Wow, totally worked! Thank you so much for this video! 🙏 I bled the radiator and was stumped when it still wasn't working after the summer, was gonna call a plumber but wouldn't be myself is I didn't research and try it myself first. Turned out to be such a silly little thing! I saw the pin but was afraid to tap it not to break something, you totally gave me the confidence to go for it:) Thanks so much for your help!!
Thank you for the informative video. The pin in our TVR seems to work fine but the radiator still stays hot even when turned off. Any ideas would be welcome.
I would suggest that maybe the TRV head or whole valve needs replacing. The TRV head has a wax phial inside that can fail, the head then needs replacing.
Water is leaking from around the pin (its a Drayton TVR4) when I take the head off, explaining why its been slowly leaking for some time. The pin seems fairly free when I press it down with edge of a screw-driver. Changing the valve would seem to be the best solution wouldn't it ?
Depends on level of leaking and your budget or how easy it is to drain down? If you’re a confident DIY’er then change it. If not you could try Leak Sealer, it’s a chemical additive that stops small leaks within 24 hrs usually. It’s not a permanent solution, but would help until summer.
Thanks for the great video! I have a related question I wonder if you can help? Recently moved into a new house and checking the pins they all move, but are stiff and only move up / down perhaps 1-2mm, much less than the one you show. Lubricating / mobilising makes no difference, so I don't think they are stuck. The valve heads work to fully close the pins down, so no water comes through. And settings 1 and 2 seem to work. Beyond that the radiators seem to stay on all the time. The internal slider in the valve heads seems to move up / down about 5mm. Could it be that I just need different valve heads that have less travel? Or might all the valves need replacing? Thanks!
@@GDB1987 ok, so some valves have pins that move to a greater extent than others. The head itself has an expanding phial inside that expands during high heat, summer, and contracts when it’s cold, winter. The phial presses the pin down depending on the degree of expansion to shut off water flow that’s not needed to heat the radiator when the room is warm. The numbers denote the temp of the room. So 1 is going to shut the valve down sooner than 5. You can usually spot a faulty valve head in that it won’t allow water through no matter how cold the room is or it never shuts the water off no matter how hot it is in the room. If you can see the phial you can try putting the head into the fridge and seeing if it contracts and then expands in a warmer area?
@@usedandreviewedrealworldre4184 thanks for the detailed response. I will have a go putting some in the fridge and seeing if any change. The heads all say 'acl Lifestyle' on them. Annoyingly no other code etc. I imagine they were fitted when the house was built circa 1997, so wouldn't be surprising if they were deteriorating. But even when I've looked at new heads, the inner spindle / slider seems to move up / down 5mm when turning the dial from 0 to 5. Where as the pins on the radiators only move up / down 1-2mm. I guess what I'm asking is should the pin movement up / down match the movement of the spindle in the valve head? In which case I may need different valve heads where the spindle has less travel? Or should expansion of the phial at higher temperatures accommodate for this? Apologies if this is unclear, it's quite hard to describe. Thanks again!
@@GDB1987 the pin doesn’t need to move a lot, but the phial needs to give decent pressure down onto the pin. Another way to see if the head is working is to dial down the TRV head to 0 and then turn on the heating. Wait for 15mins to see if the radiator heats up. Then open the TRV one number at a time checking to see if the radiator heats up. Leave a minute between each setting and feel the radiator. ACL Lifestyle are made by Drayton and are still available
@@usedandreviewedrealworldre4184 thanks! So yes essentially they all close the valve at 0 and no hot water comes through. But turn to 1 and the hot water flows seemingly regardless of the room temp. For example today it's 23°C in the upstairs bedrooms as it's sunny. I understand roughly the valves have number 1 = 10°C, 2 = 15°C, 3 = 20°C, 4 = 25°C and 5 = 30°C. So I would expect no hot water until I turn to between 3 and 4. Perhaps the phial isn't expanding enough anymore to apply the necessary pressure? I guess the easiest thing would be to try a few new heads. Then if no different it's likely an issue with the valve itself / the pin. Would you recommend to replace them with more ACL Lifestyle heads, or can any head work assuming the collar is the right diameter to screw down. Thank you again for taking the time to reply, I really appreciate it!
