Using £1 To Turn A TRV Off? All aspects of plumbing questions and answers, help, tips and information

[nitro23456]

I have a radiator to replace and have a TRV on one side of it, but alas not the cap to turn it off fully. I have unscrewed the head of the TRV and there is a hollow inside of it that would fit a coin inside.......

I have read somewhere you can stick a pound or a 1p or whatever in here and stick the head back on and twist it and it will turn off the TRV. Has anyone any experience with this and does it work?

also...

I dont have much expereince with working with TRVs - I have noticed that if I unscrew the head of the TRV when it is at setting '5', then the pin in the middle is high out, but if I unscrew the head at setting '0' then the pin in the middle is still out high. Is this because the head holds it down and taking the head off allows the pin back out? or should the pin be down at setting '0' and mine has got stuck?

[Steve the gas]

Sounds to me the head isn't working correctly- you're right!

[chris_on_tour2002]

hi nitro,

"I have noticed that if I unscrew the head of the TRV when it is at setting '5', then the pin in the middle is high out, but if I unscrew the head at setting '0' then the pin in the middle is still out high. "

do you mean when you completely remove the TRV head, exposing the pin and the top of the valve? if so then yes, the pin will be high out as the head does hold it down.

you CAN use a pound coin bit i wouldn't - it may get stuck inside the head and won't come out again without force which can have obvious consequences and frankly i don't think this method is any more reliable than just turning the head to zero. even with a decorator's cap i would still cap the valve.

best thing to do is to leave the head on and turn to zero. remove the rad you may get a small amount of water trickling from the valve as it doesn't always completely shut off, so towels/saucepans/roasting tins at the ready!!

then just cap the valve with a 15mm stop-end, the type with the rubber or fibre washer inside. i always do this anyway when removing a rad for a period of time regardless of the type of valve. at least you can relax in the knowledge that a leak is highly unlikely.

[nitro23456]

thanks chris thats good advice, the rad will be off for a hour or two but is prbabably still a good idea to cap.