Thermostatic radiator valve is commonly referred to as TRV and this is a self-regulating valve fitted to hot water heating system radiator, to control the temperature of a room by changing the flow of hot water to the radiator.
Thermostatic radiator valves were invented in Denmark and introduced in the Seventies as a cheap and easy way of controlling zoned temperatures throughout a large building with a “wet” heating system fed by one central boiler. Thermostatic radiator valves can be useful in commercial buildings such as offices and factories, and are also widely used in apartment buildings in all over the world. Installing thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) to the radiators in your business can both improve comfort and save energy. They do this by giving the user the ability to adjust the temperature of a radiator, usually on a scale of 1-5. By turning the TRV and setting it to a lower temperature, energy is saved and heat isn’t wasted.
There tends to be two materials used in the TRV capsules – wax or liquid. On the whole, liquid models are generally considered to be better and their price reflects this. One of their advantages is their responsiveness to changes in temperature – while the wax one is relatively slow to expand or contract, the liquid capsule will change the flow of water into the radiator far more quickly.
But it is not all places are suitable for installation TRVs. There are two places that you really shouldn’t install thermostatic radiator valves on the radiators – the first is in bathrooms. Because the heat produced by the shower will cause the thermostatic radiator valve to shut off, just when you need the heat from the radiator to fight off condensation.
We also don’t advise installing a thermostatic radiator valves in the same room as your main heating thermostat. The main thermostat will link directly to the boiler, firing it up or turning it down, so by having a thermostatic radiator valve in that room they will fight for control – if the thermostatic radiator valves wins, the heating in your house will go off!