@@GDB1987 you could try a few heads. It’s difficult to explain without being there. If I was there I’d be able to tell if the head was faulty straight away from experience.
Thanks for the video. Both radiators in a conservatory are permanently on. When I took off the TRVs the pins were both fine. But if I leave a heavy weight sitting on the pin to keep it pressed down, the radiator still gets hot. Seems odd that both the valves should have failed at the same time, but if I have to replace them does that mean draining the whole system? Thanks
It would take a while to see the radiator cool down. Usually the radiators thermostatic head fails in the closed position and stops the radiator getting hot. Sometimes you can buy a new TRV and the new head might fit the old valve.
Are there different sizes of TRVs, i moved into a property last year and none of my radiators worked took off the TRVs and they worked, called it in as a repair job and the plumber just put them back on again effectively stopping my heating from working so was wondering are these a one size fits all and theres a different problem with my radiators
You might be lucky and find a different manufacturer’s head to fit, but were the pins free moving and not stuck up or down? If they’re free and not stuck then it’s the TRV heads that are faulty. They have an expanding wax phial inside that maybe faulty.
@@usedandreviewedrealworldre4184 Thanks for the reply. I asked because even though I turned the knob to the frost setting the radiator was still very warm. I then proceeded to remove the the TRV in order to check the pin. And that's when I found that even after it was pushed down water still continued to flow.
What if you spray the WD40 and tap it but when turning the valve the heating still doesn’t turn on? I’m having an issue where I can press the pin and it comes back and the heating is fine but AS SOON as I put the valve back on it doesn’t work
Just figured out why when turning TRV to 0, it does not shut off the radiator. The pin stop in the TRV has pushed through over time, creating a hole so the valve pin does not compress against anythin to shut off the hot water going into the radiator. I thought the hole was normal until I compared it with a new same TRV. I'm trying to now figure out a way to plug the holes in all my TRV's.
Yes. That’s happens when the valve has been left fully open for a long time without operation. Oil/WD40 will work on that and a gentle tap will free it up.
What if the pin just... flops... I can move the pin up and down easily with my fingers and the valve turns on when it's up and off when it's down... but there is no 'spring' to it... it just stays in whatever position I put it in... if it's pushed down it doesn't pop back up on it's own.. but I can easily lift it up with my fingers... it's not stuck.. It's like the spring is broken inside...
Good question. The TRV is kaput! I’d replace the whole valve for a new one. If you think you can manage it then give it a go? If you’re not sure then pop back and ask and I’ll give you some pointers? 👍🏻
I've noticed that some of my radiators trv are hotter than others even though I'd removed and cleaned the valve to ensure good operation. I found that... if I removed the trv's the radiator would get red hot and saw the bar inside the trv was fully retracted (set to 5). If I set the valve to 0 the rod was out but it was springy. Other valves I looked at had this bar fully out even at 5. Does that mean those valves are faulty?
Good question. Some TRV’s have a wax phial that expands when it gets hot to shut down the radiator once it’s not required. Occasionally these become faulty and don’t retract the piston inside the valve head. If your TRVs are all the same make try swapping the valve heads over from one you know works correctly and see what happens? Hope that helps. Feel free to msg again if you need any more advice?
Dry the pin with some paper. Add a small amount of white vinegar or scale remover. Allow it to sit for a short while. Dry it up again and then add release agent (WD40) and then some oil.
Spray some WD40 onto the pin and let it sit for a while. There’s always a chance that it’s broken, but try that first. Give it some more gentle tapping once it’s had time to soak.
Just fixed a spare room radiator that’s been inactive for years. Thanks for posting such a helpful clip. Life saver!
