An Introduction to Radiator Valves

Why would you need to invest in Radiator Valves? If you are investing in a new radiator then it could well mean you also need to invest in some new valves. This is certainly the case if you are installing a radiator for the 1st time in a new home as you will need some valves to hook your radiator up to the central heating pipework within the property. If you have just replaced the radiators in your property, then you may have decided to update or replace the valves so that they now fit the style of your new radiators - there are certainly many different styles of radiator valves available out there. Alternatively it could be a case that you simply have to replace your radiator valves. Your old valves may no longer connect correctly to the inlets of your new radiator or if your valves are leaking and subsequently affecting the performance of your entire central heating system you would need to replace as soon as possible. A plumber or heating technician should be able to advise in this situation. What types are out there? There are typical 2 types of valve out there: straight and angled. Straight radiator valves connect to the radiator and pipework in a straight line. On the other hand the angled radiator valves join the central heating pipework to the radiator at a 90?�A� angle. This is the most common form of valve as it allows you to join bottom inlets to pipework that has come through the wall and side valve inlets to pipework that has come either through the wall or the floor. The type of valve you will need is therefore dependent on the position of the radiator valve inlets that your new radiator requires or the position of the central heating supply flow and return pipes that your radiator feeds off. As a rule of thumb you can follow rules below to establish what type of radiator valve you could need: Through Wall Pipework / Bottom Inlets - Angled valve Through Floor Pipework / Side Inlets -Angled valve Through Floor Pipework / Bottom Inlets - Straight valve Through Wall Pipework / Side Inlets - Angled valve Examples: Identifying where the valve inlets can be found on your radiator is quite an easy task. It is normally dependent by the type and style of radiator you have opted to purchase and the location of your central heating pipework. Towel rails, for example, tend to be located underneath the bottom of the radiator. Therefore if the pipes came through the wall of the bathroom, it would be an angled valve you would use to connect the horizontal pipework to the valve inlet at the bottom of the radiator at a 90 degree angle. Standard radiators often have side valve inlets located towards the bottom of the radiator. Again in the scenario you use an angled radiator valve to join the pipework to the valve inlet. If your radiator had the valve inlets located at the back of the bottom of the radiator, then you could use a Straight radiator valves to connect the pipework and radiator. Overview Essentially if you can work out the position of your central heating supply flow and return pipes and where your valve inlets are on the radiator, it is a nice and easy, logical thought process to work out how to connect the two things together.