they will have to be sawn through carefully so you do not cut into the pipe.
Legend
Thanks.
legend!
Thanks.
I am reading that wax TRV'S are becoming popular again over fluid TRV'S. I wonder which will last longer and be a more reliable TRV. Also, what's your opinion on smart programmable TRV'S. I am told they are problematic.
Yes they are I fitted one, to try out and it never worked properly.
I've fitted a number of Honeywell (now Residio) Evohome systems and they worked well.
@dereton33 - is this a different process with a water tank based system?
No it`s the same.
I have a rad with a TRV which gets red hot no matter which way I fully turn the TRV. Does this mean the TRV is completely broken & needs replacing or could it be salvaged? Thanks
Needs changing.
Put a decorators cap on it, if the rad cools off then you just need a new head without any water works. Otherwise yeh, replace it.
Sounds as if the valve is stuck to its seat. I've freed many of these by gently tapping the valve body with a small hammer and gently tapping the pin, successful on most occasions, but do remove the TRV head first!
if you turned the main water supply off would it have gone shooting out of the pipe??
Yes
@@dereton33 thanks so to stop that the only way would be to drain the system I suppose
Good vid. But I have a Themo valve with no bottom nut. Just black bit of plastic at bottom. Very old comap. Is it push fit. How do I remove??? Thanks for any help.
Has to be sawn off. It`s not a push fit.
@@dereton33 thought as much. I had already looked at a new hacksaw. Screwfix here I come. Really appreciate your reply!
@@mrj8856 don’t hacksaw the pipe live please 😢 heating water shower incoming 😂
Yeah tell me now I've flooded the living room...! Only joking. Yeah to anyone else with one of these old valves...make sure pressure is drained off first...then hacksaw copper pipe just under valve! And thanks for tip....New Radiator up!
I have old type of pipe.very thin.Do you know vere can I buy valve to thin pipe
12 mm microbore. The valves are available at most plumbing shops.
What about a new olive? which is likely to be the cause of the leak in the first place
No the pipe will be compressed, a new olive would spin round and not compress enough.
Nice.😀
Thanks 😁
Which side of the radiator was the valve changed? Was it the flow or return?
The flow.
@dereton33 Thanks!!, and does it matter which side I change, say I was swapping out a lockshield valve with a bidirectional TRV? Is the process the same?
not sure if i have asked before but what is the best way to fix a radiator to one of those horrible soft thermalite block walls? i hate fixing anything to them but no choice.
Rawl bolts.
You can also try screws straight into the block, if it's the soft thermalite block it should hold just fine, use at least 2 1/2" screws for it
@@pallsmortion4750 i am not brave enough just to use screws, it is big tall heavy beastie
@@ShadowzGSDthe just screw one bracket up then try to pull it down, you'll be surprised
Do TRVs work OK on a one-pipe system?
Yes.
@@dereton33 Thanks.
As a plumber your asking for trouble doing that . If a combi drain down . If gravity bung it
Chicken. Ha ha.
I'm probably overlooking something fundamental but why bother draining the radiator? Why not bung the connector, change the valve and reconnect followed by a bleed? Surely you are removing a large amount of inhibitor by draining a large radiator? Also, is it better to close all the other valves on the system to reduce the pressure coming out the floor pipe? Further thought, would it not be a good idea to have valves upstream on flow in and downstream on flow out to make it easier to change radiators etc just like we have isolators on basin, bath and toilet etc? I'm not suggesting use the cheap less than a quid ones - obviously something that can withstand high temps and still function. Would a pegler full bore not work? Is there a reason that isnt done? I'm fairly new to plumbing only added a few valves, changed a toilet and taps but seems like central heating is more awkward but doesn't need to be. Please feel free to point out my ignorance of course.
You will find it difficult to bung the rad tail with water pouring from it and the valve being in the way preventing you from getting a bung of some sort in. Even a large rad will not mean that much inhibitor lost.
@@dereton33 Maybe I'll attempt it one day and make a video. It will either work or be a good laugh.
I presume you switch the boiler off so you dont burn your thumb?
Err yes.
@@dereton33 😆
great vid not for the faint hearted
Ha ha very true.
👍👍👌👌👏👏
Cheers
Just found a leaking trv valve after cleaning the ch system and adding the F1 protector. I be damned if I'm draining again.
This is the way then.
You wouldn't want to do that if the customer had a million pound carpet
Ha ha.
LDF takes stains out… don’t tell anybody tho.. its a secret..
Should have took a bit of pressure off on the trv, ya won’t get it squirting all owa
Maybe
@@dereton33 definitely
DIY dave 😂 jesus,good job there aint no nice carpets
Ha ha very good.
Unfortunately in the real world, the TRV will be a different size. Or it'll be microbore and leak forever.
Most are pretty standard you just need to put the new valve up against the old one to see if the thread sizes match. I wouldn`t try it on microbore though.
Surly easier just to drain
No takes a lot longer plus the threat of airlocks afterwards
👍👍👍🍺🍺
Cheers Paul.
ive had valves that have a shallower bite on the olive , really not a great bit of advice guys ...lets just call it a gamble ...you may get lucky or you may look stupid.
All life is a risk.
😂
Cheers.
Don't try this at home🤣
Ha ha only the brave can take this on.