Balancing Radiators Thread. Discussion Thread
How To Balance Radiators
Tool List:
Radiator-bleeding key
Lockshield valve adjuster or adjustable spanner
Screwdriver
Digital thermometer or multimeter with thermometer function
1. Make sure all the radiators have been bled. Turn off the central heating and allow the radiators to cool.
2. Familiarise yourself with the valves. The lockshield will usually have a push-on cap or one that is secured with a screw through the top. Remove it.
3. Older models will have a wheelhead valve on the other side — used to turn the radiator on/off.
4. Newer radiators will have a thermostatic valve instead of a wheelhead valve.
5. Open up the valves on all the radiators in the house by turning them anti-clockwise.Wheelhead and thermostatic valves can be turned easily by hand, but the lockshield will need a plastic adjuster to open it up. These come with new lockshield valves. A spanner will also do the job.
6. Turn the central heating back on and note down the order the radiators heat up. Those nearest the boiler normally get hot first. If you’ve got a lot of radiators, get assistance. Turn the heating off and wait while the radiators cool down. You will also need check your DHW Cylinder primaries to ensure that the flow heats up at about the same rate as the heating flow. You should have a throttle valve on the primary return.
7. When the radiators are cool, switch the heating back on and go to the first radiator on your list. Turn the lockshield valve clockwise until it is closed and then open it by a quarter of a turn. Once the radiator has warmed up, take a temperature reading at the pipework leading to one of the valves.
8. Now take a temperature reading at the pipework leading to the other valve and open the lockshield valve gradually until there’s a 12°C difference between now and the reading you took in step 7 (allow a couple of minutes after each adjustment for the temperature to change). The temperature figures indicated...
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Balancing Radiators Thread. for the original thread on Plumbers Forums
How To Balance Radiators
Tool List:
Radiator-bleeding key
Lockshield valve adjuster or adjustable spanner
Screwdriver
Digital thermometer or multimeter with thermometer function
1. Make sure all the radiators have been bled. Turn off the central heating and allow the radiators to cool.
2. Familiarise yourself with the valves. The lockshield will usually have a push-on cap or one that is secured with a screw through the top. Remove it.
3. Older models will have a wheelhead valve on the other side — used to turn the radiator on/off.
4. Newer radiators will have a thermostatic valve instead of a wheelhead valve.
5. Open up the valves on all the radiators in the house by turning them anti-clockwise.Wheelhead and thermostatic valves can be turned easily by hand, but the lockshield will need a plastic adjuster to open it up. These come with new lockshield valves. A spanner will also do the job.
6. Turn the central heating back on and note down the order the radiators heat up. Those nearest the boiler normally get hot first. If you’ve got a lot of radiators, get assistance. Turn the heating off and wait while the radiators cool down. You will also need check your DHW Cylinder primaries to ensure that the flow heats up at about the same rate as the heating flow. You should have a throttle valve on the primary return.
7. When the radiators are cool, switch the heating back on and go to the first radiator on your list. Turn the lockshield valve clockwise until it is closed and then open it by a quarter of a turn. Once the radiator has warmed up, take a temperature reading at the pipework leading to one of the valves.
8. Now take a temperature reading at the pipework leading to the other valve and open the lockshield valve gradually until there’s a 12°C difference between now and the reading you took in step 7 (allow a couple of minutes after each adjustment for the temperature to change). The temperature figures indicated...
Read more
Balancing Radiators Thread. for the original thread on Plumbers Forums