Glad it’s helped. Add a little oil and it shouldn’t get stuck again. 👍🏻
Just fixed my bedroom radiator using this video, thought I was in for a chilly winter, what a legend.
Glad it helped. Don’t forget to apply a little oil to keep it free 👍🏻
I also fixed my bedroom radiator after a chilly 3 months! Thanks so much for your help. It is simple when someone tells you how!
It’s the reason I did the video. Glad it helped.
Thank you 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼 my room was so cold...now slowly is hitting up... legend!
Just did mine! You just saved me the aggro of replacing the valve.
Oh nice one. That’s what I hoped would happen with the video. 👍🏻
Thank you so much. Your method worked a treat. Love saving a few pounds by fixing things myself 😊👍
No problem. We all like a saving! 👍🏻
The gentle tapping was Exactly what made the water flow again! Thank you!
No problem. Glad it helped. Put a small drop of oil on the pin too. 👍🏻
So simple thank you. Couple of small taps and popped out. Water instantly starting flowing. Thanks
No problem
This got a cold radiator going again. Many thanks for this 👍
@@JamesRichards-j9o oh good. It’s such a simple fix too. 👍🏻
Brilliant. Thanks. Worked a treat. I might as well have been looking up a cow's arse before watching this.
Wow, totally worked! Thank you so much for this video! 🙏 I bled the radiator and was stumped when it still wasn't working after the summer, was gonna call a plumber but wouldn't be myself is I didn't research and try it myself first. Turned out to be such a silly little thing! I saw the pin but was afraid to tap it not to break something, you totally gave me the confidence to go for it:) Thanks so much for your help!!
Glad it helped 👍🏻
Excellent video - thanks for your helpful advice and tips.
Glad to help 👍🏻
Thank you for the informative video. The pin in our TVR seems to work fine but the radiator still stays hot even when turned off. Any ideas would be welcome.
I would suggest that maybe the TRV head or whole valve needs replacing. The TRV head has a wax phial inside that can fail, the head then needs replacing.
Thank you for your reply! We'll try to swap it with one of our other rad's TVR heads and hope that will do the trick.
Water is leaking from around the pin (its a Drayton TVR4) when I take the head off, explaining why its been slowly leaking for some time. The pin seems fairly free when I press it down with edge of a screw-driver. Changing the valve would seem to be the best solution wouldn't it ?
Depends on level of leaking and your budget or how easy it is to drain down? If you’re a confident DIY’er then change it. If not you could try Leak Sealer, it’s a chemical additive that stops small leaks within 24 hrs usually. It’s not a permanent solution, but would help until summer.
Thanks for the great video! I have a related question I wonder if you can help? Recently moved into a new house and checking the pins they all move, but are stiff and only move up / down perhaps 1-2mm, much less than the one you show. Lubricating / mobilising makes no difference, so I don't think they are stuck. The valve heads work to fully close the pins down, so no water comes through. And settings 1 and 2 seem to work. Beyond that the radiators seem to stay on all the time. The internal slider in the valve heads seems to move up / down about 5mm. Could it be that I just need different valve heads that have less travel? Or might all the valves need replacing? Thanks!
@@GDB1987 ok, so some valves have pins that move to a greater extent than others. The head itself has an expanding phial inside that expands during high heat, summer, and contracts when it’s cold, winter. The phial presses the pin down depending on the degree of expansion to shut off water flow that’s not needed to heat the radiator when the room is warm. The numbers denote the temp of the room. So 1 is going to shut the valve down sooner than 5. You can usually spot a faulty valve head in that it won’t allow water through no matter how cold the room is or it never shuts the water off no matter how hot it is in the room. If you can see the phial you can try putting the head into the fridge and seeing if it contracts and then expands in a warmer area?
@@usedandreviewedrealworldre4184 thanks for the detailed response. I will have a go putting some in the fridge and seeing if any change. The heads all say 'acl Lifestyle' on them. Annoyingly no other code etc. I imagine they were fitted when the house was built circa 1997, so wouldn't be surprising if they were deteriorating. But even when I've looked at new heads, the inner spindle / slider seems to move up / down 5mm when turning the dial from 0 to 5. Where as the pins on the radiators only move up / down 1-2mm. I guess what I'm asking is should the pin movement up / down match the movement of the spindle in the valve head? In which case I may need different valve heads where the spindle has less travel? Or should expansion of the phial at higher temperatures accommodate for this? Apologies if this is unclear, it's quite hard to describe. Thanks again!
@@GDB1987 the pin doesn’t need to move a lot, but the phial needs to give decent pressure down onto the pin. Another way to see if the head is working is to dial down the TRV head to 0 and then turn on the heating. Wait for 15mins to see if the radiator heats up. Then open the TRV one number at a time checking to see if the radiator heats up. Leave a minute between each setting and feel the radiator. ACL Lifestyle are made by Drayton and are still available
@@usedandreviewedrealworldre4184 thanks! So yes essentially they all close the valve at 0 and no hot water comes through. But turn to 1 and the hot water flows seemingly regardless of the room temp. For example today it's 23°C in the upstairs bedrooms as it's sunny. I understand roughly the valves have number 1 = 10°C, 2 = 15°C, 3 = 20°C, 4 = 25°C and 5 = 30°C. So I would expect no hot water until I turn to between 3 and 4. Perhaps the phial isn't expanding enough anymore to apply the necessary pressure? I guess the easiest thing would be to try a few new heads. Then if no different it's likely an issue with the valve itself / the pin. Would you recommend to replace them with more ACL Lifestyle heads, or can any head work assuming the collar is the right diameter to screw down. Thank you again for taking the time to reply, I really appreciate it!
@@GDB1987 you could try a few heads. It’s difficult to explain without being there. If I was there I’d be able to tell if the head was faulty straight away from experience.
Thanks so much mate, just did this and hey presto working rad! You're a star
Glad it helped 👍🏻
I can't believe it! It worked! Thanks so much!
Glad it worked. Don’t forget to add a drop of oil
Thanks, this worked in a jiffy.
Thank you, my radiator works now!
Glad it helped
Thanks mate
Happy to help
This worked a treat . Thankyou.
Great to hear! Give them an annual oiling and they’ll never get stuck. 👍🏻
Youre an absolute legend mate 👍
Aww thanks. Glad it helped 👍🏻
Thanks for the video. Both radiators in a conservatory are permanently on. When I took off the TRVs the pins were both fine. But if I leave a heavy weight sitting on the pin to keep it pressed down, the radiator still gets hot.
Seems odd that both the valves should have failed at the same time, but if I have to replace them does that mean draining the whole system? Thanks
It would take a while to see the radiator cool down. Usually the radiators thermostatic head fails in the closed position and stops the radiator getting hot. Sometimes you can buy a new TRV and the new head might fit the old valve.
Many thanks for the (instant!) reply - much appreciated.
Are there different sizes of TRVs, i moved into a property last year and none of my radiators worked took off the TRVs and they worked, called it in as a repair job and the plumber just put them back on again effectively stopping my heating from working so was wondering are these a one size fits all and theres a different problem with my radiators
You might be lucky and find a different manufacturer’s head to fit, but were the pins free moving and not stuck up or down? If they’re free and not stuck then it’s the TRV heads that are faulty. They have an expanding wax phial inside that maybe faulty.
@@usedandreviewedrealworldre4184 all free moving, just seems odd they were all broken
When I push down on the pin water still continues to flow. Is that an indication of a faulty valve?
You might not be pushing it down hard enough or yes it’s possibly faulty and the whole valve requires replacing.
@@usedandreviewedrealworldre4184 Thanks for the reply. I asked because even though I turned the knob to the frost setting the radiator was still very warm. I then proceeded to remove the the TRV in order to check the pin. And that's when I found that even after it was pushed down water still continued to flow.
Thank you for this.
Glad to help
Thanks a million 🙏
Pleasure
What if you spray the WD40 and tap it but when turning the valve the heating still doesn’t turn on? I’m having an issue where I can press the pin and it comes back and the heating is fine but AS SOON as I put the valve back on it doesn’t work
The TRV head is faulty and the whole valve needs replacing, unless you can find a head that’s the same and fits the valve?
Just figured out why when turning TRV to 0, it does not shut off the radiator. The pin stop in the TRV has pushed through over time, creating a hole so the valve pin does not compress against anythin to shut off the hot water going into the radiator. I thought the hole was normal until I compared it with a new same TRV.
I'm trying to now figure out a way to plug the holes in all my TRV's.
If it’s pushed through the expanding phial inside then you’ll have to replace the head
@@usedandreviewedrealworldre4184
Noted.
Am I right in saying that if the pin is stuck UP then the valve head can’t be turned down?
Yes. That’s happens when the valve has been left fully open for a long time without operation. Oil/WD40 will work on that and a gentle tap will free it up.
My pin goes up and down but still no heat. Thinking the valve needs changing
@@simmo321 leave the head off and put your heating on. If the radiator heats up without the head on then the thermostatic head is faulty.
What if the pin just... flops... I can move the pin up and down easily with my fingers and the valve turns on when it's up and off when it's down... but there is no 'spring' to it... it just stays in whatever position I put it in... if it's pushed down it doesn't pop back up on it's own.. but I can easily lift it up with my fingers... it's not stuck.. It's like the spring is broken inside...
Good question. The TRV is kaput! I’d replace the whole valve for a new one.
If you think you can manage it then give it a go? If you’re not sure then pop back and ask and I’ll give you some pointers? 👍🏻
@@usedandreviewedrealworldre4184 Thanks, that's what I thought.. I think I'll call a plumber. I'm sure I could do it myself... but why risk it?
@@Kodemaestro make sure you get your inhibitor checked and topped up at the same time. 👍🏻
I've noticed that some of my radiators trv are hotter than others even though I'd removed and cleaned the valve to ensure good operation. I found that... if I removed the trv's the radiator would get red hot and saw the bar inside the trv was fully retracted (set to 5). If I set the valve to 0 the rod was out but it was springy. Other valves I looked at had this bar fully out even at 5. Does that mean those valves are faulty?
Good question. Some TRV’s have a wax phial that expands when it gets hot to shut down the radiator once it’s not required. Occasionally these become faulty and don’t retract the piston inside the valve head. If your TRVs are all the same make try swapping the valve heads over from one you know works correctly and see what happens? Hope that helps. Feel free to msg again if you need any more advice?
What is the meaning of V on the thermostat.
The “V” is the Roman numeral for the number 5. It’s usually the highest setting on the Thermostatic Radiator Valve.
@@usedandreviewedrealworldre4184 Thank you very much.
Mine freed by this however doesn’t bounce back still get stuck again when pouching down applied wd40 n bit oil too
Dry the pin with some paper. Add a small amount of white vinegar or scale remover. Allow it to sit for a short while. Dry it up again and then add release agent (WD40) and then some oil.
Hello mate can you help please, I took out the trv pin cleaned it but now can not get it to go down.
You took the pin right out of the valve??
what to do if water is leaking from the pin?
@@deepteshagrawal there’s nothing you can do about this other than replace the whole valve.
@@usedandreviewedrealworldre4184 Thanks a lot !!!
Good video, have a look for some useful radiator tools at ABDtools, tools for taking of Rads.valves etc.
I’m a plumbing and heating engineer, I don’t need anymore tools or I’ll need a bigger van!
What kind of oil to apply?
Any lubricant that doesn’t damage rubber seals or plastic, if your TRV has plastic parts. WD40 do a silicon lubricant that’s perfect for it.
Mine is still stuck down 😢
Spray some WD40 onto the pin and let it sit for a while. There’s always a chance that it’s broken, but try that first. Give it some more gentle tapping once it’s had time to soak.